Editorial: Time for action on pardons!

January 21, 2019 |

This post is 600 words and can be read in 2-3 minutes. Three years ago Ralph Goodale promised ‘fairness’ with reforms to Criminal Records Act – it’s time to make good on that promise Almost 4 million people in Canada...

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Globe and Mail coverage of prison reform

November 16, 2018

This post is about 1150 words and can be read in 5-6 minutes. On Nov 6, the Globe and Mail newspaper ran an editorial called “Fixing solitary isn’t enough.  Canada’s prisons need to be reformed top to bottom”.  The editorial...

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This blog: One year and 50 posts later

September 24, 2018

This post is 600 words and can be read in 3 minutes. This blog ran its first post just about a year ago.  At that time we stated the goal as being “to help build a well-informed public, which in...

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Can Canadian prisons be improved?

September 20, 2018

This post is 800 words and can be read in about 4 minutes. The new head of the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) has been given a huge mandate for change in that organization, which operates Canada’s federal prisons and...

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Financial facts on Canadian prisons

August 23, 2018

This post is about 600 words and can be read in 3 minutes. Canada’s jail and prison system is expensive.  Here are some facts: Total spending and comparisons Total (federal, provincial and municipal) public spending on criminal justice in Canada...

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Blog Back Online

May 30, 2018

The John Howard blog on criminal justice reform is back!  Unexpected events prevented us from posting for several months but you can expect regular posts from now on,  The blog will continue to focus on reliable information on issues that...

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3% Doing Time for Murder Didn’t Do Crime: James Lockyer

November 11, 2017

Heidi Riedner At least 3 per cent of convicted murderers in prison are innocent, according to one of the country’s most prominent social justice activists. “That’s a lot of people in Canadian prisons for murders they didn’t commit,” lawyer James...

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Delaying Justice is Denying Justice

September 29, 2017

The Supreme Court of Canada has recently ruled twice, most notably in the 2016 Jordan decision, that it is a violation of Canadians’ rights when criminal cases are not completed in the courts in a reasonable period of time.  These rulings...

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