Regional Initiatives

The Citizen Advisory Committeess to the Correctional Service of Canada of Nanaimo Parole, Victoria Parole, and William Head Institution

Synopsis of the 2^nd Annual Forum: Working Together for Safe and Successful Re-Entry

A full day conference entitled, "Working Together for Safe and Successful Re-Entry" was held on November 29^th, 2007 at the Salvation Army Citadel in Saanich. The forum was sponsored by the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) in partnership with the three Citizen Advisory Committeess on Vancouver Island; Nanaimo Parole, Victoria Parole and William Head Institution. The conference solidified the participating organizations' dedication to fostering a holistic approach for safe and successful re-entry by providing a tangible platform for appropriate partnerships to be established and maintained. Its main message is that everybody can and must participate in the effort to improve reintegration for offenders, and accordingly increase public safety.

The event commenced with over 70 participants ranging from CSC employees and volunteers, to police from different communities and members of the general public filtering into the Salvation Army Citadel's sanctuary. The participants were warmly welcomed by Reverend Harold Munn of the St. John the Divine Church who succinctly explained that the main purpose of CSC is found within its title; the Correctional Service of Canada is a service that exists to "correct" behavior, not to "punish". The audience was then blessed with a traditional greeting and prayer by Chief Andy and Mrs. Thomas of the Esquimalt Nation. They graciously welcomed us into their traditional territory. Chief Thomas then spoke of the need to change ourselves if we wish to change others. He emphasized the importance that social acceptance plays in the successful reintegration of offenders and that it is through spirituality that we can all find this quality.

Following prayer, an introduction to the challenges facing CSC was made by Anne Kelly, Pacific Regional Deputy Commissioner, CSC. Ms. Kelly highlighted the fact that CSC does not work in isolation and that it is through partnerships with traditional partners, non-traditional community partners, and volunteers that CSC is able to meet their challenges. Ms. Kelly noted that the CSC is now attempting to serve a changing and more complex offender population. Offenders now have more violent histories and involvement with the courts; organized crime is prevalent; Aboriginal offenders are overrepresented; and substance abuse and mental health issues are widespread. Nonetheless, we were ensured that CSC is responding with a number of relevant and specialized initiatives to better manage this diverse population, and thus improve the chances of successful re-entry.

A panel presentation then ensued. The first presenter was the Mayor of the Town of Lake Cowichan and past President of the Vancouver Island Coastal Communities Association, Mr. Jack Peake. Mayor Peake focused on why civic leaders and communities should care and act on reintegration issues. He emphasized that most of the barriers that hinder successful reintegration are due to a lack of advance communication. It is this proactive approach that he believes can eliminate the "not in my back yard" mentalities and ease the process for parolees coming back into the community. He stressed that as members of a community we have a responsibility to provide these individuals with a chance by being aware of their challenges and becoming part of the process.

The next presenter was Mr. Brian Lang, Director of Community Corrections, CSC. Mr. Lang addressed issues relating to community supervision and the role that the community plays in this effort. He too spoke about the importance of a "receptive public" and how much this can improve an offender's chance of successful reintegration. He talked about the shame that offenders feel and how this can hinder their ability to overcome a negative stigma. Mr. Lang concluded by providing the audience with a feasible recommendation to easing the process. He said that through humane gestures, such as reaching out and asking neighbors and family members to lend a hand, the offenders' circumstances upon re-entry may be helped.

The final panel presenter was Mr. Michael Goodliffe, a former offender who successfully completed parole for a possession charge and a drug related assault stemming from his struggles with crystal meth addiction. Mr. Goodliffe displayed true courage and honesty, enlightening the attendees by informing them of the fears an offender faces upon release and what can be done to minimize those fears. Mr. Goodliffe mentioned that being released from prison is disorienting, scary and causes severe anxiety. Parolees are forced, among other things, to find housing and employment, meet with authorities, complete programming and adjust to a new way of life; all of which becomes overwhelming. To cope with these stressors, Mr. Goodliffe said that many parolees turn to drugs for self-medication. However, Mr. Goodliffe believes that with the right opportunities and support, successful re-entry is possible. He is a prime example of this glimpse of hope as he is now completing a university degree with a double major in English and Sociology. In addition, he is dedicated to helping others with their transition and working with organizations to better meet offenders' needs.

