Corrections
Corrections
The Area 79 Corrections Committee
Committee Purpose
Our purpose is to carry the AA message to alcoholics in correctional systems through the activities of AA members, groups and committees. We do this by assisting individuals, groups and districts in carrying the AA message to alcoholics confined in correctional facilities, recently released from jail, or participating in a correctional program. The committee has been focusing on information which will go up on this web site, which will include institutional meeting lists and information on the Pre-Release Program. Federal clearance forms are available from the Corrections Committee Chair.
The corrections chair is also responsible for ensuring an Area 79 presence at two semi-annual, week long John Howard Society Information Fairs in the Pacific Region, in April and September. The corrections committee provides AA literature to ‘inside’ AA groups and encourages ‘outside’ AA members to assist in this project, either by donating new or used AA literature or by contributing to its purchase through donations to “Pink Can” program(s), locally or at AA events.
Further Information
- For anyone interested in learning more about carrying the message inside the walls of Federal Correctional Facilities in Area 79, visit the Corrections area of A.A.’s World Services Website.
- For information from Corrections Services Canada, visit the Volunteer pages on the Corrections Services Website.
Job Description
Corrections Committee Chair
The corrections chair works with the area Area Service Committee (ASC) and assigned district committee members (DCMs) to carry the A.A. message to those inside the walls at all nine federal institutions in Area 79. These facilities have active AA groups which hold regular meetings. This position is also the primary point of contact for outside AA members who wish to volunteer to attend inside meetings. Any persons who wish to pursue this assignment should be aware that Corrections Service Canada (CSC) clearance is required in order to enter the federal institutions. This position also requires some extended travel and time commitments.
Duties
- Maintain contact with the correctional AA groups through each facility’s special programs officer (SPO).
- Encourage A.A. members to obtain CSC volunteer clearance in order to attend regularly scheduled A.A. meetings inside the federal institutions.
- Encourage both inside and outside A.A. members to sign up for the area’s pre-release contact program. This puts an incarcerated member in contact with an A.A. member on the outside prior to release.
- Receive the completed Pre-release forms, respond to the inside member by regular mail, and distribute the completed form to the appropriate District Corrections Chair or DCM.
- Encourage AA members to participate in the Corrections Correspondence Service program sponsored by the General Service Office, sharing their experience, strength and hope with incarcerated AA members.
- Maintain an updated list of all scheduled AA meetings at each of the federal institutions.
- Ensure that Area 79 is represented, and AA literature is provided, at the semi-annual week-long info fairs hosted by the John Howard Society. These are held at each of the nine federal institutions.
- Assist local intergroup and/or district corrections committees when requested.
- Distribute AA literature and pre-release contact forms to all institutional groups.
- Duties common to all ASC members, listed on the ASC page.
