The issue of prisoner belongings

"In Waterloo Region, when prisoners are released at criminal court, either on bail or are sentenced to time served, their personal belongings do not accompany them from the Remand Centre. This often includes items such as bank cards, health cards, keys to their residence and any medications they may have brought with them. This results in unnecessary hardship and significant stressors, such as an inability to access money to pay rent or buy food and barriers to accessing health care due to lack of identification. These stressors are in addition to abiding by any recent bail or probation conditions, and results in temporary, precarious and sometimes even long-term homelessness. While I am specifically concerned about people incarcerated with mental health issues, I believe this issue is relevant to all people incarcerated, and has implications for community safety and recidivism in the Region of Waterloo."--Page 1.