John Howard Society of NL
Address: 342 Pennywell Road, St. John’s, NL, A1E 1V9
| Tel: (709) 726-5500 Facebook: JohnHowardSociety Email: info@jhsnl.ca | Fax: (709) 726-5509 Website: johnhowardnl.ca Twitter: @JohnHowardNL |
Mandate:
To reduce crime by providing opportunities for the rehabilitation 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 Facilities
- Howard House: A community residential centre for adult male offenders on day parole, full parole, statutory release, a temporary absence, 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 release 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 Open Custody Facility: The Loretta Bartlett Home for Youth (LBHFY) is a gender-diverse, six-bed residential facility that provides evidence-based interventions aimed at achieving the best possible outcomes in crime prevention, reduction, and rehabilitation for young people. The facility serves youth who are sentenced to open custody as well as youth who have an order to reside, offering a structured, supportive environment that promotes accountability, personal growth, and successful reintegration. All referrals to LBHFY are made through the Department of Social Supports and Well-Being (SSWB).
Intervention Programs
Interventions are delivered using a trauma informed approach and designed to provide support, education and new coping strategies addressing intimate partner violence, trauma and addictions, positive parenting, emotional regulation, positive non-criminogenic behavior, impaired driving awareness and treatment for sexual related offences.
- Learning Resources Program (LRP) – St. John’s & Grand Falls: LRP offers trauma-informed group programs for individuals involved in the justice system. It addresses issues like addictions, violence, parenting, and emotional regulation, aiming to reduce recidivism through education, support, and healthy coping strategies.
- Community Based Intervention Program (CBIP) – Stephenville: CBIP provides rehabilitative group programs to justice-involved individuals in Stephenville, Port aux Basques, Corner Brook. It addresses factors contributing to criminal behavior with the goal of reducing recidivism.
- New Day Program – Her Majesty’s Penitentiary (HMP): New Day is a referral-based Program at HMP offering Intensive Case Management for individuals with mental health or concurrent disorders. Using a trauma-informed approach, it supports participants in custody with transition planning, counselling, and connecting to community resources for successful reintegration.
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:
- 1. Anger Solutions & Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Informed Program
- 2. Criminal Behaviour Awareness
- 3. Dad’s Program
- 4. Impaired Driving Workshops
- 5. Pathways to Acceptance and Recovery (PAR)
- 6. Safety and Repair (an intimate partner violence program)
- 7. Seeking Safety (a recovery program for addictions and trauma)
Institutional In-reach Programs
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.
HMP Library Program: The library at H.M.P. is staffed and operated by John Howard Society volunteers. Inmates have regular access to library resources.
Community Programs
Public Education and Advocacy
The John Howard Society of NL offers presentations to post-secondary institutions and community organizations on topics related to justice, rehabilitation, and crime prevention. For more information, call 709-726-5500.
Annual Children’s Christmas Party: Each year, the John Howard Society of NL hosts a Christmas Party for children of incarcerated or recently released parents. Referrals come from correctional services and JHS programs. The event is made possible by community donors and volunteers who provide food, entertainment, and gifts.