Myself. Having had the opportunity to be a manager in Her Majesties Prisons in the UK for 8 1/2 years. I have witnessed first hand the stresses and abilities of Prison Officers. In Canada I have worked casual at Sleepy Hollow in PEI. The officers who work in Canada's primary peniteniaries and facilities, have a diificult job at best. However a group of dedicated correctional officers also work in Afghanistan and Haiti. Again I must say having lived and worked in Algeria, Azerbaijan and Kazakstan the prisons there are disgraceful to any form of humanity. So I can imagine the Culture Shock when a Canadian Correctional Officer sees the prisons in Afghanistan. These men and women volunteer for up to a year at a time to instruct Afghan Corrections staff and to show them the proper humane way to operate a prison facility. Along with the daily threat of IED's as they travel between camps and prisons, the knowledge that the Afghan Correctional Officers, are for the most part illiterate and not as healthy as the job requires. Well done to our Fine Canadian Mentoring teams. Canada Thanks you.
Correctional Service of Canada
www.csc-scc.gc.ca Afghanistan In September 2002, CSC joined the Department of Justice in an assessment of justice in Afghanistan. Since June 2003, Canada has seconded a senior CSC manager as the Corrections Advisor to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) to advise on the development of corrections in Afghanistan, coordinate UNAMA correctional affairs, and support the Government of Afghanistan in its efforts to cultivate a modern correctional system. This function continues to be renewed on a yearly basis.
In February 2007, two correctional experts were assigned to the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Kandahar to train and provide mentoring to front-line staff and prison administrators in order to build long-term capacity for humane prison administration that is responsive to the rule of law and respects international standards.
These activities are supported and funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT).
Front Gate Sarposa Prison
4 Canadian Mentors and Senior Afghan Prison Officials.
Kevin Cluett. He's one of four Canadian corrections officers in all of Afghanistan: one works with the national government in Kabul, one is a senior leadership mentor for the local prison warden and supervisor of the crew at the KPRT, and two are mentors and trainers to the guards at Sarposa prison. Kevin is a trainer.
With twelve years as a Corrections Officer, he had to undergo a competitive process to earn his one-year slot here at the KPRT. He's been on the ground since May of 2008, but was also involved in the Roto's training at CFB Wainwright prior to deployment. Correctional Service of Canada's ultimate objective in the mission is to work with the Afghans to get their prison system up to international standards. Not to Canadian standards, mind you, Kevin's careful to stress, to international standards.
What he's teaching is a six-week Basic Officer Training Program. It's broken into three phases. Phase 1 is a mix of mostly classroom lectures: communication skills, human rights standards, the Afghan constitution, first aid, etc. Phase 2 is what we were watching: control techniques and practical situations. A CF instructor also provides basic weapons training to the guards as well. Phase 3 deals with more complex problems: cell extractions, aggressive prisoners, riot control, and the like.
The course is being taught to all the guards at Sarposa. That's right, Basic Training comes after they're already working. Welcome to Afghanistan, where letting the perfect be the enemy of the good would mean nothing ever got done. Family Visiting Area
So faithful readers, yet another of Canadians working in far away places. For God Queen and Country.
As Canada Day approaches say a prayer or have a little thought for all our people in harms way.As well as the members of Canada's Invisible Army.
Have a wonderful safe Happy Canada Day wherever you may be. Afghanistan, Haiti, Kosovo and naturally Canada ! ! !
Nil Sine labore
Robby
