NCJ Number
76197
Date Published
1981
Length
77 pages
Annotation
A guidebook of community resource centers, as developed by the Ontario Ministry of Correctional Services, is presented; information for each center includes the name, address, director, center description, residents accepted, staff, and house rules.
Abstract
The ministry has the responsibility of providing supervision, guidance, and training to those adults placed on remand by the courts, sentenced to a term of probation, or to imprisonment for less than 2 years. To execute these responsibilities, it is necessary to provide not only a wide range of institutional facilities but also a variety of programs within the institutions. A major step in program development was made in 1969 with the introduction of the Temporary Absence Program (TAP). Basically, TAP provides a means of giving individuals in the ministry's care the opportunity to reestablish themselves in the community while they complete the terms of sentence. With the continuing success of the program apparent, the ministry was determined to direct the emphasis of correctional training from the institution to the community. Community resource centers were developed to facilitate the TAP concept. The centers are designed for minor offenders who have never established good work records and have drifted in and out of petty crime. Programs at the centers vary not only from center to center but also from resident to resident, according to individual needs. The 28 centers described herein are located throughout the four regions of Ontario. Entries are presented in alphabetical order by region and provide inclusive information. For example, the Bunton Lodge is located in Toronto, Ontario, its parent institution is the Mimico Correctional Center, and it is open to all categories of inmates who are eligible for TAP. The lodge is a centrally located three-story brick house which can accommodate 15 males. There is a total of 10 staff members. Each resident is assigned a specific chore for 1 week, and a new chore list is posted weekly. The purpose of this center is to provide a homelike atmosphere; emphasis is placed on reintegration into the community, and counseling is available.