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A growing number of American cities are ticketing or arresting homeless people for essentially being homeless. The new laws ban behavior commonly associated with homelessness like reclining in public, sharing food or sitting on a sidewalk.

Supporters argue these measures are necessary to push homeless people into the shelter system and maintain public safety. Critics say the laws violate the rights of homeless people and ignore the more complicated drivers of homelessness like mental illness.

Richard Morgan became homeless when the auto shop he worked at in Boise, ID went under. He is one of many who resort to camping in the woods to avoid harassment and ticketing by the police.

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