CRM 3322 Lecture Notes - Lecture 18: Sweat Lodge

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Criminology
• Course: CRM 3322
• Professor: Kathryn Campbell

Document Summary

Past 5 years: 43% increase in the numbers behind bars; 3,400 - indigenous prisoners or 23% of the correctional population (4% of cdn population) Federal institutions: 1 in 4 first nations, inuit, or metis. Aboriginal spirituality programs in canadian prisons constitute a variant of symbolic healing. Healing : ensues after a period of involvement, must be culturally relevant, seen as spiritual, involves suggestion, catharsis, social restructuring. Prisoners problem is thus redefined in terms of family or social problems. Considerable overlap, for many inmates first exposure to aboriginal spirituality is in prison. Waldram (1993) researched 30 aboriginal prisoners in a forensic correctional facility to study consequence of cultural background for treatment. Traditional: spoke aboriginal language, little exposure to euro-canadian culture. Assimilated: either fostered or adopted and oriented to euro-canadian culture. Bicultural: spoke aboriginal language but comfortable in both worlds. Solicited data on involvement in prison spirituality programs. Elders: (central focus) role of psychologists, social worker, priest, educator, physician.