Violent crime

• Paul Murray, Swiss Re's CEO of L&H Reinsurance, explains: "While people continue to dream of life expectancy surpassing 100 years, the gains of the last century are under threat.
• Life expectancy improvements typically come in waves following major medical breakthroughs or large-scale social trends, such as smoking cessation.
• In the twentieth century, pharmaceutical innovations which lowered blood pressure and cholesterol triggered a steep improvement in life expectancy.
• According to Swiss Re's report, advances in cancer treatments and diagnosis have the highest potential to kickstart life expectancy improvements.

• There are specific challenges facing our bail system posed by repeat violent offending, firearms, and other dangerous weapons that need to be addressed.
• Bill C-48 proposes to make targeted changes to the Criminal Code's bail regime to ensure our communities stay safe.
• It is making significant investments to prevent crime and keep communities safe, and address the causes of crime as well.
• Canadians deserve to be safe and feel safe in their communities and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended.

• During the current housing affordability crisis, we’re seeing people who work and families with children becoming homeless or living in unstable housing.
• They may be living in a motel room, vehicle, tent or caravan park.
• Here are some of the unique physical and mental health challenges of being homeless today.

Housing is too expensive

• And having a job no longer guarantees secure housing.
• Read more:
  'I left with the kids and ended up homeless with them': the nightmare of housing wait lists for people fleeing domestic violence

Impacts on health

• We know overcrowding directly contributes to poor physical health, such as infectious diseases and injuries.
• Unstable housing may also disrupt access to health care, including to prescription medications, causing people to delay seeking care.
• Being homeless increases the likelihood of being the victim of violent crime, which threatens physical and psychological health in the short and long term.
• Read more:
  How financial stress can affect your mental health and 5 things that can help

Impacts on children

• When crammed into undersized spaces or places not meant for people to live, a lack of space for cooking, playing, or schoolwork can have their effects, particularly on children.
• For instance, children who live in overcrowded homes are more likely to have poorer mental health and do less-well at school.

Working while homeless has extra challenges

• People who work and are homeless may hide their homelessness out of shame, fear of judgement, and worry about losing their job.
• The stress of being homeless can affect work performance and the ability to hold down a job.
• Read more:
  This is what the lives of Big Issue sellers tell us about working and being homeless

It’s a human rights issue

• Health and housing are basic human rights.
• And stable housing is a critical determinant of health.
• But as recent evidence shows, even renting is unaffordable for some, despite working full time.

• INDIANAPOLIS, May 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Police Association called today for the passage of the Pretrial Release Reporting Act, introduced by U.S.
• The Act requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to issue a report to Congress within 180 days providing information on arrestees released on bail and pretrial release from state courts charged with violent felony crimes.
• This information would inform Congress and the American public on the frequency of violent offenders that are released on bail into their communities committing additional crimes.
• "We greatly appreciate and support Sen. Ron Johnson's leadership in introducing the Pretrial Release Reporting Act," said Sgt.