canadian prison law association

Preamble: 

In recognition of the diverse principles and stances of our members with respect to the Canadian carceral system and carceral systems worldwide; 

And in recognition of the value of a unifying set of organizational principles to guide and inform our organizational direction and our work as prison lawyers and advocates ; 

And in recognition that as a community of advocates, we must be ideologically flexible and responsive to the needs of the community on whose behalf we act ; 

We commit, as members of the Canadian Prison Law Association, to approach our work in accordance with the following principles and values, to the extent that we can do so and remain effective advocates for our clients : 

1. We embrace the need to rethink the system and to strengthen connections with community organisations to promote self-determination and empowerment of communities. 

2. We understand that prisons are filled with people who have been criminalized due to racism, poverty, colonialism and inadequate safety nets, educational systems, youth and family support systems, and health and mental health services. 

3. We understand that trauma can cause people to hurt others and believe that no one is disposable. People in prison are not defined by their crimes and trauma-informed and trauma-responsive legal work and advocacy is essential to understand one’s criminalised journey and support healing. Everyone in prison is worthy of respect, dignity, fairness, human rights and social justice. 

4. We accept the scientific data that establishes that longer prison sentences and harsher punishments do not reduce crime and reoffending, and that public safety can be better achieved through harm reduction and investing into our communities. 

5. We believe that prisons cause more harm to a vulnerable population, and we therefore promote and strive for decarceration, whenever it is possible, as an act of resistance against incarceration. We believe that redemption and reparation can be achieved through other less harmful means. 

6. We believe that a society without prisons is possible and that people are capable of healing from trauma and creating safety without prisons and police. We believe that prisons are colonial instruments that perpetuate hate, trauma, genocide, poverty, racism and oppression. 

7. We are committed to social justice and support for Indigenous self-determination. 

8. We recognize the unique experiences of Black people and the impact of anti-Black racism and discrimination on their involvement with the criminal legal system. 

9. We recognize that prisons are harmful to trans, gender-diverse, youth, disabled and elderly people.

10. We understand our duty to do no harm to the people we represent and for whom we advocate. Our work involves solidarity work with people in prison and people with lived experience. We do this work with them. Compassion and empathy are at the centre of our work, and we believe in empowering those most affected by the carceral system.

11. We believe in the principle of collective care. We lift each other up, and we are flexible in our work so that we can collaboratively do this hard work together.

12. We measure success not only in terms of winning legal battles, but in bearing witness to our clients’ experiences and providing strength and support where possible.

13. Our work is legal work, but within that, our work is social justice work.