| Recommendation |
Current
Status |
| 1. Complete the collection
of Youth Corrections related material and catalogue it. |
A member of the Corrections Division has
been assigned responsibility for completing the
collection and cataloguing of the various reports and
studies which have been conducted on behalf of the Youth
Corrections Program. |
| 2. Establish an
inter-departmental source for information on previous,
ongoing, and imminent commissioned reports. |
Once the collection and
cataloguing of historical documents has been completed,
the material will be filed with Legal Information
Services, Department of Justice, for easier reference and
access. |
| 3. The cottage model should
continue to be used, and rigorous assessment of its
successes and failing must be undertaken. |
The Department is committed
to maintaining the cottage model which has been in use at
NLYC since the facility was first operationalized. The
model is, in fact, being further enhanced through the
implementation of a multi-disciplinary teamwork approach
with an evaluation component incorporated into the
planning to ensure that organizational objectives are
being fulfilled. |
| 4. Matching residents within
cottages must be a priority. |
Wherever appropriate,
residents are being assigned to a specific cottage,
depending on a number of assessment factors, including
programming needs and compatibility with other residents.
From time to time, however, this objective cannot be
achieved when resident population counts are high and bed
space is simply not available on the preferred unit. At
the earliest opportunity, however, residents who may not
be appropriately assigned are transferred to the
designated unit. |
| 5. Orientation programs for all
new employees are needed. |
An orientation program for
all Staff at NLYC and PYC is being developed as part of
the overall inservice orientation strategy. |
| 6. Exit interviews are a
must for all staff and residents. |
Exit interviews are being
conducted with all residents who are being discharged
from the facility. Such interviews have not yet been
implemented with respect to employees. However, a
protocol is being developed in this respect. |
| 7. Suitability assessment
and testing must be done on all new employees. |
Instruments for determining
suitability and competency of all new employees are being
researched to determine whether or not they can be
applied to this particular program sector. This includes,
but is not limited to, aptitude testing as well as
psychological assessments. |
| 8. Continuing education for
employees on security issues and developments is a
necessity. |
A continuing program of
inservice training for all staff, particularly with
respect to life safety and security issues, is being
developed. |
| 9. The Incident Report must
be used as an opportunity for employee development and
education. |
As part of the training
program currently being conducted for all Staff at NLYC,
the Incident Report will be incorporated as a training
mechanism and a resource for more effective case
management. |
| 10. Policy must be
consistently adhered to. |
The protocol for conducting
operational audits to ensure compliance with Divisional
policy is being developed by a Manager with the
Corrections Division. |
| 11. Redefine the role of
Department of Works, Services & Transportation to
satisfy secure custody facilities. |
Ongoing liaison between the
Departments of Justice and Works, Services &
Transportation has been formalized by the creation of a
continuing joint committee which has a mandate to
identify and priorize needed improvements at the
Facility. |
| 12. The secure custody
facilities of Youth Corrections require an independent
Advisory Council to assist with creating, implementing,
and monitoring all policy and procedures. |
Government has not yet made
a decision with respect to the future administration of
the two Secure Custody facilities. A discussion document
is being prepared jointly by the Departments of Justice
and Human Resources and Employment, putting forward the
options and implications of various organizational
alternatives. |
| 13. Individual Case
Management should be sustained and enhanced. |
Individual Case Management
has always been a major priority for addressing the needs
of the residents. Not only will the practice be sustained
but, in fact, will be further enhanced as Government
implements its plan to develop and sustain a more
integrated, community-based Case Management strategy for
providing services to children, youth, and families on a
province-wide basis. |
| 14. Implementation of
Individual Case Management must be improved. |
The implementation of a
government-wide, individualized case planning framework
will certainly enhance current efforts in Secure Custody
to develop appropriate and effective case management
plans for residents. |
| 15. Improved implementation
of the individual Case Management approach requires,
initially, a Manager of Case Planning. |
Currently, the position of
Social Worker/ Supervisor at NLYC includes a
responsibility for overall case planning and case
management. |
| 16. Information material for
residents or their families must be more user friendly. |
Information pamphlets and
brochures are being revised to ensure that they are more
user friendly, particularly, for families and residents. |
| 17. The effectiveness of
schooling in Secure Custody must not be measured by
standards for community schools. |
It has consistently been
acknowledged that the needs of young persons in custody
are highly specialized. The programs offered in the
academic area have been tailored to target those
specialized needs. In this context, it is recognized that
the academic program at NLYC cannot be assessed on the
basis of conventional academic standards. |
| 18. More comprehensive and
timely communications between community and facility
schools must be established. |
Communications between the
teaching staff at NLYC and PYC and community school
boards have improved dramatically over the past two years
as the result of proactive efforts initiated by academic
personnel working within the Institutions themselves.
