Prisoner Supports
The following are a range of legal, advocacy and crisis supports that prisoners should be able to access directly for free through facility phones, or by mail. If a number is not working, it may be because of the phone system. It is sometimes possible to arrange a private call through a prison social worker, mental health nurse, or request that the number be added to the facility's "allowed calling" list.
Legal Supports
Get 30 minutes of free legal advice, or referrals for a lawyer. If you’re in custody, call 1-855-947-5255, Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm. They also have a tool to help you find a lawyer.
Justice for Children and Youth
JFCY has a confidential toll-free number for youth in need of legal advice. 1-866-999-5329.
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Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC)
The OHRC administers the Ontario Human Rights Act. If you believe you have been discriminated against under one of the protected grounds, you can file a complaint with the OHRC, who will investigate it. 1-800-387-9080 (toll-free) or 1-800-308-5561 (TTY)
Muslim Legal Support Ceentre (MLSC)
MLSC is a non-profit organization that defends the rights of Muslims in Ontario and connects people to culturally-informed and accessible legal services. Provides a range of free legal services, including legal advice and education (including criminal law), referrals, test case litigation and law reform. Accepts collect calls: 416-350-2914
Human Rights Legal Support Centre (HRLSC)
HRLSC provides human rights legal services to individuals in Ontario who have experienced discrimination or a violation under the Human Rights Code. Call the HRLSC telephone advice line at 1-866-625-5179. There is an option that prioritizes calls from prisoners.
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Black Legal Action Centre (BLAC)
The Black Legal Action Centre (BLAC) provides legal support to low-income Black folks in Ontario dealing with individual and/or systemic anti-Black Racism. 1-877-736-9406
Legal clinic for disabled folks in Ontario. ARCH only practices in disability rights law. They provide a range of legal services, including summary legal advice, basic legal information, and referrals on disability-related areas of the law to people with disabilities. 1-866-482-2728 (Toll-free) or 1-866-482-2724 (TTY).
Obtain a legal aid certificate which will cover the costs of a private lawyer. If you’re in detention or jail, speak with the legal aid worker at your facility.
Complaints About Mistreatment
The following organizations are meant to address issues of mistreatment within the legal system, but they often do not provide the results people need or want. See our section “We Keep Us Safe(r)” for more ideas.
You can make a written complaint to the superintendent by filling out an Inmate Request Form. The supervisor on duty will talk to you on behalf of the superintendent. If you are not satisfied with the response, you can ask to see the superintendent or deputy superintendent.​ If you are still not satisfied, you can write to a senior ministry official including the assistant deputy minister, the deputy solicitor general and/or the solicitor general to ask for further review.
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These still may not resolve the situation in the way you would like. Next steps include external complaint processes, such as contacting the Youth Ombudsman, or organizing with others to build power and demand a resolution.
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The ombudsman investigates complaints from any youth within any system such as detention and prison facilities, but also groups homes and schools. 1-800-263-2841 (toll-free)
Client Conflict Resolution Unit
If your human rights have been violated while in detention CCRU will document, investigate and try to mediate it. 1-866-535-0019
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OIPRD will take complaints about municipal of provincial police - such as the Hamilton Police or the Ontario Provincial Police. Complaints must be written. Facilities are supposed to have a green booklet with a stamped and addressed envelope to file a complaint with. You should be able to access it by asking prison staff.
1-877-411-4773 TTY: 1-877-414-4773 for d/Deaf prisoners or who have speech related disabilities
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First Nations Police:
You can file a complaint against the First Nations Police in person, in writing or by telephone. The complaint must be filed with the chief of police of the First Nations Police Service where the constable is employed. If you do not agree with the chief of police’s decision, you may complain to the band council. If you need help finding the mailing address of the police service, you can submit an Inmate Request Form and staff will help you - or reach out to a prisoner support project such as DJNO's Prison Project or legal support line to get the information.​
Crisis Support Lines
These are toll-free lines that should be accessible from within an open or closed detention facility, however none of the lines provide care explicitly to prisoners - they are open to the public.
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As of December 2023, many of the following crisis lines can also be reached by calling the new Canada-wide crisis line 988 that is coordinated by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).
