Coercion in Street Homelessness Policies in England

1
Coercion in Street Homelessness Policies in
England

• Presentation to FEANTSA Conference, City Hall of
  Paris, October 2005

Suzanne Fitzpatrick
2
Introduction

• Coercion in street homelessness policies can it
  be justified from a social justice perspective?
• Journal of Social Policy paper and new research
  funded by Joseph Rowntree Foundation
• Street users people begging, people sleeping
  rough, street drinking and Big Issue vendors

3
Policies on Rough Sleeping

• Rough Sleepers Initiative (1990-1999) outreach
  workers hostel places housing association
  homes resettlement services
• Rough Sleepers Unit (1999) - significant
  additional resources
• Two thirds reduction target - substantial decline
  in rough sleeping

4
A Growing Emphasis on Enforcement

• Problem street culture part of anti-social
  behaviour agenda
• Begging increased criminal sanctions Drug
  Treatment and Testing Orders Anti-Social
  Behaviour Orders civil injunctions diverted
  giving schemes
• Street drinking bans
• Local Community Safety Strategies

5
Justifications for Enforcement

• Many people feel intimidated by rough sleepers,
  beggars and street drinkers, and rough sleeping
  can blight areas and damage business and tourism
  (Prime Ministers foreword, Social Exclusion
  Unit, 1998)

6
What is the Evidence?

• Impacts on local businesses
• Impacts on fear of crime
• Impacts on the welfare of those involved highly
  damaging, but will coercion/ enforcement work?

7
Enforcement and Begging

• Those who beg are homeless rough sleeping is
  key route in
• But do use proceeds to maintain substance misuse
  (alcohol or heroin)
• Self-destructive but what are consequences of
  eliminating income from begging? Address
  addiction? Or become involved in prostitution and
  (other) crime?
• Need for research! Joseph Rowntree study
  started in April 2005

8
JRF Study

• Objectives
• to assess the overall impact of enforcement
  interventions on the welfare of street homeless
  people and identify the circumstances associated
  with any particular positive or negative
  outcomes.
• to evaluate the impact of enforcement measures on
  other stakeholders in the local community.
• Methods
• 6 case studies
• focus groups and interviews with service
  providers street homeless people other
  stakeholders in local community
• Will report July 2006

9
Conclusion

• Coercion and enforcement are now key aspects of
  street homelessness policies in England
• Urgently need evidence on impact of enforcement
  on street homeless people
• Relevant policies and research elsewhere in
  Europe? Driven by central government as well as
  local stakeholders? Opportunities for
  collaboration?