Voices Inside and Out

This episode raises some interesting issues:a. what is the best strategy for addressing the fact of a criminal record when dealing with a prospective employer: mention it up front or wait to be asked?b.  given the prejudicial effects of a criminal record, should Canada adopt 'right to be forgotten' approaches with social media?c.  given the challenges of finding an employer, should more efforts be made to help former prisoners start their own businesses and be self-employed?Check out the documentary "Collared" for more information about Joseph's crime and lessons learned.

This episode raises some interesting issues:a) if people understood the unintended consequences of their crimes for others, would it have a deterrent effect?b)  should more be done in Canada to allow people to move beyond the stigma of a criminal record once the sentence for the crime has been completed?c) Can restorative justice principles ease the post-custody housing problem?Check out Joseph's documentary 'Collared': https://tenorfilms.com/collared/ 

As of the date of publishing this episode, we now know  that 2 federal prisoners have died of COVID-19, almost 300 federal prisoners tested positive (a rate 13 times higher than the general population in Canada), 5 penitentiaries are contaminated with COVID-19, 400 prisoners are being held in extreme conditions in medical isolation, and 100s more in cruel, prolonged solitary confinement-like conditions.  All visits by families, friends, and volunteers have stopped.  Programs have ended and prisoners are not able to make progress on correctional plans.  Temporary absences, both escorted and unescorted, have been suspended so progress toward being paroled for many has ceased.  Both prisoners and correctional staff are likely worried about contracting the virus. It is little wonder that tensions behind bars have increased.  When tensions are high, is it more important to follow the protocols and attempt to de-escalate disputes before relying on force?Was the amount of force described by Mr. Farrier more than was appropriate in the circumstances?If the video tapes confirm that Mr. Farrier had his hands up and was attempting to comply with instructions when he was shot, what accountability and corrective action  is appropriate?Should the video tapes of such uses of force be made public? 

Could restorative justice include making communities more welcoming and supportive of former prisoners returning to communities?What contribution can communities of faith make?Should MP Bragdon's Private Member's Bill be passed, what elements should be included in a federal framework to reduce recidivism?  You could contact your federal member of parliament if you support passage of this Bill: https://openparliament.ca/bills/43-1/C-228/

There has been an alarming rate of increase in federal prisoners infected with COVID-19 at Mission Medium Institution. From April 10 to 11th, the reported confirmed cases of the virus rose from 25 to 35 prisoners, a 40% increase, with 5 prisoners being transported to a local hospital. Other federal prisons in Quebec and Ontario are also reporting COVID-19 among the staff and prisoners. Why was the federal government so slow to follow the advice of epidemiologists and safely reduce the number of prisoners? Why has there been so few prisoners actually tested for the virus? What is being done now to protect them and the community from COVID-19; and what further steps could be taken?

Garry shared with us his Welcoming the Stranger Guide to Reintegration  which was referenced in the episode.  Please email national@johnhoward.ca if you would like a copy. Here is Garry with his dog Norman displaying and promoting prisoner art work at a safe social distance during COVID-19:  https://www.guelphtoday.com/following-up/bringing-art-from-the-inside-outside-2236689

How sanitary are the conditions in maximum prisons and are prisoners being given adequate cleaning supplies to disinfect adequately to fend off COVID 19?9 guards and 2 prisoners: How effective were the screening mechanism for the guards who have likely introduced the virus into the prison?  Are guards  taking adequate precautions to avoid spreading virus from one prisoner to another? like changing gloves or washing hands after touching one prisoner and before touching another oneAre prisoners being provided with masks and gloves?  Or even given the capacity to make masks for themselves? Where are the ill prisoners being quarantined?  In medical units, in old segregation cells, or in trailers that are likely available since all family visits have stopped?What is the capacity of local hospital to cope with community outbreak and ill prisoners?  Will prisoners get inferior health care?

Given the challenges faced by former prisoners in finding employment, should there be opportunities to learn to become small business owners while in prison?Would reintegration be more successful if former prisoners were given better access to loans, advice and other supports for starting and maintaining a business when they are in the community?Many other countries allow for prisoner-based co-operatives inside prisons which provide skills and some economic support as individuals transition into the community.  Should Canada test out this concept?

Some further thoughts:a.  Given the support that so many parolees receive from peers, does it make sense to have blanket parole conditions prohibiting association with those who have a criminal past?b.  While both Tim and Doug received support and no judgement when they told people about their crimes, this is not always the case.  Why is there such support for some and not for others with similar criminal pasts- appearance, manner?c.  Both Tim and Doug found strength and support in Indigenous culture.  What are the getting there that could be made available more generally?

