The Killing of Matthew Hines
By Catherine Latimer, Executive Director, John Howard Canada On April 25, 2018 two correctional officers pled not guilty to criminal charges relating to the tragic prison death of Matthew Hines at Dorchester Penitentiary. They are entitled to a fair trial...
Read MorePrisontalk.com: A great information source on all things having to do with imprisonment
Reliable information on Canadian prisons and jails is hard to come by. You would think that an institution that deals with many thousands of people each year plus their families and friends, almost always involving a high degree of anxiety,...
Read MoreReforming criminal sentencing
In 2016, as part of a general review of criminal justice for the new federal government, the Department of Justice commissioned a set of papers on possible reforms to criminal sentencing in Canada. Five papers were published on the Department’s...
Read MoreHuge problems with the bail system in Canada – Part 1
Most Canadians would be shocked to learn that more than half of the prisoners in provincial jails in Canada today have not been found guilty of a crime. Instead, they are being held on ‘remand’; being held because they have...
Read MorePrisoners’ Stories 3 – Here, Kitty, Kitty…
Note: Parts 1 and 2 of this story appeared last fall. By I.M. GRENADA “When?” For prisoners, that’s the cosmic question. On the civilized side of the fence, common folk regularly rate each other in cash (“So, what do you...
Read MoreWhy and how do people desist from crime?
A major purpose of the criminal justice system is to reduce the number of crimes committed. The Criminal Code sections on sentencing (s 718) lists several reasons for giving criminal sentences, including denunciation and deterrence, both of which are presumed...
Read MoreBlog Back Online
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...
Read MoreCanada gives less parole despite excellent results
The National Parole Board is responsible for making decisions about parole for all Canadian federal prisoners (sentences of more than two years) and prisoners in many provinces. The Parole Board is made up of members appointed by the federal government;...
Read MoreCAN WE LEARN FROM OUR PRISONERS?
Here’s a startling concept. Maybe we all have a lot to learn from our prisoners. I say “our” because we, as a society, have decided to keep certain people imprisoned, against their will, in the name of justice and public...
Read MoreFatality Inquiry Report on Jessie McAdam’s 2013 death in an Administrative Segregation Cell: Cultural Resistance
Excerpt from Report to the Minister of Justice and Solicitor General Public Fatality Inquiry Into the July 2013 death of Jessie McAdam, in an administrative segregation cell at Edmonton Institution, Dated March 15, 2018 DECONSTRUCTION OF ADMINISTRATIVE SEGREGATION Correctional resistance...
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