John Howard Society of NL 

Address: 342 Pennywell Road, St. John’s, NL, A1E 1V9 

Mandate:

To reduce crime by providing opportunities for the rehabilitation of offenders and advocating reform through successful program interventions; public education; crime prevention strategies; and restorative justice principles.

Target Population:

Men, women and youth involved in the criminal justice system or those who may be at risk.

Highlights of Programs/Services Offered:

Residential Services 

• Howard House: A community residential centre for adult male offenders on day parole, full parole, statutory release, a temporary release, or a probation order. (St. John’s). 
• West Bridge House: A community residential facility for male and female offenders released on Day Parole, Full Parole, Statuary Release, Temporary Absence or Probation Order (Stephenville). 
• Garrison Place: Provides permanent supported housing to both male and female adults (St. John’s). Referrals come through End Homelessness St. John’s Coordinated Access. 
• Home For Youth: Young people participating in the program have been sentenced to a period of Open Custody by the Youth Court. (St. John’s) 
• Loretta Bartlett Home For Youth: Youth are sentenced to a period of Open Custody by the Youth Court and/or the Director of Child Youth, and Family Services can have a young person placed on an Order to Reside Designation. (Corner Brook). 

Employment/Training Services  

• Employment Service Program (ESP): Provides support to individuals who are looking to make positive changes in their lives. Employment Practitioners will assist participants with resume building, job interview skills, educational/employment opportunities, as well as, helping with other community referrals. 
• Employment Programs: Linkages, Upskills, In Motion and Momentum+ and Training Courses are programs offered through Employment Services.  
• Record Suspension Support: A record suspension (formerly pardon) allows people who were convicted of a criminal offence, but have completed their sentence and demonstrated they are law-abiding citizens for a prescribed number of years, to have their criminal record kept separate and apart from other criminal records. Employment Practitioners are available to assist individuals through each step of the process. 

Interventions  

• Learning Resource Program (LRP) in St. John’s and the Community Based Intervention Program (CBIP) in Stephenville comprises of seven intervention programs that are delivered in both group and individual formats. The programs are designed to support participants in taking responsibility for their actions and decisions, and educate participants on coping strategies for responding to challenges. The goal of LRP and CBIP is to reduce recidivism rates by concentrating on the individual criminogenic needs of participants. LRP and CBIP offer the following programs:
  • Anger Management  
  • Criminal Behaviour Awareness  
  • Dad’s Program  
  • Impaired Driving Workshops  
  • Pathways to Acceptance and Recovery (PAR) – Programming for individuals who have a history of sex offences  
  • Safety and Repair (an intimate partner violence program)  
  • Safety (a recovery program for addictions and trauma)  

Prison Services 

• Annual Family Prison Visit: Selected families from various locations in Newfoundland and Labrador will visit inmates serving sentences in Federal Institutions in the Maritimes. Provides transportation and accommodations for families of Newfoundland inmates. 
• 1-2-1 Prison Visitation Program: Offers support to prisoners during, and after, their imprisonment through contact with “friendship volunteers” from outside 
• H.M.P. This is on a one-to-one basis. 
• Prison Library Program: The library at H.M.P. is staffed and operated by John Howard Society volunteers. Inmates have regular access to library resources. 

Other Services 

• Public Education and Advocacy