In a 6-3 decision split on ideological lines, the court ruled that an Oregon town’s ban on sleeping outdoors does not constitute cruel and unusual punishment, effectively sanctioning the criminalization of homelessness.
The ruling comes as the number of people experiencing homelessness has reached record highs in King County and across the United States and public homeless encampments have become a flashpoint political issue, especially in West Coast cities.
Grants Pass v. Johnson stems from a law in the small southern Oregon city of Grants Pass that imposed steep fines and potential jail time for people sleeping in public parks, on sidewalks or in cars.
In 2018, a
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