Advertise on podcast: Prisons Inside/Out

Maintaining positive relationships with family, friends, and community supports plays an important role during incarceration.  Visits help individuals stay connected, support emotional well being, and prepare for safe and successful reintegration into the community. They can be done in person, by video or through private family visiting. In this episode, we’ll hear from an Assistant Warden, an Institutional Parole Officer and an offender on CSC’s approach to visits, the types of visits available, and the measures in place to ensure safety, security, and respect for everyone involved. Visiting procedures, schedules, and certain operational processes may vary from one institution to another based on operational and security requirements. This conversation reflects local institutional practices that may differ from other institutions.

In this episode of Prisons Inside / Out, we’re thrilled to welcome our Commissioner, Talal Dakalbab, to the podcast. Having recently stepped into this role, he is beginning an important chapter not only for the organization, but also for the staff who work every day to keep Canadians safe while rehabilitating offenders.  Tune in as Commissioner Dakalbab shares his perspective on the realities of his position and highlights the vital role that thousands of CSC employees across the country play every day. He also discusses what he’s been hearing from staff during his visits to institutions in his first few months on the job and takes rapid fire questions so staff and Canadians can get to know the person behind the title.

CORCAN is a special operating agency within the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) that helps federally incarcerated individuals gain real-world job skills, work experiences, and confidence they can carry into life after release. Through hands-on, on-the-job-training, offenders work in an environments that mirror private-sector standards, producing real products and services used by government and community partners. In this episode, you’ll hear from Kevin, the Senior Director of Operations at CORCAN as he explains how CORCAN works to improve employability, support safe reintegration, and contribute to public safety by reducing the risk of reoffending. More information about CORCAN is available on our website:  CORCAN

Traditional organized crime groups, outlaw motorcycle gangs, street gangs… On the outside, we think of them as criminal organizations. But inside Canada’s federal prisons, we refer to them as Security Threat Groups (STGs). STGs represent a complex and evolving challenge in federal prisons in Canada. But what exactly are these groups and how do they impact life in prison? In this episode, you’ll hear from Chris, a Senior Project Officer with more than 25 years of front-line experience at CSC, who explains how these groups influence safety, offender behaviour and reintegration efforts. He’ll also break down how these groups are monitored and the strategies CSC uses to maintain a safe and secure environment while supporting rehabilitation.

The Behind the Badge series is back, sharing the stories and voices of frontline staff across the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC). In this episode, we take you inside the world of CSC’s Emergency Response Teams (ERTs)—specialized units trained to respond to critical incidents within federal correctional institutions. You’ll hear from Patrick, an ERT member, who talks about the rigorous training, specialized equipment, and high-stakes situations they face. Whether responding to disturbances, conducting searches, or supporting institutional operations, ERTs are a cornerstone of CSC’s safety strategy.

Every federal prison in Canada has an inmate committee. But what do they actually do, and why does it matter?  These elected groups of inmates represent the incarcerated population and play a very important role in maintaining an open line of communication between staff and inmates and bringing forward concerns about daily life, like food, programs, and living conditions.  In this episode, we will learn more about inmate committees through conversations with Denise, an Assistant Warden at Nova Institution for Women, and an incarcerated women and inmate committee Chair.

Ever wondered what life is really like inside a federal women’s prison in Canada? Correctional services for women have been shaped by decades of evolution, beginning with the landmark Creating Choices report in 1990. In fact, the five principles that emerged from this report still guide our interventions with incarcerated women today. In this episode, we will learn more about the world of correctional services for women through conversations with Denise, an Assistant Warden at Nova Institution for Women, and Vanessa, an incarcerated woman.

In this episode, we explore how education transforms lives within Canada's federal correctional institutions. We’ll hear a teacher talk about his work, and we'll also hear from one of his students who reflects on the positive impacts education had on his life. Discover how education helps with rehabilitation, but also contributes to safer communities and reduced recidivism.

The Behind the Badge series is back, sharing the stories and voices of frontline staff across the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC). In this episode, we hear from Ashley, a Primary Worker at Nova Institution for Women in Truro, NS. Primary Workers like Ashley are essential to women’s corrections, they manage security, support rehabilitation and play a key role in case management. Tune in as Ashley shares what it’s like working inside a women’s prison, and the importance of dynamic and static security, in her own words.

Since 1964, Canada’s Penitentiary Museum has been preserving the rich and complex history of corrections in our country. Located just across the street from the former Kingston Penitentiary, Canada’s first federal institution, the museum houses artifacts and exhibits that help bring this history to life. In this episode, Museum Historian Dave guides us through the evolution of federal corrections in Canada; from its beginnings before Confederation to the present day. Along the way, we explore key milestones, shifting philosophies in corrections, and the stories behind the events that have shaped our correctional history.

“Reconnecting with their culture, I see a smoother reintegration into the community because they find a sense of belonging and it provides a big support network for them.”Indigenous peoples are overrepresented in Canada’s federal correctional system, and many incarcerated individuals have had limited or no prior connection to their Indigenous culture, history, or identity. In part two of our exploration of cultural reconnection in Indigenous corrections, we look at how cultural identity and community support are key to the safe and successful reintegration of Indigenous offenders. In this episode, we hear from Elder Josephine Buffalo, who shares her perspective on the importance of preserving Indigenous culture and the unique role Elders play in supporting incarcerated individuals. We also hear from Julia, Operations Manager at Buffalo Sage Wellness House, who explains how Section 81 healing lodges provide culturally grounded support through supervised housing, traditional teachings, and reintegration programs for Indigenous offenders.

In this episode, we meet CSC’s hard-working health professionals who take us behind the scenes to give us a glimpse into what it’s like to provide health services to inmates in federal prisons across the country. CSC is mandated by law to provide essential health care to inmates, which we know in turn contributes to safer prisons for our staff and safer communities for the public. Go behind the scenes with our health professionals who are working hard to make a difference and keep everyone safe every day.

In 2002, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that denying inmates the right to vote was a violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In this episode, we will hear from the offender who challenged the law and made voting possible for all federally incarcerated people and from Correctional Service Canada (CSC) staff on how voting works in a federal prison.

Public safety is a 24/7 responsibility, especially for the team at Correctional Service Canada’s (CSC) National Monitoring Centre (NMC). As the eyes and ears of CSC, especially during the critical after-hours, the NMC plays a vital role in maintaining public safety, monitoring offenders on various types of releases in the community to keep Canadians safe.  In this episode, we speak with Daniel Kletke, a supervisor at the NMC, to learn how he and his team manage this crucial and dynamic responsibility.

"I've found so many positive things, and even now I'm learning so much more about myself than I did three years ago when I when I met with the offender." In part two of this episode, we continue Angie's story. This time, we hear from the offender who sat across from her in a face-to-face meeting through the Restorative Opportunities program. Later, Angie returns to reflect on that conversation and share her final thoughts on what the program has meant to her healing journey. Episode resources:  Information for victimsResources for victimsRestorative Opportunities Program (victim-offender mediation)20 years of Restorative Opportunities