The Calgary John Howard Society (CJHS) is a charity that has been reducing crime and making Calgary communities safer since 1949 by helping youth and adults make positive changes and move away from criminal behaviour.
We address the root causes of crime by providing education, employment programs, housing and support so individuals have alternatives to breaking the law.
Justice is best served through measures that resolve conflict, embrace diversity and repair harm, while holding the individual accountable for their actions. We believe in understanding the context of why a crime was committed or harm was caused. Our goal is to restore relationships and support people in order to prevent future harm, making the Calgary community safer for all.

The Calgary John Howard Society operates in Treaty 7 Territory. This is the traditional and ancestral lands of the Blackfoot Confederacy and the Otipemisiwak Metis Government of the Metis Nation within Alberta Districts Five and Six; the original keepers of this land belonged to the Kainai, Siksika and Piikani Indigenous First Nations which included Tsuut’ina of the Dene Nation, Bearspaw, Chiniki and Wesley Bands of the Stoney Nation. The traditional names for the City of Calgary are “Mohkintsis” (meaning Elbow in Blackfoot), “Otoskunee” (meaning Elbow in Cree), “Wincheeshpah” (meaning Elbow in Stoney Nakoda) and “Kootsisaw” (meaning Elbow in Dene –Tsuut’ina). Today and every day we acknowledge all the elders and knowledge keepers of this land.
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Impact Stories
After 23+ years at the Calgary John Howard Society (CJHS), and the last 5 ½ years as the Executive Director, Leslie McMechan has announced that ...
DR, a father struggling with addiction issues, reached out to the Calgary John Howard Society (CJHS) for support with finding employment. He attended an employment ...
In 2022, as pandemic restrictions lifted and city life resumed, we confronted a pressing issue. A staggering 80% of our Calgary Young Offender Centre (CYOC) ...