Last month UC Berkeley Social Welfare alum Ali Fitch (MSW ’25) authored “Policy Approaches to Addressing the Intersections of Incarceration & Homelessness: A Case Study of the Alameda County Housing Crisis Response System,” published by the Othering & Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley. The report examines how homelessness and incarceration intersect in California and offers recommendations for how Continuums of Care can more effectively support individuals impacted by both systems.
Fitch outlines three key strategies: incorporating formerly incarcerated clients into vulnerability-index frameworks used by housing providers, directing funding toward this under-served population, and including people with lived experience in program design. Drawing on interviews from Alameda County, the study highlights the need for housing policies that recognize and address the overlapping realities of incarceration and homelessness.