Should the Vagrancy Act 1824 be abolished?

School of Law
Dissertation Proposal Form
2019/2020

Student Name: Student Number

Campus:

Name of Preferred Supervisor:

Has this member of staff agreed to supervise your dissertation? Y/N

Synopsis; I have chosen to research the appropriateness of the Vagrancy Act 1824. Whilst there have been numerous studies into this area of law and copious call for reform, it is an unfulfilled undertaking thus far. The purpose of this research study is to investigate where the downfalls have been in completion of the aim for reform.

In addition, a consideration will be given to pre-emptive policing in relation to homelessness and the obligations on the state to protect the Human Rights of the Homelessness.

Consideration would like to be expanded to a comparative view-point from other countries in their policies in dealing with the criminalisation of homelessness.

There will be limitations on my research to include but not inclusive of, the vast amount of pre-existing literature, in order to achieve all of the issues that have been highlighted, I realise this may test the scope of the word count.

I am will to work with my supervisor on this in order to reconstruct my chapters to produce a concise and persuasive piece of work.

Working title/research question: Should the Vagrancy Act 1824 be repealed?

Area of Law: Social Justice/Criminal

Proposed research methods: Desk based research

1. Legislation
2. Case Law
3. Various case studies and empirical research carried out, in particular the case study by Professor Nick Crowson which was presented at the House of Commons in June 2019.
4. Journal Articles, contrasting the social perspective versus the criminal perspective
5. Books in particular McCulloch, J. and Wilson, ‘Pre-Crime, Pre-emption, Precaution and the Future’ (2015, Routledge)
6. Reports published for homeless charity organisations

Proposed chapter Outline:

1. Introduction and historical background
2. Literature Review and methodology
3. Criminal obligations to control the homelessness epidemic
4. Moral and social obligations towards the homeless
5. Where do we go from here?
6. Conclusion.