My CAC and the My Involvement in Our CAC

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Today’s Blog Post
My CAC and the My Involvement in Our CAC

Yesterday I quickly explained that I was on a “ride-a-long” with someone from the Parole Office. I did this as part of the CAC – the Citizen Advisory Committee to which I have served with in Peterborough, Ontario for 13 years now.

You can look at the Link given below in the Resources area of my Blog to read more about the CAC.

I am 1 of about 500 people across Canada that does this task. From what you can read on the CSC Web Site(the Link below) our groups across Canada number about 100

Yesterday with the Manager of the Parole Office, Nancy, we visited different business in the downtown core of the Peterborough. It was introduction day for Nancy and also some of the key businesses of our city. In the next few weeks our Parole Office will be closing where it has been for a number of years. During April it will take up its new facilities… moving a short distance to the east and a bit north.

The meetings yesterday went very well and we connected with some great leaders in our community. Very positive was the best way to say it.

As a Citizen why bother to get involved with this group. I mean it is a Federal Government Department, what do they care about what people think or not? I mean doesn’t the Government pretty well do what they want when they want?

The above reflections are pretty much what some people think.

I can testify to fact that the Federal Government’s “Correctional Service Canada” does care what people think.

They also care about community safety and they care about Offenders that are charged, tried, convicted and then become inmates at the Federal Institutions across Canada.

And maybe most important they care about the Victims of the Crime that was committed by the Offender. Along with that care is the community at large, the community that the Ex-Offender returns back to after he is released from prison.

My small role is to help in the community when the man or woman returns to the place they used to live. Or in the case of some as they settle into the new community where they may come to serve the residency clause that the Parole Board may require when he is released – living the Halfway House.

The CSC Web Site states this about me and the other 499 folk that help them… quote…
“Citizen Advisory Committees (CACs) contribute positively to the correctional process by interacting with staff of the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC), the public and offenders, and providing impartial advice and recommendations to CSC.
Citizen Advisory Committees and Volunteers are vital to the proper functioning of the Correctional Service of Canada.” End quote.

In this role I connect with our Parole Office Staff as they carry out their duties in our community. I get to know them personally and listen carefully to what they are dealing with.

I can testify to the fact that the Peterborough Parole Office and its staff have an excellent record of dealing with the men that come back from prison. I can say that because I have witnessed what they do personally for the past 13 years. And it is good.

Does that mean that there have been no problems with men that have come from Prison and back to our community? No not at all. There have been problems. Men have done things that have broken the conditions that they were to live under. The Parole Staff then very efficiently and quickly deals with the situation and the man has a ride back to prison.

One of the Parole Officer’s goals is to keep the community safe. They personally live in the community and raise their families here, why wouldn’t they want the same things that the community wants.

My small task is to watch all of that happen.

This new move always has the potential to be difficult for the community. Change is not easy. It also has the possibility of being hard on the Staff. They will be making a move of their lives from one area to another – almost like a whole new job for a few months… yet they still have to maintain the high level of service they offer to the ex-offender and the community.

The last thing they want or need is for the community to be upset with the transition taking place.

That was our reason for the meetings of yesterday.

My role is a quiet one… and yet at times I do make presentations and often speak about what is happening around me. I don’t give out names and details but I can tell you what is taking place in our community to keep it safe.

Yes, I am excited about what I do in this volunteer role. It may be just about the best thing that I have ever taken part in.

And YES – Peterborough has the greatest staff of Parole Office Personnel that there is in Canada… but I am a little partial I admit.

Finally – thank you to our Parole Office Staff members across our Nation. As a citizen I have witnessed firsthand what you do… and it is good! And I have also witnessed what the CSC Staff inside the Institution does as well. They are simply amazing as well! Thank you to all of you!

~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/ 

Resource:
http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/cac/index-eng.shtml