2024-Q4 Federal Prisoner Access to Contemporary Internet Educational Supports
Whereas #1 Correctional Services of Canada must ensure the delivery of programs, including correctional, educational, vocational training, social and volunteer programs, with a view to promoting rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners in federal prisons; and
Whereas #2 Correctional Services Canada (CSC) research shows that effective practical training and academic education in prison is associated with better outcomes when prisoners are released, as well as fewer problems and less violence inside prisons; and
Whereas #3 the most recent report from Canada’s Correctional Investigator documents the poor state of education and training in prisons; and
Whereas #4 several countries allow controlled as-of-right online access to online technology without jeopardising public safety, but CSC security rules prevent prisoner access to contemporary remote learning technology which is critical for educational, vocational, cultural, rehabilitative, and reintegrative purposes in other parts of life; therefore be it
Resolved #1 that the National Council of Women of Canada adopt as policy that Canada’s practical and academic educational penal policies and processes allow controlled as-of-right prisoner access to computers and the internet for educational, vocational, cultural, rehabilitative, reintegrative and personal needs and expectations of prisoners; and be it further
Resolved #2 that the National Council of Women of Canada urge the Government of Canada to act immediately through amendments to the 2021 Federal Framework to Reduce Recidivism to ensure Correctional Services introduce policies and practices that meet the educational, vocational, cultural, reintegrative, rehabilitative, personal needs and expectations of prisoners through:
a) provision of controlled as-of-right access to computers and the internet for educational, vocational, cultural, rehabilitative, reintegrative and personal needs and expectations of prisoners
b) continued CSC advancement of pilot projects and examination of ways to modernize its educational infrastructure
c) comprehensive and significant investments in updated educational materials and on-site equipment and qualified staff.