The National Coalition for the Homeless recently released a 194 page (!) report on the trend among cities to criminalize homelessness.
Of the 25 cities surveyed by the US Conference of Mayors for its annual Hunger and Homelessness Report, 19 reported an increase in homelessness in 2008. On average, cities reported a 12 percent increase. The lack of available shelter space leaves many homeless persons with no choice but to struggle to survive on the streets of our cities. Even while most cities cannot provide enough affordable housing, shelter space, and food to meet the need, many cities use the criminal justice system to punish people living on the street for doing things they need to do to survive. Such measures often prohibit activities such as sleeping/camping, eating, sitting, and/or begging in public spaces and include criminal penalties for violation of these laws. Some cities have even enacted food sharing restrictions that punish groups and individuals for serving food to homeless people.
Read that last sentance again. If you give food to homeless people, you would be breaking the law.
You can download the full report here. I will write a real post on this more later, but right now I am just disgusted.
I remember reading Irresistible Revolution and finding out that Shane Claiborne got arrested several times for feeding people in certain places in Philadelphia. Fortunately, I’m not aware of any such laws in Raleigh. I would gladly take on a criminal record if this were not the case. I think we have a civic duty to violate these types of laws until they are changed.
I had no idea that any place in the US it was ilegal to feed the homless? why? they are people this is sick