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 i…

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 Canadian…

"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,…

Have you ever wondered what mealtime looks like in prison? Feeding thousands of inmates in a controlled environment requires careful coordination and planning on a massive scale. In this episode of Prisons Inside / Out, we visit Drumheller Institution in Alberta to meet the dedicated CSC staff making it happen each and every day.…

“I told him that I forgave him for who he was, not for what he took from me, that was very important that I worded it that way.” In this episode, we share Angie’s story, in her own words. After her brother was murdered, Angie began her healing journey with the support of a Restorative Opportunities (RO) program mediator. Episode resources: Informat…

“To me, that’s a piece that is so important when we’re talking about reintegration, because part of reintegration is reconnection.” On this episode of Prisons Inside / Out, we explore how Indigenous inmates can discover or reconnect with their cultural roots while incarcerated. We speak with an inmate on their journey of cultural revitalization, an…

“I think that being a parole officer is about building rapport and building trust, and that can be a very big challenge. But it’s a challenge that I happily take on because I feel that it is my greatest impact that I can have as a parole officer.” Parole officers work tirelessly every day to keep Canadians and their communities safe, always priorit…

Preventing and reducing the number of drugs, cellphones, and other unauthorized items in correctional institutions is a priority for the Correctional Service of Canada. In this episode, we hear from two staff members who help do just that. Tune in to listen to our conversation with Detector Dog Handler, Todd, and Security Intelligence Officer, Chri…

“You can’t force change, all you can do is keep leading that example, and leading what the change could look like to them.” Every day, correctional officers in federal prisons across Canada go above and beyond to creative positive change in the lives of those in our care and custody. In the third and final episode of our “Behind the Badge” miniseri…

“It's different every day. It just doesn’t stop, it’s 24/7.” Correctional officers in federal prisons work hard to keep us safe. They work in shifts around the clock during days, weeknights, weekends and holidays. In this episode of our podcast, we continue our three-part miniseries, Behind the Badge, with Don, a correctional officer in his 16th ye…

“It wasn’t until I was in uniform that I realized how important this job is.” The work that Correctional Officers do can be challenging but also rewarding. They work hard to keep Canadians safe but also have a positive impact on the lives of those in our care and custody. Over the next several weeks, we’ll meet some of them in a new three-part seri…

Join us for this episode where we talk with two very special guests: CSC Commissioner Anne Kelly and CSC Deputy Commissioner of Indigenous Corrections, Kathy Neil. We’ll hear from them about the path that led to their successful careers, the challenges they overcame, and talk about what it’s like being a woman leader in corrections in their own wor…

Over the last several months, we've heard a lot about the transfer of offenders between different security levels in federal prisons. In this episode, we are diving into the details on how and why exactly these transfers can happen. Join us as Kory Abrams, Assistant Warden of Interventions, takes us behind-the-scenes to break down the operations of…

Have you ever wondered what it’s like beyond the walls of our federal prison system in Canada? In this first episode of Prisons Inside/Out, we answer some of your most frequently asked questions to explore just that. Join us as we take a deep dive into Correctional Service Canada (CSC) to investigate the complexities and myths that surround our sys…

Listen to CSCs full statement re: Blaine Phibbs and Ashley Smith. For a full breakdown of the statement, listen to Blaine Phibbs part 4.By As you were

Join us as we break down some of the things Blaine spoke about in his interview, including suicide watch, behaviour watch, the difference between mens and women institutions and PTSI/C-PTSI. Listen to what other staff members from GVI had to say about Blaine's interview, and as we break down the statement from Correctional Service Canada. While we …

We continue our discussion with Blaine as he tells us about his experience during the Coroner's Inquest, how the death of Ashley Smith has affected his life, and how he has been able to move forward since. All information in this episode that was not provided by Blaine was found via online sources that are publicly available unless explicitly state…

This week we talk to Blaine and he tells us what it was like to work at GVI and work with Ashley while she was incarcerated there. He tells us about the staffing conditions, the management, Ashley's behaviour, his arrest, charges, and preliminary trial. All information in this episode that was not provided by Blaine was found via online sources tha…

Join us as we take you through the winding case into the Death of Ashley Smith, and the Correctional Officers who were charged in connection with her death in this four part series. In part 1, we set the stage for you, and provide an overview of Ashley's time inside correctional facilities, her death, the charges, court, and finally the coroners in…

We continue our discussion with Justin Law, retired firefighter/ paramedic, through his exposure therapy, the impact PTSI has had on his family, his return to work plan and lack of support from the Fire Department, as well as his retirement and new job!By As you were

Justin Law gives us an incredible retelling of his story--from the call that ended his career, through his many different PTSI treatment modalities, the impact PTSI has had on his relationships, his eventual brief return to work, and finally his retirement and new job! Welcome Justin!By As you were

Kelsey and Beckah talk about PTSD vs PSTI, societal perceptions of PTSI, signs and symptoms to watch for in yourself and your colleagues, criteria for PTSD diagnosis based on the DSM-5, and of course end with some crazy statistics and helpful interventions.By As you were

We discuss Joe's journey with PTSD and the strategies he has used to continue his career in law enforcement, even after his diagnosis.By As you were

A critical care nurse had a motor vehicle accident after a night shift when she fell asleep behind the wheel. Welcome to her story!By As you were

Today, we explore the relationship between shift work and sleep! We discuss the adrenaline-fatigue stress response, negative and positive aspects of shift work sleep, and touch on some strategies for sleep optimization. Enjoy! Please note that Beckah is not a licensed therapist, counsellor or psychologist, and any mention of therapies and technique…

Today we are talking to a Corrections Officer about the culture within the correctional center. She talks about the importance of a team mentality amongst officers and a ‘keeping the peace’ mindset between officers and inmates. We touch on families, burnout, and the importance of a positive attitude in order to thrive in such a volatile, intense wo…

Welcome to our first full-length episode! Today we are exploring the mental health impacts of a Nurse Death Investigator. TRIGGER WARNING: An additional trigger warning - this episode includes the mention of violence against children, and while no details are discussed, please take care when listening. Support: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/asyouwer…

Welcome to the as you were podcast, today we are exploring the mental health impacts of shift work as it relates to most First Responder professions. We will discuss shift patterns, gender differences, positive factors, and negative implications. Support: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/asyouwerepc www.asyouwere.ca References/resources www.asyouwere.c…

An introduction to the As you were podcast, including introductions from both Kelsey and Beckah, and how the podcast came to be! Support: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/asyouwerepc www.asyouwere.ca Music by AleXZavesa from PixaBay - “My Lonely Journey” Artwork by Emily Bromley (Owner of Wishbone Dog Co.) Beckah's study: https://www.proquest.com/docvi…