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Creating Choices: The Report of the Task Force on Federally Sentenced Women

NCJ Number
127760
Date Published
1990
Length
169 pages
Annotation
This Canadian Task Force examined the correctional management of federally-sentenced women from the commencement of sentence to the date of warrant expiration with the goal of developing a plan to guide and direct the process in a manner responsive to the unique needs of females.
Abstract
The Task Force looked at the perspectives of female inmates and aboriginal people, the concerns of care providers, and problems with the existing correctional system. It determined that female correctional facilities are not adequate, women are isolated from their families, the needs of aboriginal women are not met, and incarceration does not promote rehabilitation. It also determined that the responsibility for federally-sentenced women must be broadened and that women should be integrated in the community. Highlights of interviews with the women and of other research studies are presented. The scope of the female inmate problem in Canada's correctional system is discussed with emphasis on the lack of programs for long-term offenders, the lack of community-based alternatives, and the fact that women inherit programs and facilities designed for men. Ways to improve the status of federally-sentenced women are assessed in relation to accommodation options, the operational environment, and principles of change.