Are you familiar with the Healing Lodges? The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) says this about the Okimaw Ohci Healing Lodge (CSC website, http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/facilit/institutprofiles/okima_e.shtml):
The Healing Lodge is premised on principles which promote: a safe place for Aboriginal women offenders; a caring attitude towards self, family and community; a belief in individual plans for women that they themselves have developed; an understanding of the transitory aspects of Aboriginal life; an appreciation of the healing role of children who are closer to the spirit world; pride in surviving difficult backgrounds and personal experiences.
The security policies and procedures are premised on the principles that women offenders, while generally having high needs, are not necessarily high-risk offenders. Where women do present risks, the danger tends to be to themselves through self injurious behaviour. The creation of an environment that affords residents and staff a high level of safety, security and comfort is imperative and has been accomplished through dynamic security and supportive staff and community intervention. The Healing Lodge accommodates Aboriginal women for all or part of their sentence, therefore women may be admitted directly upon sentencing, revocation, or transfers from other facilities.
The Aboriginal Initiatives Branch also provides this information about Aboriginal healing lodges (http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/prgrm/correctional/abissues/know/6_e.shtml):
CSC is working towards meeting some of the Aboriginal-specific accommodation needs of Aboriginal federal offenders, through the establishment of healing lodges. CSC currently operates or funds Aboriginal communities for 9 healing lodges across Canada. They are developed and operated in partnership with Aboriginal communities. The majority of staff members, including the Directors, are of Aboriginal descent. Preliminary research demonstrates that they are providing appropriate safe reintegration results.
What do you think about the idea of the Healing Lodge?
What do you think are the most important ideas about the Healing Lodge?
List ways in which the Healing Lodges can be helpful to the women who stay there.
In what ways are the Healing Lodges similar to other prisons in Canada? How are they different?
Are there ideas you see in the description of the Healing Lodges that might be useful in other prisons? Are there ways that other prisons could use these ideas to help inmates?
One important element in the Healing Lodge idea is respect for Aboriginal tradition. Do other prisons also have ways of helping inmates draw from other sources of spiritual learning and healing?