This is an odd story that (perhaps) offers insight into the attitude to prison of the current administration. (Make prison as awful as possible to discourage offenders). If so, the approach is stunningly self defeating because offenders who come out of prison with no rehabilitation or life skills are ... just going to commit more crime and go right back in.
Correctional Service Canada has pulled the plug on a unique dog training program at the women's prison in Truro, leaving its outgoing director distraught for the inmates, the dogs and those who benefit from the highly trained animals.
The Pawsitive Directions Canine Program at the federal Nova Institute for Women had jailed women caring for and teaching obedience to shelter dogs who were eventually paired with disabled clients.
Heather Logan, who has run the program under contract with the prison since 1996, said she told administrators in mid-November that she would retire in six weeks, but her trained replacement was in place to keep the program going.
Instead, she was shocked to learn that administrators had axed the program, lauded for its success in helping inmates learn highly marketable skills and for rescuing dogs from shelters so that the animals can help those with special needs.
"This is devastating," Ms. Logan said Thursday from her home in Upper Stewiacke.
"There are woman and dogs and children being hurt by this action."
For rest of the article:
http://thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotia/1155894.html
James Morton
1100-5255 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario
M2N 6P4
416 225 2777
3 comments:
grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Our entire criminal system is just designed to get rid of marginalized populations.
I don't know why anyone would be surprised by this. Mr. Harper's team have cut a great many programmes that helped women. Are they not the folks who referred to us women as a left wing fringe group? JMcCabe
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