Banishment

Abstract

Research Summary We test the degree to which a public housing banishment policy specifically deters overall drug and violent offenses in public housing using a stratified sample of 345 individuals, banned between 2004 and 2012, in one public housing authority (PHA). We find that individual offending (trespass, drug, violent, gun, and property offenses) in public housing increases after being banned. Increases in trespass offenses, specifically for male offenders with limited history of offending prior to being banned, primarily explain the increases. Being banned, however, significantly reduced drug and violent offending for individuals with histories of drug and violent offending in public housing. These individuals were arrested when they were banned, which suggests to us that bans alone may not reduce drug and violent offending. Policy Implications Banishment enforcement should be tailored toward drug and violent offenders using focused deterrence strategies. Targeted enforcement could minimize the harm done to those who are violating bans with legitimate reasons for being in public housing, such as those fulfilling familial obligations, while still producing crime reduction benefits. As a benefit, these changes may increase police legitimacy among public housing residents as they watch police in their communities provide fair and meaningful solutions as it relates to crime brought on by nonresidents.