A collective is proposing a series of measures aimed at preventing homelessness among former prisoners, over-represented in Quebec among homeless people, in particular because of the numerous obstacles they face in terms of access to housing and income.
The publication of this report of nearly 40 pages, entitled Homelessness prevention linked to judicial and correctional processes, comes less than a month after the results of the latest count of people experiencing homelessness in Quebec, which indicates that 22% of people detained in a provincial detention center were experiencing homelessness before their incarceration.
At the same time, the numerous challenges faced by former prisoners increase the risk that they will fall into homelessness, which sets in motion a vicious circle, which the Quebec Collective for the Prevention of Homelessness (CQPI) wishes to put an end to. at the origin of this report, made public today.
“The passage of people at risk of homelessness through the different stages of the legal process constitutes a factor in weakening their situation. Each moment of the judicial trajectory can lead to significant losses in the relational, material, financial and health spheres, contributing to residential instability; this is particularly the case for episodes of incarceration, including preventive detention,” mentions the document, which The duty was able to consult under embargo.
In addition to being an important social issue, the prevention of homelessness among former prisoners and people caught in the maze of the judicial system also has a public safety dimension. A study carried out by university researchers from Denmark and which was published at the end of August in the scientific journal The Lancet shows that the transition to homelessness significantly increases the risk of recidivism among former prisoners.
“In the perspective of creating safe environments for everyone, the prevention of homelessness must be seen as a means of preventing recidivism,” notes in an interview researcher Laurence Roy, of McGill University, who contributed to the writing of the CQPI report.
From the perspective of creating safe environments for everyone, homelessness prevention must be seen as a means of preventing recidivism.
Walls to break down
In order to better prevent homelessness among people in the justice system, the report recommends in particular tackling the silos in which the police, judicial, correctional and community sectors work, among others. This situation forces people to submit repeated requests for help and to “continuously repeat their life story to different people,” which can contribute to making their situation even more precarious.
“For certain people, especially those with great vulnerabilities in terms of mental or cognitive health, these challenges result in cycles of homelessness and legalization with enormous human costs,” note the four authors of the report.
They also note the importance of facilitating access to social assistance for former prisoners in order to prevent them from having to wait several weeks after their release from prison to have access to this financial support. “Access to a basic income represents a structural problem that affects all people leaving detention,” notes M.me Roy.
Landlords are often reluctant to rent an apartment to someone with a criminal past. “These people are really vulnerable and need support in finding housing,” notes Marie Henninger, liaison coordinator for prevention and housing support services at the Old Brewery Mission. The organization also has a program, called “After the Shadow”, which aims to help people leaving prison to find community housing or from the private market.
The report also proposes improving access to financial and employability services for people in detention or who have recently been released from prison, as finding work can be complex after a stint behind bars. “We know that a legal case will harm the prospect of having access to housing, but also employability, which contributes to harming the situation of people who already have limited financial means” summarizes Mme Roy, whose report also calls for easier access to legal aid for people in vulnerable situations.