Justice Behind the Walls : Human Rights in Canadian Prisons

Abstract

In 1777, John Howard, the pre-eminent prison reformer of his generation, published The State of the Prisons in England and Wales, an indictment of the cruelty of prison life and a blueprint for radical change. Over two centuries later, Michael Jackson, Queen's Counsel, law professor and human rights advocate, gives us Justice behind the Walls, a compelling, compassionate and at times harrowing account of the state of justice in Canadian prisons. Weaving together the threads of correctional history, penal philosophy, landmark court decisions, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and legislative change, Justice behind the Walls describes the reality of reform against the backdrop of Jackson's years of observing disciplinary hearings and segregation review boards in federal penitentiaries and draws on hundreds of hours of interviews with prisoners, wardens and correctional staff. Conceived as both a personal and public journey in search of justice, this book is an unprecedented endeavor to chart the DNA of contemporary imprisonment. At a time when the issue of human rights in prison, never high on the horizon of public concern, is dangerously close to being eclipsed by rising fear about public safety, Justice behind the Walls takes us beyond the stereotypes of the keeper and the kept. In doing so, it holds up a mirror that reflects how far we have come in recognized and respecting human rights in places where those rights are most vulnerable. Jackson's book brings to the agenda of public and legal debate a remedial toolbox that has the potential to enhance Canada's claim as an international model for a just society. Written in a language that appeals to our common humanity, it brings many lifetimes of experience to the struggle for justice. Justice behind the Walls was shortlisted for the 2002 Donner Prize for the best book on Canadian Public Policy. The Donner Prize Jury described Justice behind the Walls as "passionate, detailed and written by a highly knowledgeable and committed expert…both mind-enriching and soul-expanding". [From http://www.justicebehindthewalls.net/02_publication_00_01.html]

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