London Justice Centre recognized for helping young adults exit criminal justice system

The London Justice Centre received an award for the help it provides to rehabilitate young adults involved in the criminal justice system.

The organization was recognized by the Ontario Bar Association (OBA) on Monday for "reimagining" what justice can look like in communities. For the centre in London, that means collaborating with community agencies to provide wraparound supports and address the root of why people in that demographic enter the system to begin with.

"It's designed to serve young adults [aged 18 to 24] who are experiencing challenges that may have brought them into contact with police," said Crown counsel Noelle Brady.

"We're aiming to identify what the underlying issues are that we can address through our collaborative model to help people avoid and exit the justice system."

The Justice Centre operates out of the second floor of Joan's Place, a building owned by Youth Opportunities Unlimited (YOU) in downtown London. Since launching in 2020, Brady and her team have completed more than 3,300 cases, she said.

When they first arrive, participants receive an assessment to help develop an approach tailored to each individual and the issues they're facing. Participants also have a dedicated probation officer and legal aid services to better understand their options as they proceed through court.

The organization partners with local agencies, including the Canadian Mental Health Association, YOU, Indigenous non-profits, St. Leonard's Community Services, Changing Ways and others.

Together, they help clients access supports for housing, mental health, employment and education.

"We see people who are coming to court, understandably very anxious. They're still quite young and have maybe some intimidation about the system itself, so what we see quite quickly is that the model we've developed really helps to allay those concerns," said Brady.

"People quickly understand that we're here not only to deal with whatever their court matter would be but also to support them to succeed and not come back before the court."

The OBA's president, Katy Commisso, said the 18 to 24 demographic is important to target.

"What we're seeing is that it is leading to a significant reduction in recidivism rates for individuals when they have those wraparound supports and community-based services as part of their interaction with the justice system," she said.

"It's truly inspirational when you see a rethinking of how can we do things better and how can we address the root causes of the issues that may be bringing individuals into the justice system."

Commisso said it's encouraging to see the focus and collaboration it took for the model to be successful.

Attorney General Doug Downey was also at the event.

"I am always touched by the stories of change for people that we deal with not just what they did, but what their situation is and create pathways for them to make other choices. We're seeing the proof not just in stats, but in the transformation for individual lives," said Downey.

"We're continuing to partner with communities and explore ways to do justice smarter, which means meeting people where they're at and allowing them to make choices to get on different pathways and not just using the strength of the state to meet out of punishment."

The model also works with victims of crime who are also going through the court process, by giving them assistance in navigating the system and making sure appropriate reparations are being made for the harm caused to them.