Homelessness, unfortunately, has become a persistent and growing problem in the United States.
The Supreme Court, in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, just dealt with one big issue associated with this problem — the ability of cities to prohibit camping on public property.
Per the city of Grants Pass, Oregon, the answer has been that the municipality can prohibit such activity. Violators are subject to fines and jail time.
This prohibition was challenged by homeless advocates, arguing that, per a 2018 decision of the Ninth Circuit Appeals Court, such prohibitions violate the Eighth Amendment prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment.
The court, in an ideological breakout of the six conservatives against the three liberals, ruled in favor of the right of the city to prohibit such activity, whether done by a homeless person or anyone else.
The reasoning on…
