Speakers
Rosemary Ricciardelli
Parallel Workshops
Correctional program officers (CPOs) are non-security employees of Correctional Service of Canada (CSC), who provide programming to people in prison and on conditional release (paroled). CPOs enact the rehabilitative core mandate of CSC, yet have never been studied. Few are aware of CPOs and their role, they are truly the ghosts of rehabilitation. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 102 CPOs, between June and November of 2023. We applied a somewhat grounded constructivist approach to data analysis. We found the lack of recognition of the CPO role within CSC and society more broadly was morally harmful and reduced interest in become a CPO, they felt low in status on the organizational hierarchy, which they attributed to CPOs being seen as “helpers,” and non-security staff. Staff and program participants could create risk, but, more impactful was how the poor treatment from some colleagues created frustration and the derisive language directed toward their role created harm. Findings are discussed within the context moral harm, distress, and injury with considerations for programs as offered by correctional services and for those delivering and facilitating programs.
