Stop the "Revolving Door"
The “revolving door” is often used to describe the relationship of cycling between incarceration and experiencing homelessness. Being formerly incarcerated puts an individual at risk for experiencing homelessness by a rate of almost 10 times higher than those who have never been, and being incarcerated more than once makes individuals twice as likely to be homeless than those who have only been incarcerated once (Couloute). It is critical to also understand that black women experience the highest rates of homelessness as well as unemployment following incarceration. In understanding and implementing change to the “revolving door”, we must critically examine who is excluded from the necessities to succeed after incarceration. So, how does this relationship begin, where does it come from? Criminalization of homelessness is a huge factor in this continued relationship between homelessness and incarceration. Homelessness is criminalized through laws against camping, panhandling, public