![]() ![]() “The reality is that homelessness is a public health crisis which stems from of a range of factors, including a lack of affordable homes, trauma and mental health issues. “People experiencing street homelessness often face difficult interactions with police, and it’s really positive that policing is improving in many areas to promote more empathetic and constructive approaches – this is exactly what we need,” said Matt Downie, chief executive of Crisis. However, some policing bodies were praised for being supportive to people living on the street, though partnerships between police and frontline services were described as “patchy”. This was a “missed opportunity for meaningful engagement”, the report concluded. Academics said the measures did little to deter people from returning to the PSPO area where the cycle of policing and dispersal would start again. Most interviewees told researchers they were not signposted to support services after being moved on by police. The report also questioned whether PSPOs and other measures were effective in preventing street homelessness. Many rough sleepers said they did not know or understand the legislation being used against them, which the Sheffield Hallam academics said made them “vulnerable to criminalisation” and unable to question authorities. Others reported verbal or physical abuse chiefly committed by police, academics said. What should you do if you see a homeless person?īut rough sleepers in areas where PSPOs were in operation reported feeling “on edge” or “harassed” due to their high number of interactions with police officers.Punitive PSPOs had a proactive focus to seek out people experiencing street homelessness for enforcement while performative PSPOs took an informal and reactive approach. Overall, academics found two approaches to policing across the 10 areas. Two rough sleepers reported facing action for street drinking while nearby a large group of students drinking wine from the bottle were left alone.Ī rough sleeper in a city in south-east England who went under the name of Les in the report described fining homeless people for street drinking as a “pointless exercise and a cruel exercise” in the report. There were also clear differences in how people experiencing street homelessness were policed. Find out how you can help us help more people by signing up for a subscription Another spoke of being moved on from warm vents while sleeping in the night.Īcademics argued such behaviour did not have the detrimental effect on the local area needed to justify action. How does homelessness differ for women?įor example, one rough sleeper in the East Midlands reported being issued with a dispersal order to leave the area for being in “position to beg” for sitting on the pavement.What is the main cause of homelessness?.The researchers found rough sleepers faced action for a wide range of behaviours due to the broad definition of what counts as anti-social in the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act legislation. They also quizzed frontline workers in face-to-face interviews and an online questionnaire. ![]() “Our research shows how important it is to use these laws correctly and ethically, prioritising support before enforcement and encouraging policing bodies to challenge poor practice.”Īcademics spent more than a year interviewing 52 people with lived experience of street homelessness in day centres across 10 areas in England and Wales where the highest number of fixed penalty notices were issued for breaching a PSPO. How many empty homes are there in the UK?. ![]() Homelessness facts and statistics: The numbers you need to know in 2022.How many people are homeless in the UK? And what can you do about it?.“Some of the areas we looked at were handing out the most fixed penalty notices for breach of PSPOs, which are already known to make life more difficult for people experiencing street homelessness who cannot pay the fine and end up in court,” said Dr Vicky Heap, co-author of the report. Downie 4 crack how to#Researchers called for a change in culture and improved training for police officers to prioritise support instead of enforcement when dealing with people experiencing homelessness and also urged the government to update guidance on how to use PSPOs. PSPOs can be applied for by councils for a wide range of behaviours considered anti-social such as street drinking or leaving belongings on pavements and can carry a punishment of a fine up to £1,000. ![]()
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