The 12th National Criminal Justice Symposium was convened in Montreal on January 24-25, 2020. The Symposium, supported by the Department of Justice Canada and the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, is an annual forum for justice leaders to share candid perspectives and solutions regarding the challenge of fashioning a responsive, accessible and accountable criminal justice system. The Symposium topic – “Alternatives to Short-Term Custody” – drew nearly 100 justice leaders together from across Canada including criminal justice practitioners and professionals, Indigenous-serving organizations, non-profit executives, advocates, researchers and other experts.