This episode highlights both the opportunities and challenges for lifers coming into communities and raises some important issues:a.  how important are halfway house placements providing stable housing, support and supervision in  easing the difficulties of returning to communities?b.  why was the progress of a prisoner in the youth correctional system not taken into account when he aged into the adult correctional system and placed in maximum security?  c.  what are the implications of individual parole officers having such a role in the speed lifers move into communities and whether they stay in there?d.  why do minimum institutions within the same regions have such different requirements before being supported for parole?Noted positive acknowledgement of Boston Pizza, Kingston Police, parole officer at Frontenac Institution and other parole officers for their dealings with these men.

This episode touches upon some issues relating to effective programs to support people returning to communities:Why would effective programs like Lifeline be defunded by the government?Is there a bias against peer-support programs?  Some prisoners who are resistant to prison programs or who are not being offered programs would benefit enormously from getting advice and support from those who have experienced prison and have succeeded in leaving crime behind.Shouldn't there be more research on the effectiveness of peer-support programs with a view to supporting evidence-based corrections?Rick raises the importance of volunteers bringing community into the prisons:  How do we encourage this?  

This episodes raises some significant policy questions:given that parole ineligibility periods are long in Canada and increasing with  back to back ineligibility periods, isn't the absence of some "faint hope clause" or some mechanism to override mandatory ineligibility periods cruel and unnecessary given that the person is under sentence for life regardless of where it is being served? See Senator Pate's Bill C-208 which proposes judicial discretion to reduce mandatory parole ineligibility periods?if a person has been  leading a positive and constructive life in the community for decades, shouldn't there be some relief from parole conditions and monitoring?shouldn't 'correctional plans' be adjusted to reflect that correctional objectives have been met and,  if not, that correctional objectives change as lifers age? Learn more about Rick: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/rick-sauves-prisoner-coaching-program-life-line-faces-potential-cancellation/article37337967/

This episodes raises some challenging issues: if guards are letting incompatible prisoners into proximity of each other where they know or ought to know that violence will result, is it right that a prisoner defending himself should be charged with assault?what is the liability of the guards if they deliberately or negligently brought incompatible prisoners together?why are prisoners perceived to be at high risk not given enhanced programming prior to release back to communities rather than none?why would CSC wait until  the charges of assault were being resolved in court to bring forward a year-old weapons charge?the prisoner suspects that  his race may have had something to do with this unhelpful release from prison

Listeners may not be familiar with some of the expressions used:SHU (pronounced 'shoe') is the Special Handling Unit which is the highest security federal facility and houses prisoners thought to be dangerous or unmanageable in other institutionsCMT is the Case Management Team which is tasked by CSC with supporting a prisoner's rehabilitation and reintegration back into the communityCSC is the Correctional Service of Canada which has the responsibility of managing those who have received sentences of 2 years or more but in custody and in the communityWED is the term used for 'warrant expiry' which means the end of the sentence imposed by the courts and the end of CSC's authority over an individual.This episode raises some policy issues:The Minister of Public Safety's mandate letter to  the Commissioner of the Correctional Services of Canada provides 'your responsibility to Canadians is to ensure that when offenders return to their communities, they are well-prepared to lead safe, productive, law-abiding lives'.  The overriding concern for Parole Board Canada is the safety of the public.  Does it then make sense to release those considered to be the highest risk to reoffend with a violent offence at the very end of their sentences without programming and without any kind of supported, supervised release?   Doesn't that put the public at higher risk than if some support and programming had been provided, including contacting community organizations concerned with public safety who might be able to help with a difficult reintegration? Shouldn't program dollars and supports be allocated to those who have the greatest needs and who are seen as posing the greatest risk to public safety? Is it fair for a person to be arrested at the prison gate as he or she is leaving after finishing the sentence imposed by the courts?   Is it fair for further constraints to be based on his or her liberties based on a police officer's fear of what he or she might do in the future?  Is it appropriate for CSC to provide information to the police that informs his or her officer's fear that the person will commit a serious violent offence?  Risk assessment tools may be useful in managing a sentence imposed by the courts but are they sufficiently reliable to predict violent offending within 18 months or 2 years of release?  Liberties are lost based on what a person might do and not what has been done.Failure to provide a continuity of prescribed medicines, particularly those needed for mental health that help regulate behaviour, set people up to fail as they head back into communities.  The two-week supply of prescription drugs prisoners receive is not enough to allow them to be treated while they obtain health insurance and find a Doctor in the community.