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Abstract: 

Drawing on the Canadian experience, Howard Sapers, Correctional Investigator of Canada, shares some thoughts about how federally sentenced offenders are prepared for release and about some of the barriers they face and must overcome when reentering society. He discusses the role of his office in the Canadian system, the over-representation of aboriginal inmates in custody, the inadequacy of job-training opportunities in prison, and the need for transition planning and continuity of care. He also discusses correctional interventions delivered by the Correctional Service of Canada and describes a study by his office of federal community-based residential correctional centers that are used to facilitate community release. He warns that although it makes sense to apply insights from the past as we develop interventions for the future, we should not lose sight of the need to follow evidence and not just our assumptions.

Keywords: correctional policy, aboriginal offenders, transition planning, community corrections

Affiliations:  1: Correctional Service of Canada.