About ten years ago we had to convince the editors of a progressive planning magazine that an article about teaching urban sociology and planning inside a prison was relevant to planners.

This month we have a feature article ‘Pathways to Community Safety: What Planning Can Learn from Transformative Justice’ in Y Magazine an OPPI (Ontario Professional Planners Institute) publication.

OPPI is the one of the largest professional planning organizations in the country, so it feels like a real turning point to have ideas about abolition and transformative justice welcomed by the editors, and shared with their audience.

In the article we:

• describe the process of criminalization that brings people into conflict with laws;

• highlight that we are advocating for abolition because the criminal legal system has not, and cannot be reformed;

• introduce core transformative justice questions like ‘what are the root conditions of harm and how can we transform the conditions that create injustice’;

• end with real world examples and suggestions for planners to begin to contribute to community safety through the lens of transformative justice, including suggestions around transit, housing and public participation.

Since we couldn’t add references or links in the article we’ll share some of those projects here. Let us know about the transformative work going on in your communities so that we can share it with others!

à bientôt
planningforabolition@carleton.ca

ps: a quick preview – next month we’ll have some save the date(s) to share.

Learning + Action

From ‘Pathways to Community Safety’-Y Magazine:

• Medicine for the Resistance [Substack]

• Fare-Free Transit [Orangeville]

• Free Transit Actually is a Thing, and You Might Be Surprised Where [CBC]

• Pre-emptive right [Montreal]

• Temiskaming District Community Land Trust [CMHC]

• Hogan’s Alley Community Land Trust [Hogan’s Alley Society]

• Hak Hei 客氣 program [Toronto Chinatown Land Trust]

• Housing Forever Bond [Ottawa Community Land Trust]

• Ottawa Merchants Call on City to Boost Support for Small Businesses [Ottawa Business Journal]

• Abolition X [Question Culture]

• We the Unhoused [iHeart]

• Participatory Budgeting and Rehabilitation [Participedia]

Some upcoming events:

• Exploring Abolition Online Conference [October 24-26]

• Policing Black Lives (2nd edition) Book Launch with Robyn Maynard [October 29]

• Call for submissions deadline for Planner’s Network 50th Convening [October 31]