Program and Service Needs of Federally Incarcerated Métis ...

It is clear that institutional staff had a great deal of institutional experience with
Aboriginal offenders. It also appears that staff received some training from CSC on
Aboriginal issues in the past and have some knowledge of Aboriginal offenders in
general. However, staff had little knowledge concerning the needs of Métis offenders or
Métis culture generally. Moreover, while staff felt the needs of Métis offenders were
unique from other groups, they had a limited understanding of their specific issues.
While institutional staff did not feel that they held a good understanding of various
Aboriginal and Métis-specific issues, a large proportion expressed dissatisfaction with
their current level of knowledge and emphasized the need for more awareness.
Staff felt that greater awareness could be achieved through enhanced cultural training,
exposure to Métis communities and access to information and literature. Results
indicate that staff require and desire a greater awareness of diverse Aboriginal cultures.
In particular, a more thorough understanding of Métis offender needs and specific
cultural practices may be needed. Findings underscore the important role CSC plays in
responding to the needs of staff and helping them acquire the knowledge needed to
more fully understand their clientele.
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