The new report from the John Howard Society of Ontario (JHSO) found strong support for enhanced community-based supervision and community-based approaches to crime prevention. According to the JHSO, 90 per cent of its 106 survey respondents agreed that the bail verification and supervision program (BVSP) and investments in long-term community safety would improve the bail system and reduce justice system pressures.
The BVSP, which is funded by the ministry of the attorney general, is delivered by community agencies that provide bail supervision and case management to individuals who are not considered high-risk and who might otherwise be denied bail for lacking a surety or other forms of assistance. According to the report, research supports the value of BVSPs as effective and safe alternatives to pre-trial detention.
John Howard Society CEO Christin Cullen said Ontario’s bail system is “no longer serving the purposes it was designed for.”
“Instead of enhancing community safety, it has become crushed under the weight of processing people who are unhoused, low-income or struggling with their mental health — and holding them in custody at enormous human and financial cost,” she said. “The report makes it clear what we need to do to fix it — invest in strengthened community supervision supports and cross-sector collaboration so the bail system can once again work as it should.”
The JHSO argues that a focus should be made on three areas — better funding and utilization of the province’s existing bail programs, enhanced inter-agency collaboration and improving court efficiencies. It says the BVSPs are underfunded, especially in rural and remote areas, and there are only a handful of sites offering bail beds, residential programs that house individuals on bail, and enhancing these services would reduce court and remand pressures while enhancing bail outcomes.
“The research shows that everyone involved in the system — from police to lawyers to social workers and service providers — believes we can reduce pretrial detention, keep communities safe, and support vulnerable individuals by investing in proven bail programs and community supports,” said Safiyah Husein, JHSO’s director of policy and a
Safiyah Husein, John Howard Society of Ontario (JHSO)
“At a time when there are cries for bail reform, we must seize the opportunity to put common sense solutions in place that are proven to both support individuals and build safer communities, helping police and courts focus on violent and serious cases,” she said.
The report also recommends improved linkages between police, courts and social services such as housing providers to address the social determinants of crime and enhance public safety. The JHSO is also urging the province to expand specialized courts to support and inform the bail adjudication process and promote the use of judicial referral hearings to reduce unnecessary proceedings for administration of justice offences, streamline legal processes, alleviate pressure on courts and better reflect social realities faced by marginalized groups.
Husein said the report is “not about re-inventing the wheel.”
“A lot of the recommendations are about enhancing community supervision and community-based approaches,” she said. “It’s not about coming up with something completely new but building on some existing programs that we know work well, are cost-effective and help to address public safety.”
Julia Facca, press secretary to Attorney General Doug Downey, said in a statement the province “looks forward to reviewing the report and its recommendations.”
“At the same time, our government will continue working to protect Ontario communities and strengthen our call to the federal government to get serious and deliver real bail reform this fall,” she said.
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