Please join us on Monday, October 7th at 6:30 pm for Prison Pipeline on KBOO Community Radio as we talk with Loren Naldoza, Oregon Food Bank Public Policy Advocate about this summer's Grants Pass decision by the Supreme Court which provides a pathway to criminalize homelessness.
"Oregon Food Bank is deeply saddened by the City of Grants Pass v. Johnson ruling, which punishes our neighbors for simply trying to survive," said Naldoza, “Criminalization will harm people — especially BIPOC communities and people experiencing poverty — and will make our homelessness crisis more difficult and expensive to solve. Housing insecurity isn’t just a housing issue — it’s a key driver of hunger.
"Despite this setback, Oregon Food Bank reports they find hope in the powerful dissent by Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, which aligns with their core belief that no one should be punished for their lack of housing. She shares: “Sleep is a biological necessity, not a crime. For some people, sleeping outside is their only option. The City of Grants Pass jails and fines those people for sleeping anywhere in public at any time, including in their cars, if they use as little as a blanket to keep warm or a rolled-up shirt as a pillow. For people with no access to shelter, that punishes them for being homeless. That is unconscionable and unconstitutional.”
Prison Pipeline is a radio program dedicated to educating the public about the Oregon criminal justice system. Our goal is to present a unique understanding of the criminal justice system, address the root causes of crime, and challenge the status quo. We seek to promote awareness and activism in order to foster a safe, healthy, and just society. Tune in every Monday at 6:30 P.M. to hear our hosts Karen James, Adam Carpinelli, Emma Lugo, and Doug McVay explore the Oregon justice system with a variety of guests.
Links from Today’s Show:
Please feel free to connect with us with any questions, comments or suggestions at kbooppc@gmail.com
Oregon Food Bank: OregonFoodBank.org and @oregonfoodbank on social media.
National Homelessness Law Center: homelesslaw.org
- KBOO