Willow Cree Healing Lodge - Penitentiary for Aboriginal Men

[www.csc-scc.gc.ca]

June 2003

Willow Cree Healing Lodge Opens in Saskatchewan

With prayers, songs, drums and dancing, the Willow Cree Healing Lodge was officially opened on June 23 on the Beardy's/Okemasis First Nations Reserve near Duck Lake, Saskatchewan. The Honorable Wayne Easter, Solicitor General of Canada, along with Lucie McClung, Commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) and Chief Garnet Eyahpaise, presided over the event.

The Willow Cree Healing Lodge is a 40-bed minimum security facility for Aboriginal offenders located six kilometres west of Duck Lake - 60 km south of Prince Albert and 90 km north of Saskatoon.

The Lodge joins two other similar facilities in Prairie Region of CSC that currently provide a culturally sensitive environment for Aboriginal offenders - Pê Sâkâstêw Centre, a 60-bed healing lodge for Aboriginal men located on Samson Cree Nation land just outside of Hobbema, Alberta, and Okimaw Ohci Healing Lodge, a 28-bed facility for women located on the Nekeneet First Nation in the Cypress Hills of Saskatchewan.

"This new lodge represents an instrument of change for Aboriginal offenders who require special interventions in Aboriginal culture and spirituality to help them become law abiding citizens," said Minister Easter, "I congratulate the Chief and Council of the Beardy's and Okemasis First Nation for their leadership and vision."

"The opening of the Willow Cree Healing Lodge is another positive step in shaping corrections for Aboriginal offenders. Programming in this facility will truly benefit from community support - a key determining factor in the successful reintegration of individuals. The involvement of the community can never be underestimated. Together, we can contribute to the healing, safety and wellbeing of our communities," said Commissioner McClung.

The Lodge is a result of a working partnership between CSC and the Beardy's/Okemasis First Nation. The medicine wheel (the circle and the four directions) was incorporated in the architectural design of the Lodge. Within the circle, five buildings accommodate staff and programs. The advice and input of Elders was integral to the design of the facility.

"The creation of this healing place is a tribute to our Elders. Without the benefit of their wisdom, teachings and guidance, we would not be here today. Many steps were taken to lead us to this day. Many more will be needed as we continue down the healing path," said Chief Eyahpaise.

The $6.6 million facility will receive its first offenders in August. The facility will employ 46 staff with an annual budget of approximately $3 million.

DETAILS ON CORRECTIONS CANADA ABORIGINAL PROGRAMS

http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/programs_e.shtml

-----------------------------

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sod-turning ceremony held for new Federal Minimum Security Healing Lodge for Aboriginal Offenders on Beardy's/Okemasis First Nation
DUCK LAKE, Saskatchewan, JULY 9, 2001 — To the sound of drums and singing, Correctional Service of Canada Commissioner Lucie McClung and Beardy's/Okemasis First Nation Chief Gary Littlepine participated in a sod-turning ceremony today to recognize the beginning of construction for a 40-bed healing lodge for Aboriginal offenders.

The Willow Cree Healing Lodge will be constructed on the Beardy's/Okemasis First Nation located near Duck Lake, 90 km north of Saskatoon.

The Cree name for the facility is "Nîpisikopawiyiniwak Nânâtawihôkamik" which is a direct translation of "Willow Cree Healing Lodge."

"Prairie Region of the Correctional Service of Canada is leading the way in establishing culturally sensitive approaches to assist in the safe and successful reintegration of Aboriginal offenders. Willow Cree will become an integral component of this strategy. I wish to thank members of the Beardy's/Okemasis First Nation for their vision and commitment," said Commissioner McClung.

"The guidance and teachings of our Elders have led our community to this beginning. There are too many of our brothers and sisters caught up in the prison system. We look forward to working in partnership with Corrections Canada to help offenders with their healing journey," said Chief Littlepine.

It is expected that the $6.5 million facility will be ready to receive its first offenders in January, 2003. The facility will employ 30-40 staff with an annual budget of approximately $2.1 million.


