BEYOND THE VERDICT: THE CRIMINALIZATION OF HOMELESSNESS

On June 28, 2024, the Supreme Court ruled on their finding of the Johnson v. Grants Pass case determining that people experiencing homelessness can be arrested and fined for sleeping outside when there are no safe alternatives. The Supreme Court has given cities and states across the U.S. permission to punish people who are forced to sleep outside, even when they have no other safe option. A ruling like this does nothing to end homelessness and punishes people for existing in public simply because they have nowhere else to go. Steven Berg from the National Alliance to End Homelessness put it perfectly when he said, “Allowing unsheltered homelessness to be a crime, even when there is no shelter, would mean more people with criminal records: making it harder to get a job, harder to rent an apartment, and harder to have time to address barriers when life is filled with court appearances and jail time.” What criminalization will not do is end unsheltered homelessness. Join us and other community members at Kiggins on October 24 as we hear from three panelists – including Ed Johnson, a lawyer on the legal team that represented Gloria Johnson (no relation) in the Johnson v. Grants Pass. Guests will enjoy pizza from Bessolo Pizzeria and purchase snacks or beverages from Kiggins Theatre concession stand before joining us in the auditorium. After hearing from our panelists, guests will have the chance to ask questions of them as we unpack the impact and implications this case will have on our community.BEYOND THE VERDICT: THE CRIMINALIZATION OF HOMELESSNESS showing at: October 24, 5:30 pm

Location: Kiggins Theatre1011 Main St., Vancouver, WA, 986602

2024-10-24T17:30:00-07:00PT2H2024-10-24T19:38:00-07:00332BEYOND THE VERDICT: THE CRIMINALIZATION OF HOMELESSNESS"