Women Offender Programs and Issues

The 1990 Task Force Report on Federally Sentenced Women, entitled Creating Choices, brought about a new correctional philosophy for women offenders - one that encompasses an holistic approach to dealing with their specific needs. Creating Choices was founded on the principles of empowerment, meaningful and responsible choices, respect and dignity, supportive environments, and shared responsibility.

These principles have served as the driving force behind a number of advances, including the closure of Prison for Women, the construction of five new regional facilities and an Aboriginal healing lodge, the development of women-centred programs, and the establishment a community strategy to expand and strengthen residential and non-residential programs and services for women on release.

Our women offender programs include:

• Women Offender Substance Abuse Programming - The Women Offender Substance Abuse Program (WOSAP) was implemented in June 2003 and every women's institution offers the WOSAP to women who are assessed as having a moderate to high need for substance abuse intervention.
• Education and Employability Programs - In all of the women's institutions women have the opportunity to complete provincially accredited or certified programs which meet their identified education needs to assist them to reintegrate into the community as law-abiding citizens.
• Programs for Survivors of Abuse and Trauma Programs - The high prevalence of violence in the lives of incarcerated women has only very recently been acknowledged. Each of the women's institutions offers services for survivors of abuse and trauma.
• Mother-child Program - The Mother-Child Program aims "to provide a supportive environment that fosters and promotes stability and continuity for the mother-child relationship" (Commissioner' Directive 768 on Institutional Mother-Child Program).
• Parenting Programs - By encouraging women to establish positive attachments to their children, parenting programs produce many benefits.
• Social Integration Program for Women - A short pre-release program increases the readiness and preparedness of incarcerated women for their (re)integration into the community.