Daniel Malone’s research shows that a criminal background does not predict success or failure of housing retention. Mr. Malone is Director of Housing Programs for the Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC) in Seattle, Washington. His paper, “Assessing Criminal History as a Predictor of Future Housing Success for Homeless Adults with Behavioral Health Disorders,” was published in the journal "Psychiatric Services" in February 2009.
Q: What did your research find?
Our research shows that a criminal background does not predict whether someone succeeds or fails at staying housed. We suggest that policies that keep people with criminal records out of housing may be overly restrictive.
Q: What led you to do this research?
I noticed that housing providers around the country have different policies about criminal histories. For example, the requirements vary around how much time must have passed before a person can be considered for housing after committing a crime.
Federal legislation passed in 1996 requires public housing authorities to enhance screening of applicants. But typically, the laws are carried out far beyond the federal requirements. For example, federal law bars people from some public housing if they are required to register as a sex offender for the rest of their lives. Yet many housing agencies choose to bar people with any sex offense convictions.
Q: How have you seen this in your own work at the Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC)?
Initially we had been trying to determine who would be successful in our housing program. When we later came to realize that no single factor helped us to predict someone’s success - including criminal history - we stopped screening for it.
Q: Were you surprised by the results of your research?
I was very surprised that we found absolutely no criminal background predictors of housing success or failure. I had expected to find that certain types of criminal histories have an effect. I thought people with extensive drug-related histories might be less likely to succeed in housing. But there was no evidence to support that claim.
Q: What factors are most critical for ensuring that people succeed in supportive housing?
I think that a supportive environment and an adequate array of services are very important to help people to succeed. The most fundamental thing is that we give people a chance in the first place.
Q: What advice would you offer to those providing supportive housing for people who are homeless?
I would advise organizations to review their screening criteria and consider what benefits it provides. At DESC, we do not use screening to exclude people, but to make sure that we include the most vulnerable people. Our job is to figure out how to make housing work for each individual.