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For more information contact:

Harry Michael
Executive Director
Willow Cree Healing Lodge
(306) 467-1201
(306) 232-7876 - Cellular Chief Gary Littlepine
Beardy's and Okemasis First Nation

(306) 467-4523
(306) 747-7071 - Cellular



Fact Sheet


CSC and Beardy's and Okemasis First Nation Healing Centre
Willow Cree Healing Lodge

What's in a name?

The literal Cree translation for Willow Cree Healing Lodge is "Nîpisikopawiyiniwak Nânâtawihôkamik." (Nip-cii-ka-paw-wi-no-wak Na-na-to-wi-hoo-kamic). To distinguish themselves from other Cree speaking Bands, the people from Beardy's and Okemasis Indian Reserve have historically referred to themselves as Willow Cree. The name was selected by the Elders because the site is a sacred place for the Willow Cree, and the Elders wanted this facility to be a place of healing.

Location:

The site chosen on the Beardy's and Okemasis Reserve is approximately six kilometers west of Duck Lake on Highway 212. It is approximately 60 kilometers south of Prince Albert and 90 kilometers north of Saskatoon, using Highway 11.

Security level:

Minimum security
Capacity:

40 beds, distributed amongst five housing units each capable of accommodating eight offenders. In addition to the residences, seven other buildings will be constructed to accommodate the programs and staff. These are the Entry building (administration), Programs building, Support Services building, Multi-purpose building, Elders Lodge, Family Visits building, and the focal point of the facility, the Healing Centre.

Proposed Budget:

Approximately $6.5 million for design and construction.

Proposed Timeline:

Conceptual planning and design is complete. Construction is expected to begin in July of the year 2001 with the first offenders to arrive in January of 2003.

Staffing levels:

To be determined. It is expected that approximately 36-40 staff will be needed to operate the Centre. Special efforts will be made to recruit Aboriginal staff.


Background:

Since 1990, the Beardy's and Okemasis First Nation has been involved in negotiations with the federal government for them to take a more active role in the reintegration of Aboriginal offenders. The band submitted a proposal for a Healing Lodge for female Aboriginal offenders. They were unsuccessful at that time, with the decision made to construct the Okimaw Ohci Healing Lodge on the Nekaneet First Nation in the Cypress Hills of Saskatchewan. Local Band leaders and members continued to work to obtain a healing centre on their reserve land with a view to eventually managing the Centre themselves. A formal request to this effect was forwarded to the federal Treasury Board in the fall of 1998, after having been accepted by the Correctional Service of Canada. The Treasury Board approved the request and the associated funds in mid-January 1999. Final approval was obtained in a referendum held on March 17, 2000. The reserve community voted 71.5% in favour of the project.

Involvement of the Beardy's and Okemasis First Nation:

Besides being instrumental in bringing about the approval for the creation of the Centre, the Beardy's and Okemasis Band will play a significant role in the construction and operation of the facility. Many members of the Band community, in particular the Elders, have already participated in and assisted with the conceptual planning/architectural design of the Healing Lodge. The Band will continue be involved at a number of levels, providing input into decisions made at the Centre, providing community members to sit on the Steering Committee, providing Elder services and striving to ensure that the majority of staff chosen are of Aboriginal ancestry.

The objective of the Beardy's and Okemasis First Nation is to work in partnership with the Correctional Service of Canada and with other criminal justice partners in assisting offenders to become law-abiding citizens while maintaining safe, reasonable and humane control.

Programming:

The Healing Centre is intended to be an innovative facility established to fully address the criminogenic factors that led to criminal lifestyles and the commission of criminal offences and to assist in meaningful, culturally-sensitive reintegration.

Community-driven culturally-sensitive programming and the goal of reintegrating aboriginal offenders into society as productive, law-abiding citizens will be the main focus of the Centre. Elders will play an integral part in reviewing and recommending the Centre's program agenda.

