CCJA Prison overcrowding and the reintegration of offenders   DISCUSSION GUIDE     This document is being released as a discussion paper with a view to eliciting enlightened debate on a variety of issues and in hopes of finding answers or solutions to many of the problems identified.   It is intended for use in a variety of settings: criminal justice and corrections forums, academia, and, very importantly, the general public.   Many of the issues identified are long-standing and it is important to draw everyone's attention to them. Some may feel they have all the answers, others will realize how few answers they truly have, and many will acknowledge that, if anything, the problems are very complex and require sustained and concerted action if we ever hope to solve them.   Listed below are a few questions which should help to launch the debate. The list is in no way comprehensive and many more will arise as discussions progress. That is what we are aiming for.     THE PUBLIC                 Is the public well informed on criminal justice issues? If not, why? How could we ensure that appropriate information is disseminated? Who should do it? Would a better informed public be more supportive of the criminal justice system and corrections? Does the public see incarceration as the best form of protection from crime? Is the public truly intolerant of risk? Would a better informed public be less fearful of crime? Would a better informed public be more inclined to support community programs? Is the question of public information a real issue or a red herring? Should there be greater involvement of the public in the criminal justice and corrections process? How could we ensure that involvement? Is the community well acquainted with the costs associated with criminal justice and corrections in Canada?     ELECTED OFFICIALS AND POLICY MAKERS                 How do you perceive the role of elected officials and/or policy makers in the area of criminal justice? Are elected officials and/or policy makers expected to follow or lead public opinion? Are elected officials and/or policy makers sensitive enough or too sensitive to public opinion? How should elected officials and/or policy makers react to public opinion when it is in opposition to their personal views? What role should elected officials and/or policy makers have in public education? How could elected officials and/or policy makers better balance public opinion and the advice given to them by criminal justice professionals? Are elected officials and/or policy makers prone to attempting to solve the crime problem through more and tougher legislation? If so, is that a desirable direction? Have Canadian laws become too punitive? Should elected officials and/or policy makers be promoting community options over incarceration? Are elected officials and/or policy maker sensitized to the effects of social and mental health services cutbacks on criminal activity?     THE MEDIA                 How important is the role of the media in shaping public opinion? Do the media report or create the news? Are the media generally well informed on criminal justice issues? If not, why? How could we ensure that the media are indeed well informed? Who should be informing the media? How? Is it realistic to expect to engage the media as partners in public education without their feeling that their objectivity is compromised? How could it be done?     INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING                 What is the role of institutions of learning in the area of criminal justice? How well do they perform that role? Do they have a responsibility of communicating with the general public?     THE COURTS                 Are the courts influenced by public opinion? Are the courts too prone to use incarceration? Are courts sentencing too many people to prison? Are sentences too long? Is there any public protection value attached to the majority of sentences? Do most judges consider incarceration as offering the best form of public protection? Do most judges treat incarceration as the norm and other measures as alternatives? If so, what needs to be done to ensure that the courts use incarceration as a last resort only? Do most judges comply with the principles of sentencing contained in the Criminal Code? What types of options should be made available to the courts? Give examples. Are judges adequately informed of existing options? How could judges be better informed of these options? Are most judges sensitized to the various aspects of prison life and its impact on offenders? Do most judges receive enough training on correctional issues? Are most judges concerned with the detrimental effects of prison overcrowding?     CORRECTIONS                 To what extent are correctional officials responsible for prison overcrowding? Are there adequate programs in prison to prepare inmates for release? If not, what new programs should be developed? Are too many resources being devoted to institutional programs as opposed to community programs? If so, who makes those decisions? If so, how could changes occur? Is correctional staff influenced by public opinion? What weight should public opinion have in correctional decision-making? Have correctional workers and decision-makers become overly cautious? Has case recording become more important than face-to-face intervention? Can correctional workers be assured of being protected if, having exercised their professional judgement, an offender commits a serious crime? Could releasing authorities contribute to alleviating the problem of overcrowding? Should it be a consideration in their decisions? How do you react to offenders having to serve additional time because the case preparation was not prepared on time? Do you believe too many offenders are being re-incarcerated for minor violations? Do you believe decisions to re-incarcerate are made too quickly? Do you believe every other alternative should be considered first?     COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS                 What is the value of community organizations in the criminal justice and corrections process? Do you have as much faith in community organizations as in government agencies for the supervision of conditional release? Are community organizations truly representative of the community? If so, does that represent an added value? In addition to case supervision, what other roles can be performed by community organizations? Would you support an increase in community programs and agencies? If so, why? Do you believe most community agencies are adequately funded? If not, would you be supportive of governments investing more monies in that sector? How do you react to the possibility of re-directing monies from institutional programs toward community programs? From government operations toward non-governmental organizations? Are you involved as a volunteer in any criminal-justice-related program? If not, why? What would attract you to volunteer your services? What would deter you?     VALUES                 What do you consider as the purpose of the criminal justice system? As the purpose of corrections? Are those purposes being achieved? If not, why? What would need to change? Do you agree that a new way of seeing and doing things needs to be developed? If so, what would you suggest? Are you familiar with the concept of restorative justice? If so, is that a direction that should be pursued? What about crime prevention? Do you believe crime can be effectively prevented? If so, how? What do you see as the key ingredients of crime prevention? Have you read the Mandate and Principles of Adult Corrections in Canada, the preface to this document? What is you reaction to that statement?     SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS                 What suggestions or recommendations would you formulate in response to many of the issues identified in this paper?     We value your views and will appreciate receiving your comments.   Please direct all correspondence to:   The Canadian Criminal Justice Association 320 Parkdale Avenue, Suite 101 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1Y 4X9 Fax: (613) 725-3720 E-mail: ccja-acjp@rogers.com Back to the table of contents