City of Grants Pass v Johnson (2024)
Where can I sleep?
Poverty is an inevitable part of the U.S. economy, and with poverty comes homelessness. A city in Oregon banned people from sleeping on public property; however, previous cases have called this “cruel and unusual punishment” because a person cannot control being homeless. As a result, the Supreme Court was asked to determine whether sleeping on a bench should be considered illegal.
Breakdown Verdict.
A 6-3 verdict favored the banning of camping. The majority (judges supporting the verdict) argued that cruel and unusual punishment was not a part of this case, and that they were targeting the act of camping rather than the homeless themselves.
Result Going Forward.
A morally challenging case weighing safety versus accommodation, this Supreme Court ruling limits the reach of what is considered “cruel and unusual punishment”. Arrests and fines are sure to rise due to an already high amount of homeless people in concentrated areas. Overall, City of Grants Pass v Johnson challenges the nuance of public versus private property and establishes that removing the homeless from common areas is the first step toward safer environments.
Do you agree with the verdict?
67%
33%