Centre's Mission Statement:

"The "Circle" is our symbol because it is firmly rooted in the ceremonies, spiritual traditions, values and principles. The Nîpisihkipawiyiniwak Nânâtawihôkamik (Willow Cree Healing Lodge) contributes to the uninterrupted motion and power of the "Sacred Hoop" by actively encouraging and assisting individuals, families and community to strive for and to achieve a healthy, principle-centered lifestyle which is in balance, in harmony and connected with the Creator, with nature, and with society."

Commitment to Aboriginal Peoples:

Aboriginal Peoples are over-represented in federal institutions. Within CSC, 15 per cent of offenders are of Aboriginal ancestry while Aboriginal Peoples currently only compose 2.8 per cent of Canada's population. This percentage is even higher in the Prairie Region (comprised of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, NWT and Northwestern Ontario) with 44 per cent of offenders of Aboriginal descent.

To address this and other associated issues, CSC offers a wide range of Aboriginal specific programs through a network of Elders and native liaison officers at the institutions and community parole offices. In addition, Pê Sâkâstêw Centre in Alberta and Okimaw Ohci Healing Lodge in Saskatchewan were introduced to provide a culturally sensitive incarceration alternative. Also within Saskatchewan, CSC has an agreement for five beds at the Prince Albert Grand Council Healing Lodge in Prince Albert.

CSC will continue to work with Aboriginal communities to cooperatively identify innovative and effective ways to help in the successful and safe reintegration of Aboriginal offenders.

For more information, contact:

Willow Cree Healing Lodge
Correctional Service of Canada
P.O. Box 520
Duck Lake, Saskatchewan
S0K 1J0
Tel: (306) 467-1200
Fax: (306) 467-1210 Beardy's and Okemasis First Nation
P.O. Box 340
Duck Lake, Saskatchewan
S0K 1J0
Tel: (306) 467-4523
Fax: (306) 467-4404

[www.sgc.gc.ca]

June 2003

Federal report says the Aboriginal rate of reconviction for crimes is dropping. But still, more than half of Aboriginal federal offenders are reconvicted for crimes within several years of their release from prison.

Reconviction rate for Aboriginal offenders was 58%.

- Reconviction rate for Aboriginal offenders decreased in each year (58%,57% and 53%)

Overall the study found the reconviction rates of federal offenders were 44 per cent, 43 per cent, and 41 per cent

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Solicitor General Canada Releases Study on the Reconviction Rate of Federal Offenders

Ottawa

June 27, 2003

Federal Solicitor General Wayne Easter today released a study entitled: The Reconviction Rate of Federal Offenders, which followed up offenders for a fixed period of two years following their release to the community.

Using the RCMP's criminal records to measure all new offences, the study
found that reconviction rates for federal offenders released in three
consecutive fiscal years -1994/95, 1995/96 and 1996/97 - were 44 per cent, 43 per cent, and 41 per cent, respectively.

"My Portfolio is committed to the measurement of re-offending as one of
the means of determining our success in safely returning offenders to their
community," said Minister Easter.

Non-violent offences accounted for the majority of reconvictions. The
violent reconviction rate was approximately 13 per cent, and the sexual
reconviction rate was very low (0.7 per cent to 1.7 per cent).


More than half of the reconvictions occurred after the sentence was
completed, when the offender was no longer under supervision.


Recidivism is an important and widely used performance measure for
correctional programs, but there is no single, standard measure of recidivism.

The report notes that it is often difficult to compare recidivism rates
because various methods are used and these produce different results.

The Department of the Solicitor General of Canada undertook the study to
explore issues measuring recidivism for federal corrections. The information is being released to provide factual data and perspective on the corrections and conditional release system in Canada in the interests of openness, transparency and accountability.

--------------

Background

The Reconviction Rate of Federal Offenders 2003


Portfolio Corrections Statistics Committee, Solicitor General Canada


Recidivism
----------

Recidivism generally means the commission of a new offence by a person
who has at least one prior conviction on his or her record. It is the most
important and widely used outcome measure for correctional programs. Low or reduced levels of recidivism are usually considered to indicate success.