There is a much greater degree of information sharing and
ongoing liaison and, as a result, there is less
reluctance on the part of community school boards to
accept residents after they have been discharged from
custody. |
| 19. Improved literacy and
numeracy skills should be the prime focus of academic
activities. |
It is agreed that improved
literacy and numeracy skills should be the primary focus
of the academic program. As a result of the newly
developed program model, it is expected that this will
not only be an issue for teaching staff but other
personnel working in the Institution as well. More
particularly, it will be expected that youth care workers
will complement the work that is being done within the
Institutional classrooms by teachers. |
| 20. Academic and other
programs can and should be more closely integrated. |
A new program model has been
developed for NLYC focusing on implementation of a more
multi-disciplinary or Ateamwork@ approach through
which teachers, medical personnel, social workers and
youth care workers will come together as a joint case
management team. |
| 21. The needs of native
students require more attention and curriculum
development. |
As the first stage in its
planning for the needs of aboriginal students, training
sessions have been conducted for staff at NLYC to provide
a greater awareness of aboriginal culture lifestyle and
values. Contact will be made with the academic community
in Labrador with the objective of tailoring the program
to be more culturally-appropriate for aboriginal
students. |
| 22. The optimum location for schooling
must be determined. |
The design of the physical plant at
Whitbourne does not currently allow for the designation
of space outside the living units for use as Anormalized@ classrooms. The
Institution will be forced to continue to rely on the use
of space in the cottages themselves. |
| 23. The school must have an arm's length supervisory
and supportive body. |
Preliminary discussions have been held
with the Department of Education regarding the
establishment of a partnership with a designated school
board so that the facility would have the advantage of a
supportive organizational network. |
| 24. The vocational programs must be
assessed for what works in them and why. The results must
be applied to other programs. |
A study was completed in early 1997.
Copies of the report are available for analysis. |
| 25. Increased physical activity must be
incorporated into resident's routines. |
The program of activities at NLYC has
been altered so that the residents have a greater degree
of access to the gymnasium as well as the outside
recreational area. |
| 26. Social development and other
programs must mesh more efficiently. |
The new program model which has been
developed for implementation is based on the principle of
integrated service delivery. As a result, substantial
efforts have been made to ensure that the range of social
development and other programs at NLYC are more directly
linked with each other. |
| 27. Residents must be able to follow
programs in their entirety. |
While it has always been the intent to
ensure that residents have an opportunity to complete the
program designed to target their particular needs, this
is not always possible particularly in situations where a
term of custody expires before the resident has had an
opportunity to complete all components of the program
plan. This is not to suggest, however, that longer
sentences should be imposed but rather that comparable
programs need to be established in the community to
facilitate continuity and reintegration of the young
person. |
| 28. Operate the school year round. |
Preliminary discussions have already
been held with the Department of Education regarding the
implications of operating the academic program on a
year-round basis, at least on a limited scale. |
| 29. All programs must be quantatively
reviewed and assessed to determine their effectiveness. |
A contract has been signed for the
evaluation of core offender programs presently offered at
NLYC including sex offender treatment, cognitive skills
and substance abuse. It is anticipated that the results
of the review will be available by December 1997. |
| 30. A Program Development Unit must be
formed to direct the assessment of existing programs and
to guide the creation of new ones. |
A Program Development Unit is in place
at NLYC consisting of the Manager of Offender Programs,
the Social Worker/Supervisor and Team Leaders from the
various living units. |
| 31. Engage the services of a System
Analyst to construct better program scheduling. |
The program schedule at NLYC is
currently being reviewed to ensure that activities are
not being scheduled primarily on the basis of
organizational needs, but rather directed by the needs of
the residents themselves. |
| 32. The remand facility (Pleasantville
Youth Center) must be improved or replaced. |
Government has directed that the
