John Howard Society of Alberta
10523 - 100 Avenue NW T5J 0A8 Edmonton, AB, Canada

Edmonton John Howard Society has new job postings: Full Time Case Worker and Part Time Shift Worker in Independence Apartments, Part Time Youth Worker in LOFT. Apply here: https://johnhoward.org/careers/

"Why crime rises and falls is a devilishly complicated question. Few people have thought more deeply about it than Patrick Sharkey, a sociologist at Princeton University. While others reach for easy solutions and simplistic slogans, Sharkey embraces complexity and uncertainty."

"The Prison Transparency Project led by researchers from Canada, Argentina and Spain -- is trying to lift the veil on the conditions many inmates in their respective countries are subjected to."

"Opioid toxicity deaths were falling across the country prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. But when provinces entered lockdown in March 2020, progress was lost almost instantly. April to June 2020 marked one of Canada’s deadliest quarters to date, with 1,646 fatalities." (via Calgary Alpha House Society)

Lawyers are perplexed and troubled by the ongoing violation of prisoners' rights even after the passage of Bill C-83, which the Liberals passed after two 2019 appeal court decisions that found solitary confinement violates the United Nations' "Mandela rules" and sections seven and 12 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The number of people locked up in Alberta’s provincial jails plummeted at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic but has trended upward in the year since, according to new data obtained by Postmedia.

Edmonton John Howard Society says, "We have an employment opportunity in EJHS Nalah Center - Domestic Violence Justice Response Program. This program is designed to be a point of contact for victims in criminal court."

"The Solutions Lab project From Prison to Homelessness: Ending a Perilous Trajectory will look at practical solutions to addressing former incarcerated people’s barriers to access, including options to increase the supply of suitable housing while providing employment skills training, a news release from the society’s national office said."

"The report, titled Unequal Justice, portrays a system that made huge advances after the passage of the Youth Criminal Justice Act in 2003, but has slipped of late in its treatment of a vulnerable subsection of the population."

JHS Kootenay/Okanagan writes: "The reasons why a person misuses substances are complicated. While this video oversimplifies the causes of substance misuse based almost squarely on environment, it illuminates the broader truth that we need to address many different factors in a person's life not just the substance. John Howard's tireless staff work from a harm reduction lens recognizing that supporting people requires a holistic, person-centred approach engaging different areas, from housing and outreach, to overdose prevention and restorative justice."

"The Digital Overdose Response System (DORS) will trigger a call from the STARS emergency centre if the individual becomes unresponsive to a timer. First responders would then be dispatched to their location in the event of a presumed overdose."

Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies writes: "People who are in prison have a right to health care. Full stop. Lack of access to adequate healthcare has been a top concern for people in prisons designated for women, long before COVID-19, and it should be a priority for Correctional Service of Canada"

Bissell Centre writes: "Friends, we can’t stress this enough... If you see a person in distress outside in this extreme weather, please #JustCall211 + 3. A simple call can save a life. Please Share." #yeg #yegweather #yegwx

Friends, we can’t stress this enough... If you see a person in distress outside in this extreme weather, please #JustCall211 + 3. A simple call can save a life.... Please Share. #yeg #yegweather #yegwx

"So how long should a person be held accountable for a mistake made in the past? That threshold should be based on that person's behaviour afterwards, says Cindy Murphy, executive director of the John Howard Society in St. John's, a non-profit organization that helps people rebuild their lives after encounters with the justice system. 'If they're able to demonstrate and prove and show they've moved on from that mistake and they are contributing members of our community, then they certainly should be provided an opportunity,' said Murphy."

"A video game is helping Edmonton nightlife staff keep patrons safe. 'It’s Your Move' is part of a training program for employees of bars and restaurants offered at the Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton and the University of Alberta Sexual Assault Centre...Gordon also created the app Flourish, developed in partnership with the Family Violence Prevention Centre at Edmonton John Howard Society. 'It’s an information and resource app for survivors of domestic violence in Edmonton,' she said."

"An advocacy organization that acts as a voice for inmates in Saskatchewan's correctional system is launching a podcast featuring their stories and experiences, with the goal of changing how we think about justice."

John Howard Edmonton writes: "Why do we wear the purple ribbon for Family Violence Prevention month? The color purple is a symbol of peace, courage, survival, honor and dedication to ending violence. The purple ribbon is a tribute to survivors and those who have been lost to family violence." #GoPurpleAB #WhereToTurn

"The head of the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies says the rising COVID-19 case count bodes ill for prison inmates, many of whom remain under partial lockdown without adequate health care."

Op-ed from John Howard Society of Canada's Murray Fallis.

UofA Criminology writes: "Cindy Blackstock addresses the topic, 'Reforming the Repeat Offender: Ending Canada's Discrimination Toward First Nations Children' as a featured guest of the Lougheed College Lectures." Register: https://buff.ly/3eu89bT... https://buff.ly/32dOec7