Criminalization of poverty explained

Criminalization of poverty is the phenomenon in which poor people face higher consequences for the same actions as a wealthier person, due to their lack of financial resources.^[1] Examples include fines and fees that the person is unable to pay,^[2] anti-homelessness laws and actions,^[3] and interconnections between welfare and criminal law.^[4]

Further reading

• Book: Edelman . Peter . Not a Crime to Be Poor: The Criminalization of Poverty in America . 2019 . The New Press . 978-1-62097-553-4 .
• Book: Gustafson . Kaaryn S. . Cheating Welfare: Public Assistance and the Criminalization of Poverty . 2011 . NYU Press . 978-0-8147-3291-5 . en . j.ctt9qfttq.

Notes and References

1. Book: The criminalization of poverty .
2. Pager . Devah . Goldstein . Rebecca . Ho . Helen . Western . Bruce . Criminalizing Poverty: The Consequences of Court Fees in a Randomized Experiment . American Sociological Review . 2022 . 87 . 3 . 529–553 . 10.1177/00031224221075783. 247038184 .
3. Herring . Chris . Yarbrough . Dilara . Marie Alatorre . Lisa . Pervasive Penality: How the Criminalization of Poverty Perpetuates Homelessness . Social Problems . 2019 . 10.1093/socpro/spz004.
4. Book: Gustafson . Kaaryn . The Criminalization of Poverty . 2008–2009 . 643 .