Summary
A person's living situation, in particular their experience of homelessness and housing stress, can have both long-lasting and wide-ranging consequences. This paper examines homelessness and housing stress among Australia's criminal justice population. Using data from the Australian Institute of Criminology's Drug Use Monitoring in Australia program, it examines the prevalence and nature of homelessness among a sample of police detainees. It is the first of its kind to examine a broader range of homelessness experiences and the reasons why some offenders have few choices but to 'sleep rough' or seek accommodation support. It is estimated that 22 percent of the detainee population is homeless or experiencing housing stress in some form; much higher than has been previously estimated. This research reaffirms the need for intensive accommodation support services to complement criminal justice responses to crime and those who have contact with the criminal justice system. (Director's Foreword, edited)