
“From the highway near Laval, Quebec, the Special
Correctional Unit looks too small and harmless to have
been the subject of so much controversy over the past
two or three years. Once inside this super-maximum
institution, you realize that the most alarming feature
of this much-publicized institution is its necessity. It is
appalling and difficult to believe that of all the forms
of life on this planet, the human species is the only one
that displays such an anti-social behaviour pattern towards
one another that makes it necessary to isolate
some of its members.
Yet, the necessity has been apparent for many
years. The million-dollar riots in Kingston Penitentiary
and St. Vincent de Paul Penitentiary, the brutal stabbings
of officers and inmates, the hostage-grabbing, and
the chain-reaction of sit-in demonstrations in our Canadian
prisons have indicated that the majority of the
participants were just followers of a small group of
trouble-makers in maximum security institutions.
The hard-core group of inmates are the intractable,
hostile, violent, sometimes psychotic types who
are always looking for opportunities to disrupt the routine
of any institution in which they are confined. They
have demonstrated a refusal or inability to Co-operate
or adjust to a reasonable pattern of behaviour in other
institutions, and must be separated from the main body
of the inmate population. They include chronic offenders
against good order and discipline during incarceration,
who have failed to respond to correctional
training available in other settings.
Finally–and with some understandable reluctance
– the Canadian Penitentiary Service accepted the fact
that a small group of inmates could not adjust to prison
life within the mainstream of a prison population. Close
and constant supervision under strict maximum security
conditions in a specialized institution was the only answer.
Before the first unit was put into operation in
Quebec, the Commissioner of Penitentiaries. – being an
incurable optimist – refused to accept the impossibility
of a change in the attitudes and behaviour of any person,
and he demanded that, above all, the dignity of the
human being be respected at all times. This, as it relates
to prisoners, may be accomplished only through special
training, which includes strict, consistent and fair discipline.
Therefore, the purpose of the training programme
in the Special Correctional Unit is to effect a change in
the attitudes and behaviour of the inmates, to the end
t’at they may be enabled to return as quickly as possible to a normal maximum security setting, and unction
reasonably and profitably therein to their own
advantage and without hindrance to others. The improvement effected in attitude, conduct and ability to
perform within a regular programme should be such
that the inmate – on return to normal maximum community – will be imbued with sufficient interest and motivation
in regard to his future welfare that he will seek
to participate in the parts of the regular programme available to him. The objective is to correct tough
proper training and not merely to punish with no other end in view.
“The development and implementation of the
programme”, Mr. MacLeod told his Penitentiary Officers,
“shall be based on our respect for the dignity of
the human being, his duties and privileges, and the
duties and privileges of others. A basic principle of
organization shall be that the inmate is given adequate
assistance and is encouraged to use his own efforts to
co-operate within the programme and earn advancement
commensurate with his improvement with at loss
of time.”
Every inmate in the Special Correctional Unit
shall be treated according to his individual needs, and
– having been provided with the ways and means for
improvement – must thereafter be prepared to accept
responsibility for his own progress or lack of it. The
actions of one shall not be permitted to interfere with
the progress of others. The programme shall be designed
in a way that will cause it to appeal to the better
instincts of the human being, and to draw out the good
but latent aspirations that may be beneath the surface.
There shall be recognition of achievement and of the value of human progress towards a better way of life, with rewards being given only when they have been earned, and to be of a nature calculated in cases to further the attainment of the purpose of the Programme in an atmosphere of mutual understanding.
Mr. Paultre Ligonde, M.Ed., M.A. Criminologist on staff at the Special Correctional Unit, stated that this “was an opportunity for a human scientist to test objectively some hypotheses on ‘sensory deprivation
which were made before the opening of the
Special Correctional Unit. In the light of experiments on deprivation done in concentration camps, in some South America prisons, and more objectively in the research for
Eysenck, Zubeck, and the McGill deprivation studies, I believe that, in the most distressful situations, the application of therapeutic principles can alleviate the burden of situation. The technique of "therapeutic atmosphere” can then be easily verified.”
The correctional staff has therefore been exposed to intensive training in therapeutic attitudes during the three months preceding the arrival of the first inmates.
His training consisted, as I said earlier, in counselling, human relationship and criminology. The Superintendent and I were convinced that once the staff was fully
prepared in the technique, they would accept the inmates and would be accepted accordingly, and this constituted a therapy in itself. The institution being divided
into our sections, each section being headed by a guidance officer trained in counselling techniques and reality therapy, it is expected that the security staff will be
reminded of the motto every time and that they will
be expected to act in a therapeutic manner.
This intensive staff training which we have mentioned above, plus the timetable of educational activities, are presently the core of a program which constitutes
therapy that differentiates the institution from other
situations. What was supposed to be a maximum security has proved to be developing gradually into a
treatment center.
This formula has nothing revolutionary; already Maxwell Jones has exposed and applied the principles
COMMUNITY TREATMENT in a penitentiary
camp in Chino, California, and William Glasser has
proved in the Ventura School, the applicability of
REALITY THERAPY with delinquents. Both formulas
are being tried at Special Correctional Unit, and
the day will come when they will be fully applied. Our
sincere hope is that in the near future, the small community groups taking place at the three higher stages
of the S.C.U. correctional programme will be expanded
into the whole community meeting every week. Some
restrictions on the movement of inmates are gradually
disappearing and dialogue between staff and inmates,
through group discussions, formal and informal, are
taking place as a routine; audio visual aids and discussions are used to enhance communication in which the programme of the institution is discussed by inmates and security staff without fear of reprimand and punishment.
