Housing, Not Handcuffs: Working Together to End the Criminalization of Homelessness, and Protect the Human Rights of People Experiencing Homelessness

Wednesday, May 16, 2018: 10:00 AM-11:30 AM
Lakeshore B (Hyatt Regency Minneapolis)
In communities across the nation, harmless, unavoidable behaviors like sleeping, resting, and eating are treated as criminal activity for persons experiencing homeless, often forcing them into health-threatening situations and creating arrest records that put further barriers between them and the housing and services they need. Criminalization damages the quality of life of the people we serve and the quality of care that health care providers are able to maintain. This panel will discuss the negative aspects of criminalization, share positive examples of alternatives, and provide specific steps participants can use to identify and address criminalization in their home communities.
Speakers:
Eric S Tars, JD (Senior Attorney, National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty)
Bob Erlenbusch (Executive Director, Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness)
See more of: Policy and Advocacy
See more of: Workshop