bbc-data-unit / vagrancy-arrests

Rough sleeping: Arrests fall as police brand law 'archaic'

Rough sleeping: Arrests fall as police brand law 'archaic'

In June 2019 Laurence Sleator reported on figures revealing that police were using their powers under the Vagrancy Act less. The story, based on data obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, led on police criticism of the law allowing beggars and rough sleepers to be arrested.

Get the data

• XLSX: Arrests and charges under Vagrancy Act - and reasons

Quotes and interviews

• Supt Ian Green, West Midlands Police
• Spokesperson, Metropolitan Police
• Spokesperson, Merseyside Police
• Spokesperson, Brighton and Hove Council
• Matt Downie, Crisis
• Spokesperson, St Mungo's
• Layla Moran, Liberal Democrat MP
• Spokesman, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Visualisation

• Bar chart: Arrests under the Vagrancy Act, 2015/16-2017/18
• Line chart: Number of rough sleepers, 2010-2018, London vs Rest of England