VATICAN NEWS: CRIMINALIZATION OF HOMELESSNESS AND THE SUPREME COURT
I POSTED THIS VATICAN NEWS STORY YESTERDAY:
U.S. SUPREME COURT TO RULE ON CRIMINALIZATION OF HOMELESSNESS
In what could be the most significant decision regarding homelessness in decades, the U.S. Supreme Court is set to rule on a case with potentially widespread national implications. The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, which serves the poorest individuals, including those who are homeless or facing eviction, has expressed deep concern. Its U.S. president, John Berry, shares his thoughts on the matter.
By Marie Duhamel (Vatican news)
Can the homeless be punished with fines or imprisonment for being forced to sleep on the streets?
In the small rural town of Grants Pass, Oregon, such measures were implemented, but a collective, including homeless individuals, challenged these ordinances in court. The case, Grants Pass v. G. Johnson, is now before the Supreme Court, which is expected to issue its ruling within hours, just before its summer recess.
In an advisory opinion submitted to the nine justices in April, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops condemned the criminalization of homelessness, arguing that these ordinances violate the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits the imposition of excessive bail, fines, or cruel and unusual punishment.
Church organizations serving the poor are anxiously awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision. They fear that if the court upholds the ordinances, it would hinder their ability to help homeless individuals break the cycle of poverty, trapping them even further. FOR MORE: U.S. Supreme Court to Rule on Criminalisation of Homelessness – Vatican News
AND THE SUPREME COURT RULED TODAY:
NYT photo:
Joan's Rome 