For 37 years, Prisoners' Justice Day in Canada has stood for, and been hailed as, a somber reminder of the unnecessary deaths of Edward Nalon on August 10th 1974 and Robert Landers in May of 1976. Both men died while being detained in Millhaven Prison’s Maximum Security segregation unit. Initially, the recognition of August 10th as Prisoners' Justice Day was started by a group of inmates being held at the same prison on the first anniversary of Nalon's death. However, it has since expanded into the community and prisons across the nation and it is utilized to highlight the conditions that inmates face on a daily basis, as well as a day to remember all those men and women who have died behind prison walls. Prisoners' Justice Day events have been used to educate the public and to advocate for changes regarding the treatment of those in custody and the need for prison reform.

The John Howard Society of Toronto and many of its affiliates across the nation recognize with fervor the need to have prisoner’s fundamental rights acknowledged and upheld. John Howard himself (2 September 1726 - 20 January 1790) was a prison reformer and an English political figure who fought tirelessly to overhaul the prison system having not only observed but also experienced some of the atrocities that took place within so many of the goals throughout the country and abroad.

To this day, the affiliates of the John Howard Societies across Canada seek to develop understanding of and effective responses to the problems of crime and its causes. John Howard Society organizations offer programs and services that are geared towards reducing recidivism rates and increasing community safety through the provision of addiction counselling, anger management, pre-release prison support and assistance to find and maintain housing. Many affiliates also advocate for safe, affordable housing, solutions to poverty and ways to enhance the quality of life for those affected by the criminal justice system.

In 2010, The John Howard Society of Toronto undertook and compiled a research study that focused on the housing trajectories of inmates in Toronto's three remand centres. The data obtained was used to inform the results of the study entitled “Homeless and Jailed: Jailed and Homeless” which looked at the correlation between incarceration and homelessness. In addition to examining some of the issues facing men in custody who identified as being homeless at the time of their release, the study also captured information about their immediate and anticipated service needs in the months after release. Other research conducted by the John Howard Society of Toronto found that incarceration was a catalyst for homelessness in the GTA and that anywhere from ⅓ to more than ½ of inmates leaving custody would have no fixed address upon the completion of their short term sentences.

In 2013, we know still, that there stands a need for reform and the need for fundamental rights, such as accommodations upon release, to be recognized fully. We understand how through appropriate and meaningful community supports, those involved in the criminal justice system can reintegrate into society with positive results inevitably improving their quality of life. This is not simply a dream but a reality that can be achieved with the support of communities, agencies and regulating bodies who understand that a sense of security and hope, can greatly improve the life of those who at one time, lacked hope. We strive to achieve this through the work we do for those who have little ability to assist themselves in what must seem like, an unforgiving world and we acknowledge and thank those who share this vision.

For more information please visit our Topic - Legal & Justice Issues: Criminalization of Homelessness.


Ainsley Cripps has been an employee of the John Howard Society of Toronto for the past seven years and has worked in the capacity of Resettlement Court Worker and Native Inmate Liaison Officer. She currently works in all three of Toronto's Remand Centres overseeing the Native Program for First Nations, Metis and Inuit individuals looking for traditional healing and discharge planning. Ainsley is of Mohawk descent and is very ingrained within Toronto's Native community, assisting with Discharge Planning and community referrals to help inmates reintegrate into the community, successfully.