Criminalising the homeless?

Controversial: Politics & Govt Politics & Govt: In The News
1

I’m pleased to see MPs objecting to this, it seems very harsh

Move them onto where? If they have nowhere to go then moving them on is just shifting the problem?

Fine them? How would that work?
I would have thought they’d be unlikely to have cash on them to pay an on-the-spot fine, they’ve got no address to send a court summons to, would they be held over night then go before the magistrate?

And what would they pay the fine with? They’re unlikely to have resources, a bank account or any means to pay, I’d have thought With no fixed address, how will they track them down if they don’t pay?

So prison, then? With our prisons already so overcrowded there’s no room for real criminals? They’d probably be more comfortable and safer in prison than on the streets anyway……

And wouldn’t it cost more to keep them in prison than to find a hostel place for them to live?

3 Likes
2

Didn’t vagrancy used to be an offence? wasn’t that basically homelessness? are they bringing it back or just revitalising it?

3

Very little thought has gone into that stupid idea,which is typical of this government.
It is a shame they don`t put the effort into housing them.

4

Precisely, it’s absurd.
I’m sure the police have far more pressing matters to attend to!

5

Yes, it did Bruce

It’s complicated

The Vagrancy Act was 200 years old and technically repealed in 2020 after long campaigning by homelessness charities

But it was left active until a modern replacement was passed

This new Criminal Justice Bill contains it’s replacement and continues to make homelessness a criminal offence

So no improvement in compassion in 200 years :face_with_symbols_over_mouth:

1 Like