National News Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Edmonton, February 26, 2003 — A new Secure Unit for women offenders opened today at Edmonton Institution for Women in Alberta. This is the second of four Secure Units that are being established in women's institutions across Canada. The first opened at Nova Institution in Truro, Nova Scotia on January 16, 2003. The Units are designed to address the high needs of women offenders who are currently housed in separate units in men's institutions.

"The Secure Units will help to strengthen public safety by providing a safe and effective correctional environment for these offenders," said Solicitor General Wayne Easter. "Our correctional facilities and programs for women encourage them to take responsibility and acquire skills that will help them make better choices."

"Women offenders have unique needs, and it is our responsibility to ensure that our interventions and programs are responsive," said Lucie McClung, Commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada. "These Secure Units will provide these women offenders with the required structure, supervision and attention to assist them in developing the necessary skills required to live as law-abiding citizens."

Programming will be delivered in an integrated fashion with the establishment of an inter-disciplinary team of staff who have received specialized training to ensure a focussed and consistent approach to interactions and interventions with the offenders. The inter-disciplinary teams include correctional staff, behavioural counselors, nurses, elders and psychologists.

Edmonton Institution is a multi-level security institution for federally sentenced women. It has a capacity to accommodate up to 113 women offenders. This includes the capacity of the new Secure Unit to accommodate up to 15 inmates. The Unit is completely separate from the rest of the facility, with its own security perimeter. Two other Secure Units will open later this spring at the Joliette Institution in Quebec and Grand Valley Institution in Ontario.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Audrey Hatto
Assistant Leader Management Services
Edmonton Institution for Women
(780) 495-8217

 

FACT SHEET

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EDMONTON INSTITUTION FOR WOMEN

Location: The Edmonton Institution for Women is located in Edmonton, Alberta at 11151 178th Street in the western industrial area of the city.

Cost: The construction cost for the Secure Unit is estimated at $4.95 million.

Security Level: Multi-level (minimum, medium and maximum) with the opening of the Secure Unit.

Completed: February 2003.

Current Capacity: 113

Current Population: 92

Background: The Edmonton Institution for Women (EIFW) is a federal correctional facility for federally sentenced women. Federal offenders are those who have been sentenced by the courts to terms of two years or more. There are nine houses at EIFW that accommodate minimum and medium security women. Up to ten (10) offenders live together in each house. In addition, EIFW has an eight bed Structured Living Environment House for offenders with mental health needs that was built in 2001. The new Secure Unit can house up to 15 women offenders who require increased structure, supervision and attention. With the opening of the Secure Unit, the total capacity of the institution will be 113 offenders.

Programming: EIFW provides several types of programs including: Substance Abuse; Anger Management; School Program; Computer Program; Psychiatric and Psychological Services; Peer Support Program; Visiting Program; and Elder and Chaplain Programs. In the Structured Living Environment House and in the Secure Unit, Dialetical Behaviour Therapy and Psychosocial Rehabilitation, along with other core programs, are offered.

Also available at EIFW are a health care centre and a house for private family visiting programs. Offenders may also work in a silk screening/graphic arts shop at the Institution.

Community Involvement: EIFW enjoys the support of dedicated volunteers who help reintegrate female offenders back into the community. In addition, an active Citizens' Advisory Committee and Program Advisory Committee provide their input into the operation of the facility.

Security: EIFW employs both dynamic and static security measures to ensure public safety and the safety of staff and inmates. Dynamic security refers to any activity that promotes or contributes to a safe and secure correctional environment by encouraging constructive relationships, and by increasing awareness of factors that contribute to or detract from a safe and secure environment. Static security measures are incorporated at EIFW to complement dynamic security, and to ensure a balance between risk and need within the facility. They include: an 8-foot perimeter fence topped with rolled razor-ribbon wire; a perimeter fence detection system; infra red lights for night-time camera observation; door, window and roof-top alarm systems on offender housing units; and an elevated general observation camera. The Secure Unit also has its own alarmed fence and cameras to observe offenders when they are in the outdoor exercise yard.

For more information contact:

Edmonton Institution for Women
11151 178^th Street
Edmonton, Alberta
T5S 2H9

Audrey Hatto
Assistant Leader Management Services

Phone: (780) 495-8217
Fax: (780) 495-2266