National News Releases

News Release

Communiqué

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Truro, January 16, 2003 — The Honourable Wayne Easter, Solicitor General of Canada today presided over the opening ceremony of the new Secure Unit for maximum-security offenders at Nova Institution for Women in Truro, Nova Scotia.

"The opening of the Secure Unit for maximum security women at Nova Institution and similar units in three other women's institutions across Canada soon to become operational signifies many things, most importantly our desire to strengthen public safety," said Solicitor General Wayne Easter. "This is achieved by creating a safe, humane and effective correctional system with continued focus on programs".

Opened in December 1995, Nova Institution is a multi-level security institution for federally sentenced women. Nova is also the first of the four federal women's institutions to respond to maximum-security needs of offenders in an integrated fashion. A maximum-security unit, referred to as a "Secure Unit" will address the risk and needs of these women through intensive intervention in a secure environment. The Nova Institution has a capacity to accommodate up to 54 women in its general population of medium and minimum-security inmates. Nova's Secure Unit will accommodate up to 10 maximum-security inmates.

Other Secure Units will soon open at the Joliette Institution (QC), the Edmonton Institution (AL) and the Grand Valley Institution (ON). In the Pacific Region, CSC has undertaken to convert one of its facilities into a regional institution for women offenders by the spring 2004. Currently, federally sentenced women are housed in a provincial (BC) facility.

"Tremendous progress has been made in women corrections in the last decade", says CSC Commissioner Lucie McClung. "Today, our facilities for women offenders provide a living environment that encourages women to take responsibility for their day-to-day lives and practice skills that will help them make meaningful, productive life choices upon release into the community".

The staff at Nova Institution received specialized training, particularly in mental health issues and behavioural management interventions. Correctional staff, behavioral counselors, nurses and psychologists will work as an inter-disciplinary team to ensure a focussed and consistent approach to staff interactions and interventions with the offenders.

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Reference:

Denis D'Amour
Correctional Service of Canada
Moncton, New Brunswick (506) 851-2833

Dan Brien
Office of the Solicitor General of Canada
Ottawa, Ontario (613) 991-2874