Can I See Your ID? The Policing of Youth Homelessness in Toronto

Homelessness, and its visibility, is back in the news in Toronto. Concerns about the scourge of panhandling have once again surfaced in local media with city councillors regularly weighing in on the ‘problem’. With little evidence that there is a dramatic increase in the numbers of people sleeping in parks or ‘aggressively’ panhandling on sidewalks, calls are once again being made for a law and order response to address this highly visible manifestation of urban poverty; to crack down on homelessness with tougher laws and stricter enforcement. All of this raises important questions about how we respond to homelessness in Canada. What does it say about Canadians when popular thought suggests that the appropriate way to address the problem of homelessness is through law enforcement? Is the use of police in dealing with people who are homeless as much a part of the Canadian response to homelessness as is the provision of shelter beds, soup kitchens and street outreach? And perhaps most importantly, what is the impact of a law and order approach to homelessness on the lives of people who experience such extreme poverty? This report sets out to document the criminalization of homelessness in Canada by exploring the relationship between homeless persons – in particular, street youth - and law enforcement officials (both the police and private security). Drawing from over 240 interviews with street youth in Toronto in 2009, as well as a review of official statistics on Ontario Safe Streets Act tickets in Toronto over the past 11 years, we explore the ways in which homelessness has been criminalized through a law and order agenda. Effective policy should be informed by research, not developed as a response to moral panics. Our research raises serious questions about the use of law enforcement as a strategy to address the visibility of homelessness in Canada

Street Youth Are More Likely Than Housed Youth to Be Victims of Crime

Being homeless exposes young people to dangerous people and places. It marginalizes youth and makes them more vulnerable to violence and victimization.York's Knowledge Mobilization Unit provides services and funding for faculty, graduate students, and community organizations seeking to maximize the impact of academic research and expertise on public policy, social programming, and professional practice. It is supported by SSHRC and CIHR grants, and by the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation. [email protected] www.researchimpact.c

Surviving Crime and Violence: Street Youth and Victimization in Toronto

Any parent would be outraged if their child was exposed to violence and crime. Any community would consider this to be unacceptable. Should we be concerned about the risks that young people who are homeless face? In our report, “Surviving Crime and Violence”, we explore the relationship between youth homelessness and criminal victimization. Our research highlights the degree to which the lives of young people who are homeless are characterized by high levels of crime and violence. This report, prepared for Justice for Children and Youth, was led by Stephen Gaetz (York University) and Bill O’Grady (University of Guelph). Two hundred and forty four homeless youth in Toronto were interviewed in 2009 about life on the streets, including their experiences of criminal victimization. While street youth are often portrayed in public discussions as dangerous, threatening and delinquent, this new research highlights the degree to which it is street youth themselves who are clearly vulnerable to crime and violence. The findings of this research reveal that street youth are victimized frequently, in large part due to the vulnerabilities that young people face when they are homeless. Particularly concerning are the findings which indicate that interventions to this victimization are not being effectively addressed by the criminal justice and shelter systems or by other professionals involved in the lives of street youth. We suggest that if the levels of violence and other forms of crime found in this study were being experienced by any other group of youth in Canada there would be immediate public outrage and considerable pressure for government to take action. Street youth deserve the same level of attention in responding to and preventing crime and violence that any other group of Canadian citizens are entitled to. Such attention is needed so that street youth have an opportunity to move forward in life

Youth Homelessness in Canada: Implications for Policy and Practice

Available also in print format from the York University Bookstore.This book aims to fill a gap in the information available on young people who are without a home, sleeping in parks, sitting on sidewalks or asking for money. This is an easily accessible collection of the best Canadian research and policy analysis in the field. 27 contributions, 501 pages

Youth Homelessness in Canada: Implications for Policy and Practice

Youth homelessness is a seemingly intractable problem in Canada. In communities across the country, people are increasingly aware of the sight of young people who are without a home, sleeping in parks, sitting on sidewalks or asking for money. What do we know about these young people, and what should we do? Youth Homelessness in Canada: Implications for Policy and Practice aims to fill a gap in the information available on this important issue by providing an easily accessible collection of the best Canadian research and policy analysis in the field. If we are going to solve youth homelessness in a meaningful way, we need solutions that are informed by the best research. This book has been written with this in mind. In this volume, leading Canadian scholars present key findings from their research on youth homelessness. In an effort to make this research accessible as well as relevant to decision-makers and practitioners, contributing authors have been asked to address the ‘so whatness’ of their research; to make clear the policy and practice implications of their research so as to better inform the efforts of those working to address youth homelessness. The contributors to this book are committed to supporting the development of more effective solutions to youth homelessness. Not only can we do things differently, we need to. And research on youth homelessness can help make a difference.Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canad

Integrated Social Housing and Health Care for Homeless and Marginally-Housed Individuals: A Study of the Housing and Homelessness Steering Committee in Ontario, Canada

Homelessness is a complex social issue that requires a coordinated systems approach. In recent years, Canada has seen an emergence of integrated care, the joining of health care and social care, to address the needs of homeless persons. This article documents the findings of open-ended interviews with eleven members of the central east Ontario Housing and Homelessness Framework Steering Committee, comprised of service managers and the Local Health Integration Network. As the system planners for social housing and health care, respectively, members of the group work together to align system approaches for homeless persons. Research by this group identified three challenges of collaborating—their different histories and legislation, varied accountability structures, and differing roles and responsibilities within the central east region of Ontario. The study findings indicate that developing a joint document to guide the work was a process through which members began to work through these differences

