Inside-Out and In-Between

• In Event: The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program Across Time and Place

Abstract

In this paper we describe a series of adaptations we made to the conventional Inside-Out model in order to address a uniquely Canadian penal context and an equally unique penal population. The institution, called Kwìkwèxwelhp, is a 'Healing Village' about 140 kilometers east of Vancouver, British Columbia. Kwìkwèxwelhp means "where medicine is collected." This facility delivers corrections services based on Aboriginal principles, practices, and customs and operates in close collaboration with elders and the Sts’lies First Nation. Most of the residents are of Aboriginal descent and have experienced various trauma as a result of colonization and residential schools. Two main modifications were made to the conventional Inside-Out model: 1) At the suggestion of aboriginal elders and correctional administration, we elected to involve two additional student groups: parolees and community members of the Sts’lies First Nation and 2) We consulted with the Elders about the circular topic and involved them both in curriculum development and in the delivery of some aspects of the curriculum. The analysis we provide explores the impact and implications of the mixed cohort model and the broadening the form of involvement in terms of: program impact, community support, correctional buy-in, and sustainability.

Authors

• Wade Wallace Deisman, Kwantlen Polytechnic University

• Alana Abramson, Kwantlen Polytechnic University