History Ahead of Its Time

I recently attended a walking tour of the Ontario Reformatory grounds and learned all about the history of the institution. It was truly remarkable to learn about the mission of the Reformatory and how it differed so greatly from other institutions in Canada and across the world. To bring individuals together and work towards true reformation rather than incarceration was a concept that was far ahead of its time. Even today, correctional institutions do a notoriously poor job of "reformation," whereas the history would show that the Ontario Reformatory made an incredible effort. My hope would be that this site is preserved so that future generations can look to it as a guide for how to approach reformation and treat "criminals" as human beings in the hopes that everyone gets a chance to lead a product and positive life.