LAWS 3307 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: John Howard Society, Hazeldean Road, Ottawa Catholic School Board
GUEST LECTURER:
• Hal Grossner (Probation Officer): halgrossner@sympatico.ca
HAL GROSSNER
Notes
• Ministry of Children and Youth Services (youth probation) vs. Ministry of Community Safety
and Correctional Services (adult probation)
• 3 phases of criminal justice:
o Investigation
o Court: Crown presents evidence at either trial or guilty plea
o Sentence Implementation or Public Administration phase
• Traditionally probation officers are involved after sentencing, but 2 exceptions:
o prepare PSRs (PO takes proactive approach to come up with meaningful consequences,
in order to promote public safety)
o Recently, November /12, PO’s now work with youths who are in remand, i.e., a new
responsibility to be a support and to come up with an individualized release plan
• Typically responsible for around 30 probationers, can go up to 40; the new detention initiative
adds a few to each PO
• Risk/Need Assessment: done for every client either before or after sentencing, depending on the
PO. Also done every 12 months, or if there is a major change in the youth’s life
• Goals of probation must be “SMART”: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic (or Results
oriented), Timely
• Sentences are stiffer in Ontario than in Québec; conditions are stiffer; also in Québec there are
more non-reporting probation orders, i.e., probationers do not have to report to a PO
GUEST LECTURER:
• Jessica Race
o John Howard Society, NRAC Program
o jrace@jhsottawa.ca; 613.842.0999 X231
JOHN HOWARD SOCIETY – Common belief is that JHS supports offenders but it provides services to
many others.
Mandate – Effective, Just and Humane Responses to Crime, its Causes and Consequences through
services that:
Prevent Crime, Reduce Poverty and Build Self Sufficiency
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
There are 3 service departments:
1. Adult Justice Services
2. Child and Youth Services
3. Employment and Training
Child and Youth Services – There are services that range
from Preventing youth from being system involved, to
supporting those who are involved due to criminal charges:
both preventative and rehabilitative services.
→ Prevention and intervention for at-risk to high-risk
youth
→ Committed to supporting youth in making changes
to avoid involvement or re-involvement in the
justice system
→ Effective intervention
→ Commitment to evidence-based practices
→ Research to determine and demonstrate impact on
future offending
CHOICES: SCHOOL BASED PREVENTION INTIATIVE
–
→ Partnership with the OCSB
→ Voluntary programming that takes place during school
hours within 2 inner city Ottawa Jr high schools
→ Recognizes the importance of education in supporting a
YP away from potential involvement in the CJS
→ Clients are identified as high risk through
teacher/guidance referrals and individual assessments
→ Programs are based on NRAC programming that has been modified to suit the younger clientele
→ Programming for both males and females
ON POINT –
→ A program offered in partnership between youturn Youth Support Services and the John Howard
Society of Ottawa
→ Prevention/Intervention services to support youth who are involved in, at-risk of being involved
in, or affected by, gang activities
→ Services are reflective and responsive to the youth, community and family needs
Enhancing or establishing protective factors can reduce the likelihood of gang involvement and other
antisocial behaviours. Depending on the need service options will include brief individual case
management (4-12 sessions); Age and gender responsive structured groups (8 sessions); Parent group
therapy (8 sessions). Content will include gang awareness, employment and training supports, parenting
skills, cultural and community education, drugs and alcohol education. In addition to services directly
provided to youth, supplemental services will be available in collaboration with community partners
including youth outreach workers in identified communities (Boys and Girls club), Parenting supports
(Health Unit), Parenting skills (youturn CPS parent group therapy), Cultural education (OCISO) and early
prevention support (Champlain Youth Justice Service collaborative), Employment (JHS Employment
Ontario site), Anger Management and Drug and alcohol education (JHS and youturn evidence based
structured curriculum)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
OTTAWA COMMUNITY YOUTH DIVERSION –
→ Partnership with the Ottawa Community Youth Diversion Program, operated through the Boys
and Girls Club
→ Clients are referred by their Diversion Caseworker in order to fulfill the conditions of their EJM
or EJS requirements
→ Clients can be referred as a pre or post charge EJM
→ Gender-specific groups or individual work
Focus:
→ peer influences
o healthy relationships
→ anger/aggression
o role of thoughts & thinking in risky and criminal behaviour
→ Support youth in being accountable for their actions
HOW NRAC CAME TO BE –
- Federal legislative shifts from the YOA to the YCJA
- The Ottawa NRAC program was created in March 2005 as a non-custodial sentencing option as
identified in the YCJA
- The NRAC program is a continued plan from the Youth Justice Division of the Ministry of
Children and Youth Services to decrease reliance on custody and further intensive community-
based interventions
There are two locations in Ottawa: Montreal Road and Hazeldean Road. The goals of these units is to:
1. Reduce offending behaviour by targeting specific risk areas as identified through the assessment
process
2. Develop an individualized intervention plan that targets the areas that place the youth at risk for
further involvement in the criminal justice system.
3. Provide intensive counselling and programming specific to the identified risk areas
The program is intended for moderate to high risk youth who require intervention in multiple
criminogenic need areas:
• Eligible clients include justice-involved youth, between 12 and 18 years of age, who are
sentenced to a probation order to attend for up to 240 hours within a six month period.
• Youth who have a condition to attend counselling as directed by their probation officer may also
be referred.
The Process –
- Youth are assigned a counsellor who works with them throughout their involvement in the
program (Referral, Approval, Assignment, Review)
- At intake, counsellor’s complete a thorough assessment of the youth’s criminogenic risk factors.
(YASI, Static, Dynamic, Protective)
- In collaboration with Probation Case Managers specific target areas are selected for intervention.
(Most bang for the buck)
- Youth attend for individual and group counselling in only the identified areas that put them most
at risk to re-offend. (Level of service, Risk level)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Guest lecturer: hal grossner (probation officer): halgrossner@sympatico. ca. Jessica race: john howard society, nrac program jrace@jhsottawa. ca; 613. 842. 0999 x231. John howard society common belief is that jhs supports offenders but it provides services to many others. Mandate effective, just and humane responses to crime, its causes and consequences through services that: Prevent crime, reduce poverty and build self sufficiency. There are 3 service departments: adult justice services, child and youth services, employment and training. Child and youth services there are services that range from preventing youth from being system involved, to supporting those who are involved due to criminal charges: both preventative and rehabilitative services. Prevention and intervention for at-risk to high-risk youth. Committed to supporting youth in making changes to avoid involvement or re-involvement in the justice system. Research to determine and demonstrate impact on future offending. Voluntary programming that takes place during school hours within 2 inner city ottawa jr high schools. Recognizes the importance of education in supporting a.
