National News Releases

News Release

Communiqué

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ottawa, September 6, 2005 - International Literacy Day is being celebrated worldwide on September 8, 2005. To commemorate the occasion, the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is hosting a number of events in order to highlight the importance of its accredited education programs.

Staff and offenders in CSC institutions across the country are participating in a variety of activities, such as reading and writing competitions, to promote literacy and measure the achievements and progress of participating offenders.

"CSC is committed to building a learning culture that will stimulate, guide and promote educational development," says Lucie McClung, Commissioner of Correctional Service of Canada. "As we continue to make literacy training a priority, offenders are better prepared for safe reintegration in the community as law-abiding Canadians."

Upon entry into the correctional system, research shows that more than 60% of offenders function below high school entrance levels and 90% function below high school completion levels. The inability to read and write makes daily life difficult and correctional programming less productive. It is clear, therefore, that education is essential for offenders, with many setting a goal to obtain high school equivalency or simply improve employment skills.

CSC's education programs promote literacy and other basic essential skills to ensure that correctional programs meet the needs of offenders and promote successful reintegration. After all, without basic literacy skills, it would be difficult for offenders to understand the content of other programming and, ultimately, the world in which they live. Of the offenders who have completed the grade 10 education program, CSC has seen a 21% reduction in re-admissions to the federal correctional system.

CSC provides accredited educational programs for offenders and it also partners with community organizations in giving back to the community initiatives with respect to literacy programs.

For further information, please contact the following:

Guy Campeau
Correctional Service of Canada, NHQ/Ottawa
(613) 947-3372

Denis D'Amour -- ATLANTIC
Correctional Service of Canada, Moncton
(506) 851-2833/p>

Brigitte Gosselin -- QUEBEC
Correctional Service of Canada, Laval
(450) 967-3305/p>

Holly Knowles -- ONTARIO
Correctional Service of Canada, Kingston
(613) 545-8210/p>

Dennis Finlay -- PACIFIC
Correctional Service of Canada, Abbotsford
(604) 870-2680/p>

Cathy Stocki -- PRAIRIE
Correctional Service of Canada, Saskatoon
(306) 975-5082