Opinion: Criminalizing Homelessness Is ‘Expensive and Shortsighted’

In an opinion piece for Bloomberg Law, Will Knight argues that “using jailing sentences and criminal fines to address homelessness is ineffective and fundamentally unjust,” calling criminalization an “expensive and shortsighted” policy.

Knight makes the argument in anticipation of the U.S. Supreme Court’s imminent decision on Grants Pass v. Johnson, a case that will decide whether states and cities can criminalize unhoused people that stems in Grants Pass, Oregon, where the city issued $300 fines to people sleeping outside even though housing is practically unavailable and there is no emergency shelter.

“Although evidence shows criminalization to be the most expensive and least effective method, it remains the preferred policy. The hidden costs of this approach—policing, jailing, and clogging courts, not to mention the barriers it creates for individuals seeking housing due to fines or criminal records—are substantial.”

For Knight, “A Supreme Court ruling affirming that people shouldn’t be punished for trying to survive could encourage lawmakers to prioritize actual long-lasting solutions. These solutions should focus on ensuring housing is safe and affordable, rather than rely on punitive measures that don’t address the underlying issues.”