Voices Inside and Out

David barker part 2

David Barker Part 1

Joseph Lauren Part 2: Post-custody Employment Challenges and Solutions

This episode raises some interesting issues: a. what is the best strategy for addressing the fact of a criminal record when dealing with a prospective employer: mention it up front or wait to be asked? b.  given the prejudicial effects of a criminal record, should Canada adopt 'right to be forgotten' approaches with social media? c.  given the challenges of finding an employer, should more efforts be made to help former prisoners start their own businesses and be self-employed? Check out...

Joseph Lauren: Post-custody Housing Challenges and Solutions

This episode raises some interesting issues: a) if people understood the unintended consequences of their crimes for others, would it have a deterrent effect? b)  should more be done in Canada to allow people to move beyond the stigma of a criminal record once the sentence for the crime has been completed? c) Can restorative justice principles ease the post-custody housing problem? Check out Joseph's documentary 'Collared': https://tenorfilms.com/collared/  

Commentary: COVID-19 and Unrest at Donnacona

As of the date of publishing this episode, we now know  that 2 federal prisoners have died of COVID-19, almost 300 federal prisoners tested positive (a rate 13 times higher than the general population in Canada), 5 penitentiaries are contaminated with COVID-19, 400 prisoners are being held in extreme conditions in medical isolation, and 100s more in cruel, prolonged solitary confinement-like conditions.  All visits by families, friends, and volunteers have stopped.  Programs have ended and p...

Garry Glowacki: Part 2: Welcoming Prisoners Back - Community Support

Could restorative justice include making communities more welcoming and supportive of former prisoners returning to communities? What contribution can communities of faith make? Should MP Bragdon's Private Member's Bill be passed, what elements should be included in a federal framework to reduce recidivism?  You could contact your federal member of parliament if you support passage of this Bill: https://openparliament.ca/bills/43-1/C-228/

Commentary: COVID-19 Outbreak in Federal Prisons

There has been an alarming rate of increase in federal prisoners infected with COVID-19 at Mission Medium Institution. From April 10 to 11th, the reported confirmed cases of the virus rose from 25 to 35 prisoners, a 40% increase, with 5 prisoners being transported to a local hospital. Other federal prisons in Quebec and Ontario are also reporting COVID-19 among the staff and prisoners. Why was the federal government so slow to follow the advice of epidemiologists and safely reduce the numb...

Garry Glowacki - Helping Prisoners Return to Communities

Garry shared with us his Welcoming the Stranger Guide to Reintegration  which was referenced in the episode.  Please email [email protected] if you would like a copy.  Here is Garry with his dog Norman displaying and promoting prisoner art work at a safe social distance during COVID-19:  https://www.guelphtoday.com/following-up/bringing-art-from-the-inside-outside-2236689

Commentary: COVID-19 in Port Cartier Federal Prison

How sanitary are the conditions in maximum prisons and are prisoners being given adequate cleaning supplies to disinfect adequately to fend off COVID 19? 9 guards and 2 prisoners: How effective were the screening mechanism for the guards who have likely introduced the virus into the prison?   Are guards  taking adequate precautions to avoid spreading virus from one prisoner to another? like changing gloves or washing hands after touching one prisoner and before touching another one Are p...

Emily O’Brien on Self-Employment and Entrepreneurship

Given the challenges faced by former prisoners in finding employment, should there be opportunities to learn to become small business owners while in prison? Would reintegration be more successful if former prisoners were given better access to loans, advice and other supports for starting and maintaining a business when they are in the community? Many other countries allow for prisoner-based co-operatives inside prisons which provide skills and some economic support as individuals transi...

Tim and Doug: Part 2: Lifers Share Advice for Other Lifers

Some further thoughts: a.  Given the support that so many parolees receive from peers, does it make sense to have blanket parole conditions prohibiting association with those who have a criminal past? b.  While both Tim and Doug received support and no judgement when they told people about their crimes, this is not always the case.  Why is there such support for some and not for others with similar criminal pasts- appearance, manner? c.  Both Tim and Doug found strength and support in Ind...

Tim and Doug: Part 1: Lifers Experience an Ottawa Halfway House

This episode highlights both the opportunities and challenges for lifers coming into communities and raises some important issues: a.  how important are halfway house placements providing stable housing, support and supervision in  easing the difficulties of returning to communities? b.  why was the progress of a prisoner in the youth correctional system not taken into account when he aged into the adult correctional system and placed in maximum security?   c.  what are the implications o...

Rick Sauvé: Part 2: Helping Others Return to Communities and Endure Prison

This episode touches upon some issues relating to effective programs to support people returning to communities: Why would effective programs like Lifeline be defunded by the government? Is there a bias against peer-support programs?  Some prisoners who are resistant to prison programs or who are not being offered programs would benefit enormously from getting advice and support from those who have experienced prison and have succeeded in leaving crime behind. Shouldn't there be more rese...

Rick Sauvé: Part 1: From Prison to Living as a Lifer in the Community

This episodes raises some significant policy questions: given that parole ineligibility periods are long in Canada and increasing with  back to back ineligibility periods, isn't the absence of some "faint hope clause" or some mechanism to override mandatory ineligibility periods cruel and unnecessary given that the person is under sentence for life regardless of where it is being served? See Senator Pate's Bill C-208 which proposes judicial discretion to reduce mandatory parole ineligibilit...

Jamaal's Journey: Charged and Transferred to Provincial Custody at Warrant Expiry

This episodes raises some challenging issues:  if guards are letting incompatible prisoners into proximity of each other where they know or ought to know that violence will result, is it right that a prisoner defending himself should be charged with assault? what is the liability of the guards if they deliberately or negligently brought incompatible prisoners together? why are prisoners perceived to be at high risk not given enhanced programming prior to release back to communities rather...

Introduction - Lawrence's warrant expiry release and continuity of medical care

Listeners may not be familiar with some of the expressions used: SHU (pronounced 'shoe') is the Special Handling Unit which is the highest security federal facility and houses prisoners thought to be dangerous or unmanageable in other institutions CMT is the Case Management Team which is tasked by CSC with supporting a prisoner's rehabilitation and reintegration back into the community CSC is the Correctional Service of Canada which has the responsibility of managing those who have receiv...