SCOTUS allows punishment for homeless sleeping

The Supreme Court ruled that cities can ban the homeless from sleeping and camping in public places. In 6-3 decision, the justices overturned lower court rulings that deemed it unusual and cruel to punish those who are sleeping outside that have nowhere else to go. The case came from the rural Oregon town of Grants Pass, which appealed a ruling striking down local ordinances that fined people $295 for sleeping outside after tents began crowding public parks. The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which has jurisdiction over the nine Western states, has held since 2018 that such bans violate the Eighth Amendment in areas where there aren’t enough shelter beds.