Federal government pulls funding to successful treatment program for sex offenders

mentalfloss

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Federal government pulls funding to successful treatment program for sex offenders

EDMONTON - A successful program to deal with Canada’s highest-risk sex offenders has unexpectedly had its funding cut by the federal government, leaving those who run the program scrambling to keep it going.

“We would have trouble overstating the severity”of the situation, said Scott Drennan, co-ordinator of the Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA) program in Edmonton.

CoSA uses community volunteers to work with high-risk sex offenders who have completed their prison sentences and are living free in the community. CoSA’s successes have been documented, including by the federal government, with studies showing a 70 to 83 per cent reduction in sexual reoffences for those taking part in the program. The Correctional Service of Canada website describes the CoSA program as an “effective method for dealing with high-risk, high-needs sex offenders.” A government research report from 2005 found CoSA saved money by reducing the rate of new crimes by high-risk offenders, “ultimately contributing to savings both financially and, more importantly, in regard to human suffering.”

Andrew McWhinnie, who works with CoSA and is a special adviser to the Correctional Service of Canada, said he learned in February that $650,000 in government funding would end March 31. He said the impact of that loss will be severe.

“The community can assume they are less safe on April 1 than they were March 31,” he said.

The program’s government funding will then run dry in September.

Though there are a small number of paid employees and administrators, CoSA’s work is primarily fuelled by volunteers, with 600-700 people unpaid community members working with 155 high-risk offenders around the country. McWhinnie estimated the annual amount of volunteer labour at about $2 million.

McWhinnie said he believes CoSA has “fallen through the budgetary cracks,” and that those who work with the program are now feeling betrayed, hopeless, angry and scared.

“This (program) isn’t just a feel-good thing, “ he said. “We believe this is essential.”

Det. Chris Hayduk, with the Edmonton Police Service’s behavioural assessment unit, said he has seen the impact CoSA has by providing support to sex offenders who are otherwise isolated. He described the program as having a “huge impact” in preventing new sexual offences.

Correctional Service Canada responded to interview requests with only a brief emailed statement which read, in part, “A significant portion of CoSA activity is directed to individuals that have already passed their warrant expiry date ... CSC continues to offer offenders access to correctional programs and services, to contribute to their safe reintegration into the community.”

Susan Logan, executive director of the Mediation and Restorative Justice Centre in Edmonton, said the fact CoSA works with offenders who have completed their sentences is exactly why the program is so important.

“We do this to prevent new victims, and we do that by providing support to offenders,” she said.

The Edmonton chapter operates on about $25,000 a year, and had been doing so well it was about to begin looking for more funding to expand services. Now, Logan said the organization is looking for ways to keep going.

Federal government pulls funding to successful treatment program for sex offenders
 

Nuggler

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Well, what does one believe.

On the one hand we're told that sex offenders can't change their ways. Then we're told this treatment is successful. Given the horrible, generational effects of sex crimes, the goddamn psychiatrists want to be right.

With the money saved by cancellation, Helmethead can probably buy more bars for yet unbuilt prisons.
 

B00Mer

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The ONLY successful treatment program for sex offenders is:



Cut the fukking thing off and toss him into general population, so he can feel what it's like to be the BITCH.
 

pgs

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Well, what does one believe.

On the one hand we're told that sex offenders can't change their ways. Then we're told this treatment is successful. Given the horrible, generational effects of sex crimes, the goddamn psychiatrists want to be right.

With the money saved by cancellation, Helmethead can probably buy more bars for yet unbuilt prisons.
On the one hand we are told people are born gay and have no choice about their sexual preferences ,
Yet on the other we are told that sexual predation can be cured .
Hmmmmnn.
 

Tecumsehsbones

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On the one hand we are told people are born gay and have no choice about their sexual preferences ,
Yet on the other we are told that sexual predation can be cured .
Hmmmmnn.
That would be a valid point if whom one is attracted to and how one goes about having sex with that person were the same thing.
 

B00Mer

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LOL Cannuck gave me a neg. Was it something I said that was to personal to you?? So sorry.

Just to clarify, I'm not calling Cannuck a sex offender, just figured he may know one and find my solution a bit harsh.. so gave me a neg.

Personally, I think life in prison for child molesters and rapists, well chemical castration should be mandatory for both...
 
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Cannuck

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LOL Cannuck gave me a neg. Was it something I said that was to personal to you?? So sorry.

Just to clarify, I'm not calling Cannuck a sex offender, just figured he may know one and find my solution a bit harsh.. so gave me a neg.

