Damian Kercz

Halfway Housing: A Response to Demand for Criminal Justice Reform

This project aims to persuade communities to think differently about those subjected to criminal justice systems and encourages a compassionate and empathetic approach to those processed by them. By renovating and proposing an addition to a Victorian home in Toronto, as a response to Toronto’s failing halfway housing system, it is shown that halfway houses can be rehabilitative and therapeutic spaces that play a significant role in helping prisoners desist from their criminal identities while reducing rates of reoffending upon release. This is made possible by appealing to the humanity of house residents, privileging their autonomy and their commitment to self improvement.

Advisor: Stephen Verderber