NCJ Number
145672
Date Published
1993
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This paper presents recent evidence on the links between homelessness, crime, and the criminal justice system in Great Britain.
Abstract
Key stages of the criminal justice system form the framework for examining the consequences of current arrangements for both homeless people and those who are housed but may lose their accommodation. The study concludes that although there are gaps in available evidence, particularly in relation to the impact of homelessness at the stages of arrest and parole, there is significance evidence of a relationship between people's housing circumstances and what happens to them at various stages of the criminal justice system. Homeless people are more likely to be refused bail, and significant proportions of people on remand are homeless. Homeless people are less likely to receive community sentences and parole; however, many people on probation are nonetheless homeless. Significant proportions of sentenced inmates are homeless prior to sentencing, and many have nowhere to stay on release. Many people with housing at the time of their arrests lose it during criminal justice processing. This is particularly the case for persons in custody, including unsentenced detainees. Ex-offenders with stable accommodations are less likely to reoffend than those who are homeless. 24 references