Is It a Crime to Be Poor and Homeless in America?

The recession is driving Americans out of their homes and into poverty, increasing the need for shelters and free food. But many cities are passing ordinances to punish what more and more people do to survive: sleeping, eating, sitting or begging in public. The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty's recent report called

Homes Not Handcuffs says it's now illegal in some places to share food with groups of homeless people in public spaces. We look at two of America's "meanest cities." Do other cities get different results with polices that are kinder and gentler?