Articles and Related Media

Visitor from the Land of the Rising Sun

>By Sam Johnston, A/Unit Manager, Atlantic Institution
(December 2000)

On August 15, 2000 the Warden of Atlantic Institution, Simonne Poirier, was honoured to host Hie Yoon Jung for a briefing and tour of a unique maximum-security institution operated by the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC). Mr. Jung, a supervisor with the South Korean Bureau of Corrections, was seconded to the Atlantic Region for six months under an international exchange program. He arrived in Moncton, New Brunswick in May with his spouse and two children and has made many new friends at RHQ, Springhill Institution and Dorchester Penitentiary, his main postings. The experience has been extremely enriching for his entire family, which has enjoyed learning all about Canadian culture.

Mr. Jung was deeply impressed by the innovative mixture of security and programming offered at Atlantic Institution. To quote Mr. Jung, "Canada has a very advanced correctional system. CSC has developed a special method of balancing the security and programming needs of inmates. The rest of the world could learn much from your Service."

In particular, Mr. Jung was interested in the gallery posts where correctional officers can monitor various departments, the main central control post that serves as the nucleus of the institution and the visiting and correspondence area, which includes the private family visiting program. Mr. Jung was especially impressed with the concept of a link between the institution and the community, and said he intended to submit the idea on his return to South Korea.

At the end of the tour, Acting Unit Manager Sam Johnston made a special presentation in Mr. Jung's honour.