Crime Against the Homeless Population: Barriers and Strategies from Washington, DC Housing Services Case Managers

Homelessness is a widespread concern across the United States, especially in Washington, DC. The homeless population experiences victimization at alarming rates compared to their housed counterparts; however, these instances of crime against this population are often unreported. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the barriers to reporting crime against the homeless population and the strategies to reduce those barriers from the perspective of housing services case managers in Washington, DC. Lenoir’s social exclusion theory was the theoretical framework for this study. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with 11 housing services case managers who work with the homeless population in Washington, DC. Data were analyzed using Clarke and Braun’s thematic analysis. Findings revealed that although most homeless individuals in Washington, DC experience victimization primarily via theft and physical assault, most do not report it to the police due to a lack of trust in law enforcement and a lack of knowledge of how to report victimization. Findings also indicated that policy changes, such as increased access to resources and mandatory education for police officers, may reduce the barriers to reporting victimization for the homeless population in Washington, DC. Findings may be used to educate other housing services case managers, law enforcement agencies, community members, and policymakers leading to positive social change by identifying the barriers to reporting victimization and developing strategies to reduce those barriers for the homeless population.