Justice Matters: Programs With Purpose

NOTE TO EDITORS: This is part of a periodic feature series titled Justice Matters. Produced by the Nova Scotia Department of Justice, it is intended to provide additional background information and offer some insight into issues relating to the justice system.

JUSTICE MATTERS

Sandra Nimmo's enthusiasm is contagious. As the administrator of the female unit at the Halifax Correctional Centre, Ms. Nimmo has made some changes to the programs available to offenders. Though she speaks of the programs currently in place with enthusiasm, much of her energy is reserved for those she has planned for the future.

With a background in the federal corrections field, Ms. Nimmo quickly realized the shorter sentences common to a provincial institution meant some innovative approaches were required.

She put in place programs of shorter duration. Knowing that the transition back into the community is vital, opportunities to make those connections with the community are a central focus of programs offered in recent months.

Along with building links to the community, several programs take the offenders on a journey of self-discovery that can be therapeutic and help to build self-esteem. There are also some practical aspects to the programs in place at the correctional centre, such as workshops on how to shop on $50 a week and where to get a hot meal in the Halifax area seven days a week.

Programs dealing with substance abuse are offered several times a week. The Recovery and Relapse Prevention program is one that Ms. Nimmo says has been most effective.

Therapist Mary Haylock is contracted to work in the female unit and supports Ms. Nimmo's efforts in meeting the needs of those at the centre.

Ms. Haylock is responsible for the delivery of the Recovery and Relapse Prevention program and is also available to provide individual counselling.

The program teaches participants how to stay safe once released. It also teaches them how to say no, how to find new support groups, and how to avoid situations where they may be tempted.

Participants learn about specific drugs and their side-effects, and discuss the emotions that touch their lives, such as loneliness, guilt and shame. The program runs for six weeks. Each woman is presented with a certificate at the end of the program, where her participation is evaluated and celebrated.

Meanwhile, students of Mount Saint Vincent University's degree program in nutrition deliver a four-week program on nutrition. The students first assess the women's needs. The program provides a range of information on healthy eating, where to shop and stocking basic foods.

The program has provided a positive connection between the women and the students, and reinforced the positive link with the community. Once again, the participants receive a certificate noting their participation and join in on a celebration to mark the successful end of the program. The hope is to expand on the link with Mount Saint Vincent University in the areas of business and finance as well.

Other programs include one in which an entrepreneur donated her time and talents to teach the women how to make wreaths and centrepieces over the Christmas season. Catherine Rogers came equipped with branches, while the centre provided the materials for decoration.

"The women discovered talents they didn't know they had," says Ms. Nimmo. "The results were absolutely beautiful, and were donated to the IWK from the women on the unit."

One of the more intriguing programs is the mask-making workshop.
It provides an opportunity for self-expression and awareness.
The women are provided with gauze, which they make in the image of their own faces. As the gauze hardens, each woman decorates the mask in the image she would like to see reflected.

Perhaps the program Ms. Nimmo is proudest of is one that teaches problem-solving skills and empowers the women at the centre. Meetings are held with the women on an ongoing basis where they are asked to define and describe solutions to issues that may have arisen in the unit.

Ms. Nimmo says she strongly believes the women must be given an opportunity to learn they can make decisions and be supported and respected for those decisions.

"Sometimes it is as simple as teaching someone how to present themselves," says Ms. Nimmo. "Some women honestly don't know how, and we have to help with that."

According to her, organizations like Coverdale, Elizabeth Fry and the Avalon Centre have been vital supports for the women at the centre.

Ms. Nimmo's future plans include cultural workshops, weekly presentations on women's health issues, spiritual retreats, music programs, reading groups and a reunion with Catherine Rogers.
This time, the women will produce living gardens in the form of a wreath they can tend to during the summer months.

Ms. Nimmo also plans on building stronger links with local universities and will continue to make more inroads to resources in the community.

"When women understand the support systems that are out there, it will make it easier when they are released, and bringing them successfully back into the community is what it's all about," says Ms. Nimmo.