Different measures yield different results
------------------------------------------

There is no single, standard definition of recidivism. Researchers use
different methodologies to measure recidivism outcomes, and different
methodologies yield different results. Major considerations that affect the
measurement of re-offending include:

- Differences in what is counted as a return to crime: e.g. re-arrest
(new arrest), re-conviction (a new conviction) and re-incarceration
(new conviction that results in a prison term);
- Differences in the sample of offenders (e.g., full parolees, statutory
releases); and
- Length of follow-up in the community


Reasons for different measures
------------------------------

How recidivism is defined may differ depending upon the purpose in using
the measure, as illustrated below:

- Selected Crimes: Where the focus may be on violent, sexual or drug
offences
- Rehabilitation: Where the measure may include a broad range of offences
and a lengthy follow-up
- Program Effectiveness: Where the focus is on offenders who participated
in a specific program with perhaps a short follow-up
- System Effectiveness: Which might include a broad range of offenders,
outcomes and long follow-up.

Solicitor General Portfolio Statistics Committee Approach
---------------------------------------------------------
- The study follows up offenders for a fixed period of two years
following their release to the community.
- It measures all new convictions, including minor offences.
- Re-conviction rates were calculated for all offenders released from
penitentiaries in fiscal year 1994/95 and samples from fiscal years
1995/96 and 1996/97.
- The study used the RCMP's criminal records to examine all new
convictions.

- Study Findings:
-----------------
- Reconviction rates were in the range of 41%-44%
- The reconviction rate decreased slightly in each successive year -
44.0%, 42.8%, and 40.6%.
- More than half of the reconvictions occurred after the sentence was
completed, when the offender was no longer under supervision.
- Non-violent reconvictions accounted for the majority of reconvictions
(approximately 30%).
- Rates for violent offending were much lower (approximately 13%).
- The sexual reconviction rate was very low (0.7% to 1.7%).
- Reconviction rate for Aboriginal offenders was 58%.
- Reconviction rate for women was 30%.
- Reconviction rate for Aboriginal offenders decreased in each year (58%,
57% and 53%)
- The rate for women showed a decrease from first to third year (30% to
23%)

Other Approaches
----------------

In order to gauge the effectiveness of conditional release, the National
Parole Board (NPB) has focused on re-offending during the conditional release period. The NPB uses a methodology that examines how day paroles, full paroles and statutory releases end in a given fiscal year, and measures the percentage of supervision periods that end with the offender committing a new offence.


The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) has developed two separate
performance measures of recidivism. The first measure records re-offending while the offender is under sentence in the community and under CSC supervision. The second performance indicator is a measure of re-offending during a two-year period after the sentence has been completed. These other approaches have yielded different figures from the ones reported in the Reconviction Rate of Federal Offenders report. The differences in rates are readily explained by differences in methodologies, and the more similar the methodology used, the more similar the results.


Overall, we find that the National Parole Board (NPB) and Correctional
Service Canada (CSC) approaches that focus on outcomes for offenders while under supervision yield rates of roughly 10%.


Comparisons across jurisdictions are difficult to interpret due to
differences in policies, practices and offender characteristics, yet the two-
year reconviction rates for federal offenders in Canada are similar to those in other countries:

- England and Wales - 56%
- Scotland - 47%
- U.S. (average of 15 selected States) - 36.4%

Sources:
--------
England and Wales - Reconviction of Offenders Sentenced or Released from
Prison in 1995, Research Findings No. 101, Home Office Research and
Statistics Department.
Scotland - Scottish Prison Service Releases Statistics on Numbers
Returned to Custody, Scottish Prison Service, posted on Web site
www.sps.gov.uk
11/9/2002 United States - Recidivism of Prisoners Released in 1994,
Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report, June 2002, NCJ 193427.

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For further information: Robert Cormier, Corrections Research and
Development Division, Tel: (613) 991-2825; Jim Bonta, Corrections Research and Development, (613) 991-2831; Meredith Naylor, Minister's Office, Tel: (613) 991-2865. This news release and The Reconviction Rate of Federal Offenders are available on the Solicitor General Canada Website, at

http://www.sgc.gc.ca