Homeless people make up 0.4 percent of the state’s population but receive over 40 percent of jaywalking tickets.
A report commissioned by the Transportation Choices Coalition found that unhoused people received a disproportionate percentage of jaywalking tickets in Washington state, reports Greg Kim in The Seattle Times.
People experiencing homelessness received at least 41 percent of jaywalking fines in the state, despite making up just 0.4 percent of the population. “The jaywalking report found that people of color are also disproportionately stopped for jaywalking. Black people receive a fifth of jaywalking tickets given in the state, despite making up 4% of the population.”
A proposed bill to decriminalize jaywalking failed to make headway in the state legislature. Meanwhile, police continue to use jaywalking enforcement as a way to stop people they deem suspicious. “Sara Rankin, a homelessness law expert at Seattle University, said that when homeless people are issued fines, it increases the likelihood of them staying homeless. Ignoring fines can turn into a misdemeanor over time, making it more difficult to get a job, or it can make someone ineligible for shelter, housing or other benefits.”
FULL STORY: Jaywalking debate pits safety concerns against unnecessary stops of homeless people
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