California's New Vagrancy Laws: The Growing Enactment and Enforcement of Anti-Homeless Laws in the Golden State (2016 Update)
13 Pages Posted: 24 Jun 2016
Jeffrey Selbin
University of California, Berkeley - School of Law
Stephanie Campos-Bui
University of California, Berkeley - School of Law
Sasha Feldstein
University of California, Berkeley, The Richard & Rhoda Goldman School of Public Policy, Students
Marina Fisher
University of California, Berkeley, The Richard & Rhoda Goldman School of Public Policy, Students
Nathaniel Miller
University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, Students
Date Written: June 11, 2016
Abstract
This report updates our 2015 study on the enactment and enforcement of anti-homeless laws in California (http://ssrn.com/abstract=2558944) with new ordinance data from cities and updated arrest data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program. We find that California cities are enacting and enforcing anti-homeless laws in record numbers. In contrast with historical post-recession trends, arrests of people who are homeless continue to rise in spite of an improving economy. Further, cities appear to be arresting people increasingly based on their homeless status as opposed to any concrete unlawful behavior.
Keywords: homeless, criminalization, vagrancy, Jim Crow, anti-Okie, ugly laws, black codes
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Jeffrey Selbin (Contact Author)

University of California, Berkeley - School of Law ( email )
215 Law Building
Berkeley, CA 94720-7200
United States
Stephanie Campos-Bui

University of California, Berkeley - School of Law ( email )
215 Law Building
Berkeley, CA 94720-7200
United States
Sasha Feldstein
University of California, Berkeley, The Richard & Rhoda Goldman School of Public Policy, Students ( email )
Berkeley, CA
United States
Marina Fisher
University of California, Berkeley, The Richard & Rhoda Goldman School of Public Policy, Students ( email )
Berkeley, CA
United States
Nathaniel Miller
University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, Students ( email )
Berkeley, CA
United States
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- Citations
- Policy Citations: 6
- Usage
- Abstract Views: 3820
- Downloads: 771
- Captures
- Readers: 12
- Mentions
- References: 1
- Social Media
- Shares, Likes & Comments: 42
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