The criminal activities of the homeless have become a channel of resources to obtain living survival for their basic needs. Research has shown that not much is understood about the level or the types of criminal activities that the homeless engage in daily. In Baltimore, Maryland 1983 a study was conducted on Criminal activity among the homeless. It was suggested in the study as a way to illuminate the criminal activity among the homeless, specifically with homeless suffering from mental illness. The study evaluated six hundred and thirty-four arrested homeless individuals in comparison to over 50,000 arrests from the general population. Ironically the study showed substantial discrepancies in the attributes of the two arrested groups concerning the types of violations provoking the arrests. Further findings suggested that the six hundred and thirty-four arrested homeless individuals were implied likely to be white males, over age 45 having committed insignificant, victimless crimes. More so, in the study, the evaluation suggested that allegedly severe offenses (burglary, assault, and larceny) were accused by homeless persons inclined to involve as petty thieves, entering unoccupied buildings, and other activities aimed at retaining existence in the deficiency of housing.
In a comparison study by Cox, Rhoades, Wenzel, Lahey, and Henwood (2020) Does the timing of incarceration impact the timing and duration of homeless? Evidence from the transition to housing study. The suggested study indicated that in comparison to the evaluation of non-homeless peers, chronically homeless adults are more subjected to a history of incarceration. Keeping in the mindset of the criminalization of the homeless is related to an increase in disease, illness, and poor health, having access deficiency to sufficient and affordable healthcare services, giving most homeless individuals a decrease in life probability. The assessment from the study examined the possibility of comparing the age of their first incarceration correlated with the age of their first homeless experience and with the life expectancy of actual homelessness. Participants in this particular study were pinned as homeless adults entering Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) in the County of Los Angeles, California; has experienced previous incarceration to their first experience of homelessness.
The evaluation of the study was conducted to establish a relationship between the age of the first incarceration with (1) age of first factual homelessness, and (2) having a lifetime duration of factual homelessness. Ironically, the outcome of this study indicated that young adults and juvenile incarceration were considerably correlated with previous factual homelessness experiences as well as having a considerable notion of longer durations of factual homelessness, for adults entering Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH). In likelihood, the study suggested that incarcerated juvenile women who entered Permanent Supportive Housing first experienced actual homelessness much early than equivalent to men. Nevertheless, the study outcome suggested the need for long-term accommodating services for individuals incarcerated before the age of 25 years old, more so, for women. In addition, it was considered in the study that the discoveries improved the working knowledge of an individual previous incarceration and increased the risk for longstanding homelessness. Nevertheless, these findings can help the community and various agencies achieve more precise risk assessments.