Facing FAQs: H1N1 and Homelessness in Toronto

The homelessness sector of Toronto faced a public health threat from the H1N1 pandemic. This report shares the findings of research undertaken in 2010 and 2011, assessing the pandemic preparedness of the homelessness sector before, during, and after the outbreak. Interviews were conducted with 149 homeless individuals, fifteen social service providers, and five key stakeholders involved in the H1N1 response. This report is divided into five key sections, and uses a question and answer approach to examine the core issues: 1. “Homelessness, Health and Infrastructure in Toronto” examines how the homelessness sector is organized, how well homeless individuals are faring mentally and physically within the city, and how the sector organizes health care services for its clients. 2. “Preparing the Homelessness Sector for H1N1” explores the work that was done prior to the outbreak and the challenges that arose. 3. “H1N1 and the Homelessness Sector Response” examines how the sector performed during the outbreak phase. Included in this section are discussions of operational changes, communication strategies, supplies, vaccination efforts, and infection control measures. 4. “Learning from H1N1” offers a reflection on how prepared the sector is for another outbreak and what challenges would need to be overcome in the event of a more severe pandemic. This report ends with a “Conclusion and Recommendations” section that pulls the key findings together and offers recommendations for creating a more integrated and interconnected sector.The basis for this report is research conducted on pandemic preparedness in the homelessness sector of Toronto, funded through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Not Only the Sorcerer's Apprentice: Re-Conjuring the PhD

Without a magic mirror on the wall, Ph.D. students have to look elsewhere for answers. In this paper, we pose the question, “What does it mean to be a Ph.D. in the 21st century?” We explore this issue through our respective social locations, as two first year Ph.D. students from differing backgrounds and as a tenured professor in a Faculty of Education. Our interest lies beyond a critique of the current model and a dualistic consideration of what should or should not be. Instead, we engage auto-ethnography with an analytic-induction approach to consider what postmodern doctoral studies might entail. The discussion is informed by a range of theorists, allowing us to consider multiple voices in the process of inculcation within the canon. Central to our discussion is the motivation of doctoral students and the means by which we can find our place within existing research communities. We examine the responsibility of students in animating knowledge and disseminating it outside the walls of the established academy. With a Ph.D. comes considerable power. The time has come for us to re-think the way we pass the wand from sorcerer to apprentice, and perhaps, even what is the wand

Homeless Hub Report Series

View this article on the interactive Homeless Hub website at http://www.homelesshub.ca/Library/Surviving-Crime-and-Violence-Street-Youth-and-Victimization-in-Toronto-48609.aspxAny parent would be outraged if their child was exposed to violence and crime. Any community would consider this to be unacceptable. Should we be concerned about the risks that young people who are homeless face? In our report, “Surviving Crime and Violence”, we explore the relationship between youth homelessness and criminal victimization. Our research highlights the degree to which the lives of young people who are homeless are characterized by high levels of crime and violence. This report, prepared for Justice for Children and Youth, was led by Stephen Gaetz (York University) and Bill O’Grady (University of Guelph). Two hundred and forty four homeless youth in Toronto were interviewed in 2009 about life on the streets, including their experiences of criminal victimization. While street youth are often portrayed in public discussions as dangerous, threatening and delinquent, this new research highlights the degree to which it is street youth themselves who are clearly vulnerable to crime and violence. The findings of this research reveal that street youth are victimized frequently, in large part due to the vulnerabilities that young people face when they are homeless. Particularly concerning are the findings which indicate that interventions to this victimization are not being effectively addressed by the criminal justice and shelter systems or by other professionals involved in the lives of street youth. We suggest that if the levels of violence and other forms of crime found in this study were being experienced by any other group of youth in Canada there would be immediate public outrage and considerable pressure for government to take action. Street youth deserve the same level of attention in responding to and preventing crime and violence that any other group of Canadian citizens are entitled to. Such attention is needed so that street youth have an opportunity to move forward in life

Ending Homelessness in Canada: Reflections from Researchers in the Field

Ten-year plans to end homelessness have become common in communities across Canada, yet homelessness persists. This study brings together experts in the field of homelessness to gain insight into whether homelessness can be ended and what steps need to be taken to accomplish this. Twenty-six Canadian homelessness researchers participated in video-recorded structured interviews in the summer of 2021. They were asked whether, and how, homelessness could be ended in Canada. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed for recurring themes. There was widespread agreement across the participants that homelessness could be ended in Canada by focusing on four distinct yet related areas. First, all levels of government must be held accountable for policy decisions they make, and they must learn from other countries, such as Finland, where social welfare policies are more robustly integrated. Second, Canada must continue to implement policies and laws that prioritize housing as a human right rather than a commodity. Third, there is a need for individualized choice-based supports, following the principles of Housing First, which emphasize community integration. Finally, preventive measures must be prioritized with a focus on improved systems alignment and discharge planning between institutions. This paper does not offer a blueprint for change, recognizing the extent of public and social policies, tax restructuring, and ideological shifts that will need to occur. Rather, it provides a thoughtful reflection from researchers on where we as a nation should focus our attention if we want to end homelessness in Canada