Janet Cleveland

Janet Cleveland is currently conducting a study on the impact of detention on asylum seekers’ psychological health and the need for alternatives to detention. Since 2003, she has studied various aspects of the Canadian refugee system, including credibility issues in the context of refugee status determination and policies affecting psychologically vulnerable asylum seekers.

Janet Cleveland has developed workshops for decision-makers and professionals in the refugee protection field on credibility assessment, psychological reports, the impact of mental disorders on asylum seekers’ ability to present their case, and the detention of asylum seekers. She has also developed a guide for asylum seekers on navigating Canada’s refugee system. For several years Janet Cleveland has been involved in the campaign against security certificates and other measures that infringe on the liberty and human rights of non-citizens.

Janet Cleveland is a member of the Quebec Order of Psychologists. She holds a doctorate in clinical psychology, a master’s degree in anthropology and a bachelor’s degree in law and has completed post-doctoral studies in social psychology. Early in her career she worked for several years as a lawyer in private practice and later for several years as a psychotherapist before becoming a full-time researcher.