Ethnocultural Initiatives: Presentations

Daniel Amini
Regional coordinator for ethnocultural services
Correctional Service Canada
400 Mtée St.François, Laval,Qc. H7C 1S7
aminida@csc-scc.gc.ca
(450) 664-1320 ext: 5546

Quebec Region Offender Profile

In total, there are 3,398 offenders incarcerated and 2,091 offenders on parole

Of these numbers, visible minorities account for 4.43%–12.48% (depending on the institution) of incarcerated offenders and 10.29% of offenders living in the community (Source: RADAR)*

Black, Latino and Middle Eastern offenders are the largest groups

*RADAR indicates offenders’ birthplaces, not their community/cultural backgrounds

Enthocultural Services’ Achievements

There are ethnocultural inmate associations in practically every institution. The association’s chairperson works under the supervision of the local coordinator.

Inmates are actively involved in organizing programs* and activities**.

Recurring programs include celebrating Black History Month and the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

This year, the Montreal-Metro District office and six institutions celebrated Black History Month.

The Donnacona Institution coordinator organized four major programs in the community: 1) awareness about Arab/Muslim culture; 2) community gatherings 2) an ethnocultural tour of Montreal’s ethnic neighbourhoods; and 4) Quebec City street gangs.

The regional coordinator gave a two-hour awareness seminar as part of the course for new employees at the Staff College.

The local coordinators are regularly invited to participate in awareness activities in the community.

The community coordinator organizes community meetings on various themes: Inuit culture, Islam and the Arab world, open-door at Longueuil’s parole office, awareness about Southeast-Asian culture, Black History Month, etc. She also sits on a community issue table.

Community newspapers in foreign languages are distributed in institutions in the region.

Local coordinators have access to a video library with 26 titles. Donnacona Institution has its own video library.

Personal care products for Black inmates are among the ethnocultural products introduced in the all-purpose canteen in institutions with a large ethnocultural population, such as Donnacona, Leclerc, Cowansville, Archambault and Drummond.

Local coordinators (except for Donnacona) are regularly advised on the application of CD 767 and informed of our obligations concerning inmates from ethnocultural communities.

* Program: e.g. Black History Month with the lecture and biographical presentation, or the “Starting Your Own Business” presentation by an economist.
** Activity: e.g. a basketball game with volunteers from an ethnocultural community.

Important Observations

The good cross-cultural understanding in institutions between employees and in employee-inmate interactions should be emphasized.

Noticeable increase in the number of inmates from ethnocultural communities.

Presence of inmates from African countries: Burkina, Ghana, Congo, etc.

Lack of ethnocultural resources for offenders on parole.

Difficulty finding ethnocultural resources in remote areas, except at Donnacona, where the local coordinator makes a special effort.

Need to increase awareness among staff members through the Staff College.

Regional Ethnocultural Advisory Committee

The regional committee meets four times a year in various institutions, parole offices and halfway houses.

Chaired by Emerson Douyon, the committee organized an ethnocultural community forum on “Public Safety: Through the Eyes of Ethnocultural Communities.” Various ethnocultural communities participated in the forum, each of which presented their particular perspective on the components of the criminal justice system. The vice-consul of Haiti and the chief of staff of the federal immigration minister also attended.

Institution Coordinators

In the community: Jocelyne Simon

In the institutions:
Donnacona — Mohamed Aitlahcen
Leclerc — Daniel Jodoin
Cowansville — Francine Paradis
Archambault — Christian Rivest
Drummond — Natalie Désilets
FTC — Jean Pierre Trépanier
MSFI — Daniel Major
SAPI — Nicole Bélanger
Joliette — Christine Vadnais

Challenges

• Standardize programs and activities throughout the region
• Create an assistance program for inmates facing deportation
• Find the necessary resources to set up a “Second Chance” program in the community
• Persuade available resources (local coordinators) to work with offenders
• Find the financial resources for ethnocultural community workers to help prevent re-offending

Objectives for 2009–10

For coordinators:

Provide them with diversity awareness sessions
Find volunteers from ethnocultural communities to participate in citizen advisory committees (CACs) at each institution and parole office
Recruit as many volunteers from ethnocultural communities as possible for institutions in remote areas

For REAC members and community partners:

Help the REAC recruit new members and achieve its objectives
Raise awareness among ethnocultural businesses about offender reintegration in their communities
Encourage ethnocultural community workers to participate actively in institutional programs and activities
Raise awareness among community partners and encourage them to take part in an annual forum

“All that is impossible remains to be accomplished”
— Jules Verne