Women Offender Programs and Issues

FEDERALLY SENTENCED ABORIGINAL WOMEN IN MAXIMUM SECURITY: WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PROMISES OF "CREATING CHOICES"?

Appendix IV

QUESTIONAIRE: CSC STAFF

 

Section B

1. Why do you think that ___________ is a female offender? (Code: all reasons for example there may be situational, physical, emotional, and societal reasons among others.)
2. Why do you think she has been classified as maximum security?
3. How do you think CSC can help her with the reasons she is classified maximum security?
4. What things can she do to help herself? How has she tried to help herself reduce her security level?

 

Section C

1. What criteria do you think should be used to classify women as maximum security?
2. How often do you think these criteria should be reviewed?
3. What things do you think should be included in the intake assessment to determine risk and need levels?

 

Section D

Interviewer Instructions: Ask the staff about the seven levels of need that are included in the intake assessment.

1. When she is in the community what things increase her risk level for committing new offences?
2. What things can CSC do to prevent her from committing a new offence?
3. What types of things can she do when she is released to help herself stay in the community?
4. What things such as programs do you think have helped or would help her to reduce her security level?

 

Section E

Note: Code this section into need categories, such as physical, emotional situational, societal etc.. Ask the staff about the need factors in the intake assessment manual.

1. What needs does she have that if they were addressed would help reduce her security level from maximum to medium?
2. How can CSC help her with the needs that she has in order to reduce her security level?
3. How do you think she can help herself address her need factors?

 

Section F

1. Whose responsibility is it to try to reduce the security levels of maximum women: CSC's, the individual women's or both? (Why?)
2. Have there been times when the offender has taken steps to reduce her security level and felt that she was not receiving any support? Explain. Code what actions are seen as hindering them or not supportive in reducing their security levels.
3. In general, what do you feel is the biggest obstacle standing in the way of _________ reducing her security level?

 

Section G

1. Do you have any suggestions on how programs can be delivered that will help the most in reducing security levels?

 

Section H

1. How could the set up of the facility be changed to help her reduce her security level?
2. In what type of facility would you like to see the woman serve her sentence as a maximum security women?

Interviewer Instructions: Indicate that is all the questions. Ask the staff if she has any questions or anything she would like to add before the interview is finished. Thank her for her co-operation, indicating her input is valuable. Provide a debriefing and mention again, what you will be doing with the information you have collected.