No Fixed Address: The Intersections of Justice Involvement and Homelessness represents the first phase of a new research endeavor conducted by the John Howard Society of Ontario in partnership with the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness and the Social Research and Demonstration Corporation. This report explores the vicious cycle of justice involvement and homelessness. People involved with the justice system are at an increased risk of becoming homeless, while people living with homelessness are at an increased risk of incarceration. There are various systemic barriers that serve to trap people in this cycle of homelessness and justice involvement, preventing reintegration into society after incarceration. This report also analyzed over a decade’s worth of data on admissions to Ontario’s correctional institutions for people with No Fixed Address. The findings suggest that the number of admissions of people with No Fixed Address has increased over the past decade. Furthermore, the problems are worse for some people than it is for others. It is clear that changes to policy and practices are required to prevent more people from becoming trapped in this cycle.

Unequal Justice: Experiences and outcomes of young people in Ontario’s youth bail system report and interactive website outline the findings from a unique research project conducted by the John Howard Society of Ontario on the front end of our youth justice system. The findings come from an analysis of a decade’s worth of court and pre-trial detention admissions data and extensive consultations with stakeholders and young people with lived experience, and indicate that troubling trends persist in the youth bail system particularly for vulnerable and BIPOC youth. The report also present opportunities to strengthen the youth bail system and alternatives to incarceration to keep young people out of jail.