Community Corrections and Women Essays - , Term Papers

Community Corrections and Women How community corrections deal with female offenders Abstract Over time female offenders have been dealt with in models that do not conform to the ethics and morals of the society. Basically, most correction centers have initiated plans that do not augur well with the demands of most female offenders. These barbaric methods of handling female offenders have prompted many female rights groups to initiate plans to sanitize the correction system to conform to the special female interests of female offenders. It is through these grievances that the correction department finally bowed to the demands and introduced community correction plans. These plans are aimed at ensuring that female offenders are integrated in community plans. This paper, therefore, seeks to examine and analyze the ways in which community members in Canada deal with female offenders. The paper seeks to use various correctional programs by the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) to bring out the aspect of female corrections in relation to the community. Keywords: female offenders, community corrections, the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) Introduction In the interest of safety of the public, the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) moves towards the successful use community rehabilitation of female offenders under its prerogative and is guided by legislation, by CSCs plans, and its national policy structure. Essential principles expressed in the current policy, the CSC Review Panel (2007) and CSCs primaries mention fundamental justice and fairness, enhancing offender accountability, shared responsibility, respect for any individuals dignity and worth, privacy and diversity, as well as other key concepts needed in consolidating community corrections, which mainly apply to the community rehabilitation of all offenders, especially females. Women offenders often have unique and special needs that have to be considered in formulating the most efficient response to their rehabilitation requirements. The need for a gender-informed methodology is written down in both legislation and CSCs Mission, and has been often reinforced in various correctional analyses and reports. Notably, the following three factors need to be looked into in coming up with the best measures to promote a woman offender's efficacious transition through the community: the diverse profile of female offenders; their relatively little numbers; and their environmental dispersion upon being released. A national strategic method to the rehabilitation of female offenders is essential in ensuring that this relatively trivial but increasing population, spread across several communities, is not sidelined and that their special risks and needs are effectively and consistently addressed. This approach will call for contributions at entire levels, will be inter-jurisdictional in structure and will include governmental, external stakeholders and other non-governmental organizations. The National Community Strategy for Women Offenders (2002) created a framework for the methodologies that need to be taken in relation to female offenders upon being released into the community. Basically, following an exclusive consultation process, it has been updated and reviewed so as to reflect various recent developments, planned legislative amendments and changes in Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA) as well as improvements in the reintegration of female offenders. The altered strategy persists in providing a guideline for several community staff to aid them in addressing the special challenges that are posed by women offenders as they support the continuum of care model, which consists of the incorporation between institutional and community situation management. The current planned and proposed legislative amendments, especially with respect to improving offender responsibility engagement, accountability, motivation and establishing the control of offenders and their rehabilitation, if endorsed, will have an effect both institutionally in the corrections department and in the community. Recent research (Gobeil, 2008) shows that a great proportion of female offenders who successfully worked in their transition to the community realized a positive connection with their Parole Officer as a major factor in securing their release. Since there can be a complication of issues with female offenders, the merit of building strong relationships and initiating an awareness of procedures with relevant community agencies need to be considered. One of the factors that were researched to be used in dealing with women offenders is empowerment. The research analyzed how Women acquire insight into their problems, understand their strengths, and are given support and challenged to take the best action to acquire control of their lives. This procedure acknowledges and makes women offenders