The Final Transition

Another piece of the reintegration puzzle is dealing with offenders at the end of their lives.  Our Correctional System is not well equipped to deal with aging and terminally ill people inside institutions.  For example, there are certain medications that prisoners cannot have, even with a prescription, because they may end up in the hands of another inmate.  Many people are also surprised to learn that prisons are not entirely wheelchair accessible.

CSC has made provision for offenders in certain situations to receive parole on compassionate grounds.  To assist in this difficult transition PCC has been working in the area of palliative care.  For example, Mark has inoperable lung cancer and was released from Bath Institution on parole with only a few months to live.  That was over three years ago.  The care Mark has experienced made a great impact on his life.  One significant opportunity Mark had was meeting with some of his victims for several hours.  During that time they were able to express their feelings about how they had been impacted by his actions and he was able to offer his sincere apologies.  Through this process healing began on both sides.