The Superintendent and the Chief Security Officer make it a date to participate in group meetings and whenever possible meet with inmates to clarify critical issues. One inmate who knows all the institutions of Canada said that it is the first time that he knows of any such things in penitentiaries. Superintendent R. Jourdain and Chief Security Officer B. Gauthier,
regularly visit every inmate even when in dissociation
for punishment or while belonging to the group of ‘non-adherents (those who refuse to participate in the programme have been four out of fity, and their refusal did not last longer than two weeks.)
The inmate has the right to voice his opinion on
what he thinks is good for the welfare of the community;
he can make suggestions. In fact, their suggestions
sometimes have proved to be clues as to what is wrong
with the system, and have helped preventing or avoiding
aggressive reactions on the part of inmates They know
that they will not be punished for telling the truth. They
will say what they know. Disciplinary reports are dealt
with on an individual basis and do not necessarily bring
with them any punishment to the supposedly wrong-doers.
If the architecture of the institution could be
modified, it would be possible, and the staff is ready, to
reorganize the institution into four small communities
with more privileges for higher stages, in which REALITY
THERAPY could be easily applicable. The inmates
would learn with the support of trained and
understanding staff, to face the reality of the prison
situation for which society has not yet found any other
alternative.
The prisoners themselves say that they are better
treated at the Special Correctional Unit than ever before
in any Canadian Penitentiary. They feel better; in fact
many of those who came to the institution with a medication
of tranquilizer decided to stop the medication to
the surprise of the hospital and the correctional staff.
Some of them made representation to spend the balance
of their sentence at the Special Correctional Unit.
The first group of inmates admitted in the institution on
January 22th were categorically opposed to being transferred
back to another institution as soon as they heard
of such a thing, even though they were ‘protection cases.’
They felt better protected against act of aggression of
other inmates and better understood by the staff. They
preferred the tranquility of the Special Correctional
Unit to the noise of the bar-door cells of the other
institutions."
The programme consists of four progressive stages, with steady advancement through all stages, for retention
of an inmate in any one stage where lack of progress
is Observed or for movement back to any earlier stage
should this become necessary.
The four stages of the programme are:
Stage 1: Reception, assessment and orientation,
during which the inmate is interviewed by all staff
members in charge of each stage of the programme
and tests are administered as required. He receives
instruction in the function of the institution, what
is proposed for him and what is expected of him.
Contacts between staff and inmates is constant
and constructive. Training courses will be presented
in the basic elements of life in a normal
society, including matters relating to the common
good, public spirit and welfare, and the attributes
of good citizenship. Inmates shall be kept physic
ally active throughout the day as far as possible,
with regular periods of drill and physical exercise;
he shall be required to keep himself, his clothing,
cell and its contents clean and tidy at all times.
Stage 2: is a continuation of the programme with
assignments to activities outside a restricted area,
prescribed reading and physical exercise, adult
education and work assignments to be carried out
on an individual basis, with limited outside work
in groups of not more than three.
Stage 3: Work assignments shall be made with
consideration for the inmate’s future employment
outside the S.C.U., with continuation of directed
study and general adult education, limited recreation
and work on grounds at gardening. The
stress in Stage 3 is on the need to correct weaknesses
noted in previous stages.
Stage 4: in many ways approaches the situation to
be found in maximum security settings, with assignments
to work with small groups on maintenance
and outside projects, pre-employment training
in industrial shop; trade and related theory;
and academic education. In Stage 4, the case of
each inmate is to be reviewed by the Classification
Board each month for consideration of transfer
back to maximum security institutions.
All cells are to be equipped for broadcast of radio
programme, recordings and public addresses, the regular
issue ration scale of food is to be followed, and
visiting and correspondence is allowed.
The Special Correctional Units do not maintain an atmosphere of coldness, hostility, and negative attitude and influence with an impenetrable barrier between staff and inmates. Staff assigned to an S.C.U. especially selected and receive intensive instruction.
The operation of the unit and the inmate training programme.
Are Special Correctional Units the answer? According to Mr. Ligonde’s concluding remarks in his article "From Super-maximum Security to Therapeutic Atmosphere”, it would be premature at this stage to draw any concrete conclusions. So far there have been no hangings, no stabbings, no suicidal attempt by any of the 50 inmates. Many are attending their school classes for the first time in their social life. Psychological tests do not show any mental deterioration, nor do personality tests indicate an
abnormality in reaction to the experience of living in the unit.
Only time and continuous effort on the part inmates and staff can determine if the Special Correctional Units prove to be something more than
“the end of the line" for a few unfortunate misfits among our species. In the meantime, the training programmes in other other institutions can make a greater impact in our prison populations who are positively motivated to take their rightful place among what we must ensure is the highest form of life in this universe.”
– “SPECIAL CORRECTIONAL UNIT: Barbaric Fortresses or Therapeutic Communities?” Federal Corrections, July-August-September 1968. Pages 10 to 12.
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