Expected outcomes:
Inmates are encouraged and enabled to learn both during and after sentence, as part of reintegration planning, and have access to good library facilities.
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| 5.1 |
Education provision was reasonably good, with many women involved and student success celebrated. Schooling was integrated in to the correctional plan but links with the local college were not well developed. Provision for women on the secure unit was insufficient. Library resources appeared stretched.
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| 5.2 |
Three qualified teachers were managed by a team leader. The school was accredited by the Ontario Board of Education and the achievements of students were recognized in the community. The school was based in the programs department and included two classrooms and a computer suite. The computers were not networked.
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| 5.3 |
Provision centred on adult basic education, levels 1 to 4. Within two weeks of entry, educational assessments (Canadian adult assessment tests) were completed by a guidance teacher. Previous transcripts were requested from any former institutions or schools attended. Education plans were developed for all those who tested below grade 12, and all those scoring below grade 10 were identified as a priority for schooling and required to attend part time as a component of their correctional plan. Of the current population, 67% of women had been tested at below grade 10. Teachers were assisted by some inmate tutors.
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| 5.4 |
No teacher was contracted to work on the secure unit and it was increasingly difficult for teachers to devote adequate time to women there. At the time of the inspection, this amounted to one hour a day for 10 students. Cell study and independent learning courses were being offered on the secure unit, which meant that completed work was marked by staff from outside the institution.
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| 5.5 |
Some women had progressed through the Ontario secondary school diploma (OSSD), with 26 graduating between June 2004 and April 2005. Appropriate award ceremonies were arranged to celebrate this success and the women involved could invite a guest.
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| 5.6 |
Educational needs were integrated into the correctional plan through the initial assessments. These were considered by the program board and assignments were made within two weeks. There was a flexible approach to education to meet other aspects of the correctional plan. Any applications for education opportunities, including correspondence courses and cell or home study, needed to be approved by the programs board. Computers were not allowed in the houses, which did not help women in home study.
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| 5.7 |
Students had no direct access to the internet and had to rely on staff to research subjects on their behalf. Some provision was available for students learning English as a second language. Post-secondary education had to be paid for by students but they could qualify for a bursary. Some distance learning was also provided. Sixteen women were completing independent learning courses.
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| 5.8 |
Approximately 49 women were participating in education (including the secure unit) and 21 of these were in full-time education. There were 56 places available.
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| 5.9 |
Around 101 tests for vocational aptitude had also been completed during 2004/05, although none had been done since February 2005. Efforts were being made to recruit a teacher for this work. A computer-based career guidance program was also available.
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| 5.10 |
In our survey, 67% of women, higher than the English comparator of 47%, said they felt education (including basic skills) would help them on release. Many knew whom to contact to help them to arrange or continue further education on release but few did so. This had been done for one woman wanting to continue an Autocad (assisted computer design) course. There were no established links with the local community college through students attending schooling there on unescorted temporary absences.
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Library |
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| 5.11 |
The library was based on the second floor of the programs department next to education. It was open for two hours in the morning and again in the afternoon from Monday to Thursday. There was no evening or weekend provision and the library was closed on Friday for an inventory check and cleaning, although library assistants would accommodate some individual requests such as for videos for private family visits. Women who were not on programs or in school could visit the library during their coffee break but needed a movement pass to do so, which could inhibit access. Library staff visited the segregation unit every Tuesday. In our survey, 58% of women, more than the English surveys and Nova, said they went to the library and resource centre at least once a week.
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| 5.12 |
The library was staffed by a part-time teacher with a part 1 librarian qualification. She worked three days each week and was supported by two inmate assistants. Some training needs in the use of the computer-based program for tracking book loans had been identified; a large part of the process still relied on book loans being tracked through an index card system.
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| 5.13 |
Kitchener mobile public library visited monthly and book request forms were available. This provided access to a wide range of books and materials, including inter-library loans from local colleges and universities.
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| 5.14 |
Only 25% of women, lower than the English comparator of 46%, said they could get access to a newspaper daily. The local paper was provided, as was access to a Toronto or French paper. A range of magazines was also available.
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| 5.15 |
A reasonable selection of recreational audio compact discs and videos for loan was available for private family visits only. The library held a range of books reflecting diverse needs. This included sections on women's health, women's studies, Aboriginal culture, black history and world religions. Many books had been donated. There were some old legal textbooks. Commissioner's directives were available on compact disc but had to be accessed through the librarian or library assistant on the single computer for help in finding specific sections of directives. There were some out-dated hard copies.
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| 5.16 |
It was difficult to ascertain whether the library was meeting the women's needs. We were told that requests from women were considered but no survey of the inmates' use of the library or how they felt this could be improved had been undertaken.
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Action points |
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| 5.17 |
Teaching provision for women held on the secure unit should be improved.
