June 28, 2005 (Montreal)
What is the Elizabeth Fry Society of Quebec?
Founded in 1977, the Elizabeth Fry Society of Quebec assists women who must face the criminal justice system and are determined to overcome it. Its goal is to promote the social reintegration of these women. The Society intervenes at various stages of the judicial process: in court, in prisons, or in halfway houses, offering multiple support services to these women. As a non-profit organization, the Society is managed by a board of directors composed of nine volunteer members with diverse professional backgrounds.
What are these services?
The Elizabeth Fry Society of Quebec administers a halfway house for women, the Maison Thérèse-Casgrain. Additionally, it has established a counseling program for women dealing with shoplifting issues, a legal advice service, and various prison programs: release preparation, substance abuse awareness workshops, anger management, and time-out programs, as well as volunteer supervision programs both in prison and in the community. The Society also acts as a community supervision agency. Moreover, it publishes the biannual bulletin "Femmes et Justice."
The Elizabeth Fry Society of Quebec and Karla Homolka
As stated in its press release dated June 2, 2005, the Elizabeth Fry Society of Quebec offered its services on a voluntary basis to Ms. Homolka. Due to the extensive media coverage of this case, it cannot provide her with housing in its halfway house, but it will offer other services to help her. All ex-inmates who are motivated to undertake positive social reintegration are entitled to the Society's services, confidentially. The Elizabeth Fry Society of Quebec has not commented on the Crown's use of section 810.2 of the Criminal Code and the imposition of conditions for her release and will not comment on this matter. The Society respects the judicial process.
What is the Maison Thérèse-Casgrain?
The Maison Thérèse-Casgrain is a halfway house for women, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Located in the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce neighborhood, it serves the Montreal region and the entire southwestern territory of the province. It is mainly funded by the Correctional Service of Canada and Quebec Correctional Services on a "per diem" basis for the residents. The Maison Thérèse-Casgrain can accommodate up to 30 women for stays ranging from a few weeks to several years and offers a mother-child cohabitation program for those eligible.
Residents are referred by the Maison Tanguay, the federal penitentiary in Joliette, and the courts. The majority of them, 85%, come from the prison system as part of a temporary absence or parole program.
Objectives of the Maison Thérèse-Casgrain:
- Promote the social reintegration of offenders
- Hold offenders accountable for their behavior
- Provide an alternative to incarceration
- Prevent recidivism
- Foster attitudes and skills in offenders to help them develop their potential
Services Offered:
The Maison provides residents with continuous support from a team of professional counselors available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These counselors, including criminologists, social workers, and psychologists, offer general psychosocial follow-up and individualized support that addresses specific issues: substance abuse, domestic or family violence, interpersonal relationships, health, etc. They also intervene on criminal behavior to prevent recidivism and avoid a return to the judicial system. At the Maison Thérèse-Casgrain, support for women extends to job searching, vocational training, returning to school, and finding housing.
Some Numbers
- Since its opening, the Maison Thérèse-Casgrain has welcomed over 1,000 women
- 60% of residents come from Maison Tanguay; the rest come from the Joliette penitentiary and the courts
- Nearly 70% of women successfully complete the program
- 75% of women from this group avoid relapse once parole is granted
- 40% of failures are related to substance abuse issues
Who are these women?
- Most come from disadvantaged backgrounds
- More than half have poly-substance abuse issues
- Nearly 90% have been victims of sexual or physical violence: rape, incest, child abuse, or domestic violence
- 63% are under 30 years old; 55% are mothers; of this group, 65% are single mothers
- Undereducated, they generally have not completed Grade 9 and have no vocational training
The Network of Elizabeth Fry Societies
There are 25 Elizabeth Fry Societies in Canada. The oldest was founded in Vancouver over 50 years ago. There is only one Elizabeth Fry Society in Quebec. Additionally, there are 10 in Ontario, five in the Maritime provinces, four in the Western provinces, and five in British Columbia.
Who was Elizabeth Fry?
Elizabeth Fry was born in England in 1780 into a wealthy and influential Quaker family. True to the Quaker tradition, she dedicated much of her time to the poor and the sick. In 1813, during a visit to the women's prison in Newgate, she observed that these very deprived women urgently needed advice and support. The young volunteer then founded a school for them and offered them work so they could have some money upon their release.
Source:
Ruth Gagnon,
Executive Director, Elizabeth Fry Society of Quebec (514) 489-2116