Department of Justice, in consultation with the
Department of Works, Services and Transportation put
forward options, as part of the 1998-99 budgetary
process, for the replacement of the Pleasantville Remand
Facility. |
| 33. Expand and improve on the cottage
model. |
Efforts are presently underway on
several dimensions to expand and improve on the cottage
model at NLYC. A more effective program model has been
implemented. A generic program for upgrading the skills
of youth care workers is currently being delivered
through the availability of a $68,000 fund provided by
Government. |
| 34. Consistency within cottages - of
face, of approach, - must be improved. |
The need for consistency with respect to
Staff assignments at NLYC is generally acknowledged. A
review of the staffing model has been undertaken as part
of the program review. The implementation of a
multi-disciplinary teamwork approach at the Facility is
based on the concept of consistency in staffing. |
| 35. Streamlining of the bureaucracy is
needed. |
As a result of program review,
significant organizational restructuring has been
undertaken. More than half of the Middle Management
positions have been eliminated in favour of a more
streamlined approach to facilitate more effective
communications. A number of Senior Management positions
have also been declared redundant |
| 36. Evaluate the effects of the youth
care worker on rehabilitative efforts. |
An evaluation of the effectiveness of
the new program model will be conducted after all youth
care workers have been fully trained and the model has
been implemented. |
| 37. Integrate the youth care workers
into the rehabilitation effort. |
A new staffing model has been developed
for implementation. Youth Care Workers in the Facility
will be designated as Primary Care Workers and will be
expected to assume a much more significant role in
offender case management and decision making. |
| 38. Performance reviews of all employees
must be instituted. |
A Joint Committee with representation
from the Bargaining Unit and Management will be created
with a mandate to develop and implement a Personnel
Performance Evaluation system. |
| 39. An Occupational Review of the youth
care worker position needs reassessment |
The implementation of the new staffing
model and the accompanying expansion in the Youth Care
Worker role may very well form the basis for a
classification review. |
| 40. Expand and integrate the role of the
psychologist. |
The Corrections Division has determined
that the role of the psychologist should be focused on
the need for an expanded role in offender programming. As
part of that role the psychologist will be an integral
part of the Case Management team. |
| 41. Use the resident's goodwill toward
medical personnel to enhance rehabilitation. |
Since medical personnel at NLYC and PYC
will be an integral part of the case management process,
this should be an opportunity for making the process more
effective, particularly in terms of the very positive
relationships which exist between residents and medical
personnel. |
| 42. Senior Management must interact
regularly with employees. |
As a result of organizational
restructuring the number of Senior Managers at NLYC has
been reduced from 4 to 2 positions. The 2 Senior Managers
have been instructed to conduct daily tours of the
Facility and to use the opportunity to engage informally
with both Staff and Residents. |
| 43. The Cottage Manager position must be
better defined, communicated, and used. |
As a consequence of program review, the
positions of Cottage Manager and Facility Operations
Manager have been consolidated in one position (x4) with
the objective of striking a balance between institutional
operations, security issues, staff supervision and
program coordination. |
| 44. The FOM position requires
examination and clarification. |
The position of Facility Operations
Manager has been abolished as explained under
Recommendation #43 |
| 45. Staffing levels are appropriate;
some reassignment of responsibilities is called for. |
A self directed team approach is being
instituted at NLYC and will be fully implemented once all
Youth Care Workers have been fully trained in their new
responsibilities. It is expected that this objective will
be achieved before the end of March, 1998. |
| 46. All employee positions require
regular review and evaluation. |
A review of employee positions has been
conducted and a process for ongoing review and evaluation
has been implemented. |
| 47. A staff data base must be developed
and maintained. |
Efforts are currently underway to
identify resources dedicated to the development and
maintenance of a Staff Data Base to facilitate program
planning and the identification of staff training needs. |
| 48. Staff Development must be a
priority. |
The Division of Corrections has received
funding in the amount of $68,000 under the provisions of
