In September, the federal prison ombudsman wrote that Corrections Canada was warehousing people with mental-health disabilities and that “Canadian penitentiaries are becoming the largest psychiatric facilities in the country.” Then in October, the Toronto Star discussed how an accused person’s mental health had deteriorated to the point where he pushed children in front of a subway car. At the same time, our society puts people with mental-health disabilities and addictions in municipal shelters. On average, my clients have been homeless for seven years before I meet them. We should question why so many people with mental-health disabilities end up in prison. As a front-line criminal lawyer who works with individuals with serious mental-health and addiction issues, I find that many systems have failed my clients before their arrest.
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