Crimbrary

Closed Quarters: Challenges and Opportunities in Stabilizing Housing and Mental Health Across the Justice Sector
"For decades, people with no fixed address have entered and left correctional facilities, yet there have been limited housing solutions available to them. The complex factors leading to criminal justice involvement, the multiple entry and exit points, the high prevalence of mental health and addictions problems, and the complexity of agencies and ministries involved, have resulted in a patchwork of responses. Without adequate housing and often lacking any support in the community, people end up relying on costly emergency services, such as shelters and hospitals (often taken there by police); on precarious housing, such as couch surfing; and on the few supports within the corrections sector to respond to their needs.

This report spells out the issues faced by people whose needs intersect and overlap the housing, mental health, and justice sectors in Ontario. Importantly, the report summarizes discussions that took place during a Think Tank Day that brought together service providers, policy makers, and People with Lived Experience (PWLE )."