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Please note that some support lines may notify prison staff if they are concerned about the immediate safety of yourself or others. You may get put into segregation as a result.
Kids Help Phone
24/7 Support. 1-800-668-6868
Available daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Service in French and other languages are available upon request. 1-833-294-8650
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1-866-531-2600. Provides free, 24-hour health support across Ontario, including mental health information and support, listening, and education around mental health, gambling, addictions, and drug use.
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Suicide Crisis Helpline
9-8-8. New and free 24 hour crisis support across so-called canada. This number is a central intake for many other crisis lines and organizations. When you call, you will be directed accordingly, however you may still call individual crisis lines.
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National Indian Residential School Crisis Line
1-866-925-4419. Provides 24-hour crisis support to any Indigenous person directly or indirect impacted by residential schools
1-877-330-6366. 24/7 support service for 2 Spirit & Trans folks needing support.
1-866-863-7868. 24/7 support for women who have been assaulted
Ontario-wide 2SLGBTQ+ peer-support w/ trained volunteers for those who are 16-29. Call 1-800-268-9688 between 4pm – 9:30 pm, Sunday to Friday.
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Naseeha Youth Helpline
Peer support focused on Muslim youth and young adults. Call between 12pm EST – 3am EST every day. 1-866-627-3342
Canada-wide, funded by CAMH. Call 1-833-456-4566, 24/7
Available to all Indigenous people across so-called Canada. Request support in Cree, Ojibway (Anishinaabemowin), and Inuktitut, however the language supports are not available 24/7, so you may need to call in to find out the next time that a language-speaker will be available. 1-855-242-3310, 24/7
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Crisis line
An independent, national free support line for anyone impacted by MMIW. Available 24/7. 1-844-413-6649
24/7 support for Indigenous women and girls, provided by Indigenous women, across Ontario. 1-855-554-4325 (HEAL)
Métis Nation of Ontario’s (MNO) — Healing and Wellness branch
A 24/7 mental health and addictions crisis line. Call for help working through a hard time. 1-877-767-7572
Prisoner Support and Advocacy
The following are supports available to prisoners in the Hamilton, Ontario area.
The Prison Project at the Disability Justice Network of Ontario (DJNO) runs support lines where you can call to talk/vent with people, have information looked up, and have resources sent to you in jail. Write to us, or call your closest phone line.
Prison Project
423 King St E,
Hamilton, ON L8N 1C5
Northern Ontario – 807 – 548 – 4312
Milton – 416 – 775 – 7983
Hamilton – 905 – 631 – 4084
Eastern Ontario – 613 – 765 – 9951
South Western Ontario – 519 – 690 – 0836
Niagara – 905 – 227 - 5066
An abolition group that aims to reduce the isolation that prison walls create through various means. They work specifically with people incarcerated at Barton Jail in Hamilton.
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Cell Count is a magazine made by current and past prisoners, for current and past prisoners. You can make submissions (drawings, writings, etc.) by mailing them to the address below, or by calling (they accept collect calls). Prisoners can get the magazine sent to them in prison by writing/calling PASAN/Cell Count, or by getting someone outside to sign you up on their online form.
PASAN - Cell Count
526 Richmond Street East
Toronto, ON M5A 1R3
1-866-224-9978
Books and community care for those affected by incarceration in so-called Ottawa and beyond. No phone number – have someone on the outside reach out to incaInrcerationbooks@gmail.com
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Books to Prisoners Ottawa shares donated reading materials to incarcerated individuals and promotes social justice campaigns in Canada that works with community partnerships locally with provincial institutions at OCDC, William E Hay, Collins Bay, Bath, Port-Cartier, CSC institutions from BC to the Maritime's. Write to them for an individual book request.
OPIRG-Carleton
326 UniCenter
Carleton University
Ottawa, ON. K1S 5B6
(613) 520-2757
A quarterly magazine written for and by prisoners across Canada. Published by Penal Press. Write to submit or receive a copy.
Out of Bounds Magazine
6000 William Head Rd
Victoria, BC V9C 0B5​