Ancillary 9: Criminalization of Homelessness

My proposed topic is the criminalization of homelessness in Washington, D.C. The specific aspect that I want to delve into is the destruction of encampments. Without any additional research, my background knowledge on the topic is that the DC government has repeatedly allowed the sudden, violent, and displacing removal of homeless encampments throughout the city. They do this for a number of reasons, some might be related to the creation of new developments, requiring the removal of encampments for the actual building process. Or, they could be removing the encampments to “improve” the area around these new developments. But, I think a big part of the removal of the encampments in DC is related to the tourism industry. A huge part of the economy in DC is related to tourism, so falsifying a “pristine” image, with the streets surrounding the Capitol beyond the void of any homeless people is the goal. I am interested in exploring it further to figure out the exact reason behind this removal of homeless encampments (which for many homeless people is the only place they can live). Being someone who is interested in pursuing a career in law, I am always interested in the legal sides of things. I want to learn more about how they are “criminalizing” homelessness. I know they are, based on what I have read, but I would like to read specific statutes that relate to the creation of encampments and the punishment for the existence of them. Also, I would like to see exact numbers on how many homeless there are in DC, how many encampments, and how many have been removed. I specifically want to focus on solutions to the problem, one that caters to both sides. There is a clear desire to ensure beautiful streets in the District, but the lack of housing for thousands must be addressed. Analyzing how other countries around the world will be very interesting to me, and help me propose a possible solution to this multifaceted issue.