Five Charts that Explain the Homelessness-Jail Cycle
Sarah Gillespie and Samantha Batko of the Urban Institute conducted an analysis to explore the relationship between homelessness and the criminal justice system. According to data from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, more than 50,000 people enter shelters directly from correctional facilities per year. Additionally, people who have been incarcerated more than once are 13 times more likely than the general public to experience homelessness and people who have been incarcerated once are seven times more likely. People experiencing unsheltered homelessness are also more likely to have interactions with the justice system. According to a survey from the California Policy Lab, people experiencing unsheltered homelessness reported an average of 21 contacts with police in the past six months, 10 times the number reported by people living in shelters.