Behind the Badge (Primary Workers)

In this episode, we'll hear directly from victims and survivors of crime who have used the Correctional Service of Canada's Victim Services Program, sharing their experiences and how they navigated the process. We’ll also hear from CSC's Victim Services team about the support they provide to victims and the difference their work makes in theirs and the victims’ lives.

Maintaining positive relationships with family, friends, and community supports plays an important role during incarceration. Visits help individuals stay connected, support emotional well being, and prepare for safe and successful reintegration into the community. They can be done in person, by video or through private family visiting.In this episode, we’ll hear from an Assistant Warden, an Institutional Parole Officer and an offender on CSC’s approach to visits, the types of visits available, and the measures in place to ensure safety, security, and respect for everyone involved.Visiting procedures, schedules, and certain operational processes may vary from one institution to another based on operational and security requirements. This conversation reflects local institutional practices that may differ from other institutions.

In this episode of Prisons Inside / Out, we’re thrilled to welcome our Commissioner, Talal Dakalbab, to the podcast. Having recently stepped into this role, he is beginning an important chapter not only for the organization, but also for the staff who work every day to keep Canadians safe while rehabilitating offenders. Tune in as Commissioner Dakalbab shares his perspective on the realities of his position and highlights the vital role that thousands of CSC employees across the country play every day. He also discusses what he’s been hearing from staff during his visits to institutions in his first few months on the job and takes rapid fire questions so staff and Canadians can get to know the person behind the title. 

CORCAN is a special operating agency within the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) that helps federally incarcerated individuals gain real-world job skills, work experiences, and confidence they can carry into life after release.Through hands-on, on-the-job-training, offenders work in an environments that mirror private-sector standards, producing real products and services used by government and community partners.In this episode, you’ll hear from Kevin, the Senior Director of Operations at CORCAN as he explains how CORCAN works to improve employability, support safe reintegration, and contribute to public safety by reducing the risk of reoffending.More information about CORCAN is available on our website: CORCAN

Traditional organized crime groups, outlaw motorcycle gangs, street gangs… On the outside, we think of them as criminal organizations. But inside Canada’s federal prisons, we refer to them as Security Threat Groups (STGs).STGs represent a complex and evolving challenge in federal prisons in Canada. But what exactly are these groups and how do they impact life in prison?In this episode, you’ll hear from Chris, a Senior Project Officer with more than 25 years of front-line experience at CSC, who explains how these groups influence safety, offender behaviour and reintegration efforts. He’ll also break down how these groups are monitored and the strategies CSC uses to maintain a safe and secure environment while supporting rehabilitation.

The Behind the Badge series is back, sharing the stories and voices of frontline staff across the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC). In this episode, we take you inside the world of CSC’s Emergency Response Teams (ERTs)—specialized units trained to respond to critical incidents within federal correctional institutions.You’ll hear from Patrick, an ERT member, who talks about the rigorous training, specialized equipment, and high-stakes situations they face. Whether responding to disturbances, conducting searches, or supporting institutional operations, ERTs are a cornerstone of CSC’s safety strategy.

Every federal prison in Canada has an inmate committee. But what do they actually do, and why does it matter? These elected groups of inmates represent the incarcerated population and play a very important role in maintaining an open line of communication between staff and inmates and bringing forward concerns about daily life, like food, programs, and living conditions. In this episode, we will learn more about inmate committees through conversations with Denise, an Assistant Warden at Nova Institution for Women, and an incarcerated women and inmate committee Chair.

Ever wondered what life is really like inside a federal women’s prison in Canada?Correctional services for women have been shaped by decades of evolution, beginning with the landmark Creating Choices report in 1990. In fact, the five principles that emerged from this report still guide our interventions with incarcerated women today.In this episode, we will learn more about the world of correctional services for women through conversations with Denise, an Assistant Warden at Nova Institution for Women, and Vanessa, an incarcerated woman.

In this episode, we explore how education transforms lives within Canada's federal correctional institutions. We’ll hear a teacher talk about his work, and we'll also hear from one of his students who reflects on the positive impacts education had on his life.Discover how education helps with rehabilitation, but also contributes to safer communities and reduced recidivism.

The Behind the Badge series is back, sharing the stories and voices of frontline staff across the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC). In this episode, we hear from Ashley, a Primary Worker at Nova Institution for Women in Truro, NS. Primary Workers like Ashley are essential to women’s corrections, they manage security, support rehabilitation and play a key role in case management.Tune in as Ashley shares what it’s like working inside a women’s prison, and the importance of dynamic and static security, in her own words.