Mission
The West Coast Prison Justice Society operates Prisoners’ Legal Services, the only full legal aid clinic for prisoners in Canada. Many people in prison struggle with mental health issues, addiction, histories of trauma and poverty. Prisons can exacerbate these problems, exposing people to violence and harsh treatment, poor medical care, and other violations of their rights. For example, people with mental health problems are routinely placed in solitary confinement, where they are locked in a small cell for 23 hours per day, sometimes for weeks on end.