NCJ Number
185847
Journal
Forum on Corrections Research Volume: 12 Issue: 3 Dated: September 2000 Pages: 6-7
Editor(s)
Larry Motiuk
Date Published
September 2000
Length
2 pages
Annotation
St. Leonard's House in Windsor, Ontario, is the only facility in Canada to offer a Life Line Residential Program; Life Line evolved from a desire to better meet the challenge of a growing number of long-term offenders in Canadian correctional facilities who are released on parole to the community.
Abstract
The program is based on a common sense approach to the community re-integration needs of a growing long-term offender population. Six key features have contributed to the success of the program: (1) community understanding, support, and involvement; (2) intensive screening and selection for program participation; (3) longer residency-progressive living arrangements; (4) individualized treatment strategies; (5) guided social interaction; and (6) community service. The program recognizes that community acceptance of paroled long-term offenders is important, that any program to help long-term offenders has to start in prison, that long-term offenders require more re-entry time and decompression after a prolonged period behind bars than short-term offenders, and that residential staff need to be sensitive to the needs of long-term offenders. 4 footnotes