Wyoming Waits On Supreme Court Decision On Homelessness

A case now being heard by the United States Supreme Court will have ramifications all the way out to communities like Casper, Wyoming.

The Casper City Council has discussed strengthening camping and squatting laws due to the increase in the number of homeless people seen in the city.

Problems include loitering in the downtown area and leaving at least 500 pounds of human waste.

“We've always had a certain amount [of homeless] in town, but it is getting worse and to the point now where people are starting to feel unsafe, we're starting to have property damage,” said former Casper mayor Bruce Knell. “Our police are needing some tools to be able to put some teeth behind it.” (WPM).

Florida recently passed a law telling homeless people that they can't camp in city parks or in empty lots or sidewalks.

The case out of Oregon that the Supreme Court is taking up involves some jurisdictions ordering police to clear homeless encampments away from public sidewalks or in parks.

Homeless activists claim that the homeless are being targeted and being treated unfairly.

The question the court will seek to address is whether or not it is constitutionally legal to arrest someone for sleeping outdoors on public property, particularly if there is no room available in homeless shelters. Some lower courts have already ruled that such actions are not constitutional. (Associated Press)

The Supreme Court will have to decide if banning homeless people from sleeping outside when shelters are full, amounts to cruel and unusual punishment.

What about when the shelters have room but the homeless refuse and prefer to sleep outside?

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals already struck down the ban.

Oregon appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court.

A decision is expected by late June.