Today, Explained Criminalizing homelessness?
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Jul 2, 2024 
Join Steven Mazie, a Supreme Court expert from The Economist, and Rachel Cohen, a Vox correspondent focused on homelessness, as they dive into the recent Supreme Court ruling allowing cities to criminalize public sleeping. They discuss the ruling's implications on homelessness policies and societal attitudes. Cohen highlights innovative community strategies and the urgent need for long-term solutions, while both guests underscore the growing crisis in the U.S. and the importance of compassionate responses to aid those affected.
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Grants Pass Case
- Grants Pass, Oregon, with a significant homeless population, criminalizes public sleeping leading to fines and charges.
- Homeless individuals sued, claiming this violates the Eighth Amendment, leading to a Supreme Court case.
Impact of Ruling
- Before this ruling, unhoused people in the West could argue against the criminalization of public sleeping.
- Now, it is easier for cities to criminalize camping, potentially impacting unhoused populations.
Gorsuch's Reasoning
- Gorsuch argues that the law applies equally to everyone, regardless of housing status.
- He states that the law criminalizes the act of sleeping in public, not the status of being homeless.