Mr. Goodliffe provided the attendees with six suggestions for parolees to follow that will increase the chances of safe and successful re-entry: 1) establishing future goals 2) overcoming stigma and guilt 3) familiarization with pardon processes 4) Attending counseling and maintaining open and honest relationships 5) building bonds with authorities such as parole officers and the police 6) establishing clarity and finding ways to achieve goals. It becomes quite evident that parolees cannot accomplish these tasks alone.

Following a quick break, attendees were given the opportunity to ask the panel members questions. The questions brought up a number of controversial topics: Should statutory release be abolished? Can we fix the so-called "unfixable"? Can we lawfully attempt to control criminal behavior? Can we prevent a criminal from evolving by early intervention?

Well-informed opinions were voiced from the panel and other concerns were raised. The discussion was highly informative and solidified the presence of a dedicated audience.

Dave Keating, Area Director, Vancouver Island Community Corrections, CSC, was next to speak. Mr. Keating offered a PowerPoint presentation. The presentation provided: An overview of CSC and its functioning, assurance of CSC's commitment to public safety, a glimpse of services CSC offers; and a summary of the correctional process, the types of community release, and how community supervision operates. In addition, we were familiarized with the role of William Head Institution and Vancouver Island Community Corrections. In conclusion, Mr. Keating stressed the importance of community involvement in public safety initiatives and offender reintegration. "Offenders all come from the community and almost all will return."

After receiving this enlightening information from people with special experience in the field, the afternoon was dedicated to allowing delegates and agencies to team up, network and share experiences of how the process of reintegration can be assisted. The conference was divided into groups to address four questions:

1. How can we work better together?
   1. How can the community better assist CSC?
   2. How can CSC better assist the community?
2. How can we improve networking between civic leaders and practitioners?
3. What are some additional resources that are needed?
4. Identify the first steps in implementing a collaborative action plan for working together for safe and successful re-entry.

Within the groups, everybody's input was valued and considered. It was a useful learning experience as participants were able to listen to the concerns from people of such a wide variety of backgrounds. After an hour and a half of discussion, the groups reconvened and presented their recommendations for developing a productive network. These recommendations will be summarized by conference organizers and distributed to all attendees for future reference.

A number of innovative and dynamic ideas were presented. However, the common themes consisted of the need for more public education, developing pro-active measures to reduce crime, working to eliminate the barriers that parolees face upon release, maintaining an open dialogue with support agencies, obtaining more resources, involving local level government, building community acceptance and focusing on the positive stories surrounding successful re-entry. The main message again is that since most offenders will be eventually released into the community, the more successful we can make that re-entry, the better off not only for the offender, but also for society. The two must work together.

It became clear that in order for a collaborative action plan for safe and successful re-entry to be implemented, the efforts need to extend beyond the conference. The conference is a starting point, and it is the follow up and constant dedication to the issue that will make it a priority. It is only then that results will be seen.

Closing remarks were subsequently made by Reverend Harold Munn. Reverend Munn gave recognition to the creativity and dedication of all of the participants. He then offered deep intuition into the subject matter addressed when he said that it is often the poorest of the poor who end up educating the greater whole. Society truly does learn from them! Reverend Munn, as a final point, asked us to ground ourselves in hope and take on the responsibility of addressing cynicism.

This conference confirmed that if members of society do not actively participate in the effort to improve reintegration of offenders, not only is the ray of hope so badly needed for the successful re-entry of these offenders dimmed, but also the risk to public safety is raised.

My message to you all for next year is to bring a friend to further expand this involvement and awareness.

Caitlin Quinn
Recreation Volunteer - Salvation Army, Victoria
Vancouver Island Community Corrections Representative