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| 5.18 |
Computers for home study should be provided.
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| 5.19 |
Supervised access to the internet should be provided.
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| 5.20 |
Links with the local college should be developed and opportunities provided for students to study there on unescorted temporary absences.
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| 5.21 |
Library staff and assistants should be trained in the computer-based program to monitor book loan and aid stock control.
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| 5.22 |
The opening hours of the library should be extended to improve access to those women not attending activities in the programs department.
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| 5.23 |
Computer resources in the library should be improved. Women should have access to a computer from which they can research current commissioner's directives and standing orders.
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| 5.24 |
There should be an annual survey of women's use and views of the library.
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Housekeeping points |
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| 5.25 |
Computers in the computer suite should be networked to aid learning.
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| 5.26 |
A wider range of daily newspapers should be provided and made accessible in the library.
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| Employment and vocational skills |
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Expected outcomes:
Inmates are engaged in safe work and are treated fairly. Work should prepare inmates for employment on release and help to reduce reoffending.
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| 5.27 |
Work assignments were flexible and integrated into the correctional plan. Sufficient places were available but there were few realistic work opportunities and no recognized vocational qualifications. Some work releases were planned but not enough priority was given to the employment and employability program.
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| 5.28 |
Operational Procedure No. 1 - Program Board (2004/07/09) outlined the processes and responsibilities of the program board and inmates involvement in these. The board assessed individual needs and priorities and ensured that appropriate program, work or education assignments were made as part of an inmate's correctional plan.
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| 5.29 |
The board considered all applications, suspensions and terminations from work and reviewed those who were unemployed. A sample of the program board minutes indicated there were typically fewer than 12 women unemployed or working part time. This was usually because of suspension, sickness or through the woman's choice not to work. The program board highlighted the cases of unemployed women to their case management team. Women could attend the board in person and some did. The flexible approach to work ensured that women could attend other programs as part of their correctional plan.
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| 5.30 |
There were sufficient work opportunities to complement education and programs, which were the main activities. Jobs with job descriptions were posted on the employment board in the programs department and advertised on teledon , an information channel available on television sets. Women could discuss positions with the pay clerk and were encouraged to apply for posts within the first two weeks of their arrival. They were assigned activities reasonably quickly, within two weeks. For some jobs in high demand, the application process attempted to simulate that in the community and involved interviews. There was no routine monitoring by race of successful applicants.
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| 5.31 |
Instructors provided reports on performance, and inmates' pay levels were reviewed every 90 days. The level was dependent not only on work but on continued progress in the correctional plan.
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| 5.32 |
The employment and employability program (EEP) had a low profile among staff and the EEP committee had recognized the need for staff training. A considerable amount of work needed to done to meet the 2005/06 targets set for the institution. For example, only two certificates from a target of 40 had been achieved in the workplace hazardous materials information system (WHMIS) and none, against a target of 35, had been achieved in Safer Start, pre-employment certification. Ten Autocad (assisted computer design) certificates had been awarded, six at level one and four at level two, against a target of 15. (We were told later that targets for the year were eventually met.)
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| 5.33 |
Few jobs were relevant to outside work. Most of the estimated 54 full-time and 67 part-time jobs involved cleaning and grounds maintenance and were not high quality. There was room for developing more realistic work opportunities, especially for those serving long-term and life sentences.
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| 5.34 |
Minutes from the three EEP meetings held during 2005 evidenced some future plans for developing work opportunities, including making blankets for a world relief project. A computer workshop to recycle computers for schools was also planned in partnership with CORCAN (the CSC employment and training service for offenders) . Six to eight women would be employed and some would also be involved in its construction. The work was scheduled to begin in October 2005, with the workshop operational by January 2006. There had been some previous short-term CORCAN projects that offered the opportunity for incentive pay but none since last year.
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| 5.35 |
The program board evidenced that some efforts were being made to identify women who were eligible for work release. There were other planned work schemes such as graffiti cleaning, habitat for humanity and work with the Humane Society.
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| 5.36 |
No formal vocational qualifications were available. The cosmetology course offered the opportunity for women to earn hours of credit towards an apprenticeship on release. Some basic computer-based training was available in food hygiene for house cooks. Around nine women had completed a course on entrepreneurship in 2004 and 10 had completed a self-development course, 'Steps to Success', in August 2005. The latter included a budgeting skills component. A new employment skills program for women offenders was scheduled to be delivered twice a year from January 2006. In our survey, 47% of women, compared with 34% in the English surveys, said they felt their job would help them on release.
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Action points |
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| 5.37 |
Greater emphasis should be given to the employment and employability program to generate more realistic employment opportunities, qualifications and vocational skills relevant to reintegration and to ensure women are 'job ready' on release.
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| 5.38 |
The job application and appointment processes should be monitored, including ethnic monitoring.
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