the Workforce Adjustment Program with the objective of
upgrading the competencies of Youth Care Workers so that
they can play a more integral role in case management and
offender programming. A new position of Staff Development
Officer has been established by the Department of
Justice. The current incumbent is devoting considerable
effort to the development of a Staff Training strategy
for secure custody. |
| 49. Labour/Management meetings must be
on ongoing structured forum.. |
Formal Labour/Management meetings are
scheduled on a regular basis. More informal sessions
between Labour and Management are arranged as the need
arises. |
| 50. Management must institute a culture
of motivation |
Any significant change in organizational
culture can only be accomplished if there is a collective
vision of the mission of the organization and an
acceptance of a process to achieve important strategic
objectives. The very concept of a Secure Custody facility
in essence conflicts with the need to provide
opportunities for residents to access programming
opportunities which will facilitate their reintegration
into the community. One of the primary objectives of the
training program now being delivered to staff at NLYC is
to ensure a more appropriate balance between security and
programming and thereby create a supportive environment
which will reinforce the advances being made through
offender programs. |
| 51. Efforts to redeploy youth care
workers within the facility should be made before putting
them in on call. |
The Corrections Division must meet
budgetary targets and it will do so without compromising
life safety, security or essential offender programming.
The redeployment of Youth Care Workers within the
facility may not always be an option in this context. |
| 52. Events in the resident's institutional
lives must be centrally charted. |
The newly implemented multi-disciplinary
self-directed team approach can only be effective if
there is a system for centrally charting events in the
residents institutional experience. Naturally, there will
be certain limitations with respect to information
sharing and access to confidential records. Medical
Records, for example, cannot be generally accessible,
however, by way of general policy it will be clear that
access will be permitted where there is a Aneed to know.@ |
| 53. A new charting system should be
computerized. |
The Corrections Division has recently
developed a Computerized Charting system for Adult
Offenders. While some tailoring will be necessary, it is
anticipated that there is a possibility for portability
and adaptation of that system to suit the Young Offender
system requirements. |
| 54. Fixing internal and external
communications pathways may require a Systems Analyst
Consultant. |
While many improvements have already
been instituted with respect to communications pathways,
allowance will be made for the engagement of a Systems
Analyst Consultant where appropriate and necessary. |
| 55. Child and youth services must
interface seamlessly. |
Government, as a whole, is pursuing the
concept of an Integrated Service Delivery system for
children, youth and families, to be implemented sometime
in 1998. The Division of Corrections, Department of
Justice is already engaged in a process to ensure
continuity in case planning and management between
community based agencies and secure custody to ensure
continuity and coordinated service delivery and to
facilitate community reintegration of the young person
after release from custody. |
| 56. Services for youth in secure custody
must not end when they leave the facility. |
In addition to the overall Government
plan to ensure a continuum of services for children,
youth and families, the Corrections Division is
developing a reintegration strategy through which young
offenders released from Institutional Custody will be
offered support and services in the community. This will
require some re-configuration of staff responsibilities,
as well as the implementation of formal partnerships with
other Government agencies as well as non-Governmental
organizations. |
| 57. Intensive proactive intervention
must be a priority. |
Intensive proactive intervention is a
priority with the Corrections Division. Young offenders,
immediately after admission to Secure Custody, are
subjected to a rigorous assessment process to determine
on a holistic basis their developmental needs and
programming requirements. Case Management plans are
developed and implemented quite expeditiously in full
consultation with community-based practitioners. The
Division is very aggressive in arranging judicial reviews
of custody dispositions and putting forward plans for the
Court=s
consideration as the basis for recommendations for
release back into the community. The overall strategy by
Government to direct services to targeted areas on the
basis of earlier intervention and prevention should, over
time, divert many young persons from custody. |
