Homeless Connect support the repeal of the Vagrancy Acts set out in Amendment 70 tabled by the Minister of Justice for the consideration stage of the Justice Bill on Tuesday. We agree that criminal sanctions are an ineffective way to respond to what is, in most cases, a social issue and in fact criminalising poverty (including street begging) does not resolve the underlying drivers that lead people to beg or to sleep rough. Homeless Connect propose that a properly funded, trauma-informed, multi-agency approach rather than a punitive approach is more likely to generate positive outcomes for those experiencing homelessness.
Homeless Connect Briefing Paper on Repeal of Vagrancy Acts