Personally, I think life in prison for child molesters and rapists, well chemical castration should be mandatory for both...

I find vindictiveness a childish response. A negative rep is really all your comment deserves.
 

L Gilbert

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"leaving those who run the program scrambling to keep it going."

"Leaving those who run the program scrambling to keep their jobs" sounds more like it. Life must be nice scooping a salary and whatever they can from the fed wallet. Especially when they can get volunteers to do the real work for them.

Well, yeah, you can call me a cynic if you want, but I've known many public employees/contractors from all levels of gov'ts and the degree of altruism decreases incrementally the closer you get to the top 99.99% of the time.
 

B00Mer

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I find vindictiveness a childish response. A negative rep is really all your comment deserves.

The rep system is stupid... it offers a cowardice response to a post.. You don't agree with someone, post why.. nope, red neg because I don't agree with YOUR warped Liberal ideologies.

Personally I can't stand the Liberal ideology of trying to rehabilitate child sex offenders and rapist, and violent criminals.. longer prison sentences and the death penalty for murderers..

Does anyone not believe in personal responsibility anymore?? You do the crime, you do the time.. a tent city, no TV or special treatment just like Sheriff Arpaio created.

It always somebody elses fault..

Here is a perfect example of Liberal (Head up your azz) Justice :: Texas teen Ethan Couch gets 10 years' probation for driving drunk, killing 4

 
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mentalfloss

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This program rehabilitated people while the sentence was served and they got out after they did their time. What you are proposing doesn't help the situation and could in fact lead to repeat offences.
 

JLM

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I for one am not convinced that sex offenders can be successfully treated (maybe successfully managed). I sure as hell wouldn't want my wife or grand daughters alone with one.
 

B00Mer

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This program rehabilitated people while the sentence was served and they got out after they did their time. What you are proposing doesn't help the situation and could in fact lead to repeat offences.

You're wrong dude... this harsh punishment works..

JOE ARPAIO- Stopping Repeat Offenders

Sheriff Joe Arpaio created the 'tent city jail' to save Arizona from spending tens of millions of dollars on another expensive prison complex.

He has jail meals down to 20 cents a serving and charges the inmates for them.

He banned smoking and pornographic magazines in the jails, and took away their weightlifting equipment and cut off all but 'G' movies. He says: 'They're in jail to pay a debt to society not to build muscles so they can assault innocent people when they leave.'

It's not suppose to be club med, it's suppose to be punishment for your crime..
 

Tecumsehsbones

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In 1998, Arpaio commissioned a study, by Arizona State University criminal justice professor Marie L. Griffin, to examine recidivism rates based on conditions of confinement. Comparing recidivism rates under Arpaio to those under his predecessor, the study found "there was no significant difference in recidivism observed between those offenders released in 1989–1990 and those released in 1994–1995."[
 

B00Mer

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In 1998, Arpaio commissioned a study, by Arizona State University criminal justice professor Marie L. Griffin, to examine recidivism rates based on conditions of confinement. Comparing recidivism rates under Arpaio to those under his predecessor, the study found "there was no significant difference in recidivism observed between those offenders released in 1989–1990 and those released in 1994–1995."[

So by your statement it's a waste of taxpayer money to try and rehabilitate because there is no difference between a prison that punishes the offenders and club med prisons that try psycho-babble on it's inmates.
 

Goober

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So by your statement it's a waste of taxpayer money to try and rehabilitate because there is no difference between a prison that punishes the offenders and club med prisons that try psycho-babble on it's inmates.

If life terms were applied, you would need to triple the prison capacity. At a minimum.
 
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Tecumsehsbones

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So by your statement it's a waste of taxpayer money to try and rehabilitate because there is no difference between a prison that punishes the offenders and club med prisons that try psycho-babble on it's inmates.
Ummm. . . no. By my statement, Sheriff Joe was no more effective than his predecessor in reducing recidivism. It's the mark of a political true believer that he considers one study from one county in the U.S. as justifying a sweeping generalisation.

Joe's biggest problem is that he treated people in jail awaiting trial (i.e., innocent until proven guilty) the same way he did convicts. Well, that and the people he killed.
 

B00Mer

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If life terms we applied, you would need to triple the prison capacity. At a minimum.

It would create more jobs.. privatise them...

Lock-Out Official Trailer #1 - Guy Pearce, Sci-FI Movie (2012) HD - YouTube

Like the British did with it's prisoners, sending them to Australia.. maybe the most dangerous can be sent to mining camps on the moon.. Just Say'in.

They can double as a work force and ginny pig to see how the long term effects on the human body in space.