Study links California's 2014 crime-law shift to rise in homelessness and drug use
Research by the Public Policy Institute of California finds that Proposition 47 contributed to roughly 7,000 additional unsheltered homeless individuals and higher drug use between 2015 and 2019.
A new report from the Public Policy Institute of California indicates that Proposition 47, enacted in 2014 to downgrade specific drug and property crimes, is associated with a roughly 10% increase in unsheltered homelessness from 2015 to 2019, adding about 7,000 people to the streets. This accounts for roughly one-fifth of the state's total growth in unsheltered homelessness, based on HUD figures. The researchers also observed a 7%-8% rise in drug use, measured through overdose deaths and hospital admissions, alongside a 20% decline in individuals receiving treatment as courts referred fewer people.
The study compared California’s patterns with other states that had similar pre-law trends and found that counties with larger drops in drug arrests and incarceration saw greater spikes in homelessness and overdoses. While the law succeeded in reducing prison populations, the analysis raises concerns about its broader social costs. Lead author Magnus Lofstrom emphasized the need to understand these impacts as policymakers consider revising the policy.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that a major criminal-justice reform may have unintentionally worsened homelessness and drug problems in California.
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