A new study published in the national Journal of Urban Health challenges the prevailing belief that removing homeless encampments reduces crime in the area. Led by Pranav Padmanabhan, researchers from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus analyzed crime rates in Denver after sweeps and found no evidence that it made the community safer.
The study, the first of its kind in the nation, looked at crime statistics near 300 homeless encampments after sweeps between November 2019 and July 2023. While there was a small decrease in car thefts and public disorder incidents in the first week after a sweep, overall crime rates filled back in over time. In some instances, violent crime actually increased after a sweep.
The study also found that involuntary displacement can increase the likelihood of homeless people becoming victims of crimes such as theft, assault, and sexual assault. Homeless encampments often provide a sense of community and safety for those within them, and dispersing these communities can make individuals more vulnerable.
The findings of this study are particularly relevant as cities across the country grapple with how to address homelessness. The research offers potential guidance to city leaders and challenges the belief that sweeps reduce crime. Advocates for the homeless, such as Ana-Lilith Miller from HAND Denver, hope that this study will help shift the conversation away from the false narrative that sweeps are effective in reducing crime and towards more compassionate solutions to homelessness.
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