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Understanding the Implications of a Punitive Approach to Homelessness: A Local Case Study

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  • Jennifer Wilking
  • Susan Roll
  • David Philhour
  • Peter Hansen
  • Holly Nevarez

Abstract

Cities large and small are increasingly using public safety policies to address local concerns about homelessness. In 2013, Chico, California, followed suit by passing several ordinances, most notably, a “sit‐lie” ordinance that prohibits individuals from sitting or lying in commercial districts and other public spaces. Broadly, this article explores the implications of this punitive approach to homelessness. Specifically, relying primarily upon arrest data extending over six and a half years, we explore how enforcement of the sit‐lie ordinance affected arrest rates of homeless individuals, as well as the geographic location of those arrests. Our expectations are supported—arrests of homeless individuals increased significantly in the “post sit‐lie” period, and the location of arrests clearly shifted away from the downtown area. Finally, given economic motivations of the ordinances, we estimate the costs to city law enforcement of policing the homeless population and find that costs are nearly twice as large as police department estimates. 不论是大城市还是小城市,都越来越多地采取公共安全政策处理有关无家可归的问题。 2013年,加利福尼亚州的奇科市就此问题也跟着出台了一些法令,其中最引人注目的是 “禁止坐躺” (Sit‐lie)法令,该法令禁止人们在商业区和其他公共场所随地就坐或躺下。概括而言,本文将探讨这种惩罚性措施对无家可归者可能造成的影响。具体而言,本文将主要对超过六年半的逮捕数据进行分析,以探讨 “禁止坐躺” 法令的执行是如何影响无家可归者的被逮捕率及其被逮捕的地理位置。我们的预期也得到了证实 ——在 “禁止坐躺” 法令出台期间,对违反这一法令的无家可归者的逮捕大幅上升,并且逮捕地点明显远离了市区。最后,考虑到该法令的经济动机,笔者预估了城市执法机关对无家可归者进行治安管制的成本,并发现该成本几乎是警察部门预估的两倍。 Las ciudades, tanto grandes como pequeñas, están utilizando más y más políticas de seguridad pública para abordar temas locales que tienen que ver con el desamparo. En 2013, Chico, CA siguió este ejemplo al aprobar varias reglas, más notablemente, la regla de “sentar‐acostar” que prohíbe a los individuos sentarse o acostarse en distritos comerciales y otros espacios públicos. En general, este documento explora las implicaciones de esta aproximación punitiva para el desamparo. Específicamente, el apoyarse primordialmente en datos de arrestos que se extienden a más de seis años y medio, exploramos cómo la acción policíaca de la regla “sentarse‐acostarse” tuvo un impacto en la proporción de arrestos de individuos sin hogar, así como también la ubicación geográfica de esos arrestos. Nuestras expectativas están sustentadas – los arrestos de los individuos sin hogar incrementaron significativamente en el periodo después de la regla “acostarse‐sentarse” y la ubicación de los arrestos claramente se mudó fuera del área central de la ciudad. Finalmente, dadas las motivaciones económicas de las reglas, estimamos que los costos para la ciudad de la acción policíaca en contra de la población desamparada, y encontramos que los costos son el doble de lo que estima el departamento de policía.

Suggested Citation

  • Jennifer Wilking & Susan Roll & David Philhour & Peter Hansen & Holly Nevarez, 2018. "Understanding the Implications of a Punitive Approach to Homelessness: A Local Case Study," Poverty & Public Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 10(2), pages 159-176, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:povpop:v:10:y:2018:i:2:p:159-176
    DOI: 10.1002/pop4.210
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    1. Weingast, Barry R & Moran, Mark J, 1983. "Bureaucratic Discretion or Congressional Control? Regulatory Policymaking by the Federal Trade Commission," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 91(5), pages 765-800, October.
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    1. Hodgkinson, Tarah & Henderson, Samantha & Andresen, Martin A. & Sanders, Carrie B. & Condon, Camie & Anthony, Tye, 2024. "To tent and protect: Homeless encampments as “protective facilities”," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).

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