Our goal is to engage and support offenders to:
- change their behaviour; and
- become law-abiding citizens.
Find out about our approach
Our programming:
- reduces criminal behaviour;
- supports accountability;
- supports motivation; and
- supports reconnection with culture and community.
We offer targeted services to:
- medium and high-risk offenders; and
- medium and high-needs offenders.
Offenders can make productive use of their time through work and programming.
Staff supervision, role-modelling and leadership are based on:
- respectful and effective direction;
- communication;
- intervention; and
- support.
Our programming involves Elders and is a reflection of First Nations':
- cultures;
- practices; and
- spirituality.
Our programs are designed for male and female offenders.
Programming and reintegration involves:
- community; and
- community-based resources
Evidence-based programming to address criminal behaviour
Changing offending behaviour or cognitive skills program
This program targets:
- antisocial thoughts; and
- cognitive skills deficits.
This program uses a behavioural approach including:
- modelling;
- rehearsing; and
- rewarding.
This program is based on interactive journaling. It's a structured and experiential writing process. This process leads people towards positive life change.
The list of journals provided to inmates includes:
- Peer Relationship;
- Self-Control;
- Responsible Thinking;
- Substance Abuse;
- Social Values;
- Family Ties Skills; and
- Successful Living.
Living without violence program
This program helps offenders:
- identify precursors and patterns that lead to violent behaviour;
- identify triggers and high-risk situations;
- design a self-management plan; and
- examine the impact of violence on themselves and others.
Substance-abuse management program
This program addresses the following aspects of addiction:
- spiritual;
- social;
- biological; and
- psychological.
Offenders can develop practical strategies. Those can reduce the consequences of substance abuse.
Sexual offenders treatment and maintenance programs
These national programs manage the risk of re-offending. The treatment component is provided by:
- psychologists; and
- counsellors.
The maintenance portion is provided by:
- case managers;
- psychologists and counsellors; and
- probation officers.
Emotions management for women program
This program promotes:
- self-awareness;
- motivation;
- empathy; and
- social skills.
It addresses:
- cognitive distortions;
- thinking errors; and
- deals with anger management.
Life and job readiness programs
Yukon College has a campus at the Whitehorse Correctional Centre. Yukon College delivers:
- basic upgrading courses;
- industrial training certificates; and
- culture-based courses.
Among those are:
- level-1 First Aid;
- industry safety;
- Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System;
- résumé writing;
- Food Safe;
- financial management;
- Alcoholics Anonymous; and
- Changing Paths: Life Skills (for female offenders).
The Justice Wellness Centre provides:
- addictions counselling;
- employment, education and skills development;
- talking circles; and
- recreational programs and a leisure area for clients.
Work programs
These programs provide inmates with opportunities to:
- engage in positive and constructive activities; and
- gain practical job skills.
This can help inmates reintegrate into the community. Inmates who work earn a wage of $1.50 to $6.50 per day.
- Sentenced inmates are required to work.
- Remanded inmates can volunteer for work programs.
Outside work crew
Low-risk inmates have worked on projects such as:
- Habitat for Humanity;
- renovations to Angel’s Nest Youth Shelter;
- Mae Bachur Animal Shelter;
- building sand and toy boxes for the Kwanlin Dün daycare;
- donation boxes for the food bank;
- trail markers for the Yukon Quest sled dog race;
- a log house in Carcross;
- information kiosks for Parks Canada; and
- a garden program for male and female inmates:
- vegetable donations are provided to the Whitehorse Food Bank and the Golden Age Society.
Inside work crew
Inside work crew work in the:
- kitchen;
- laundry;
- admissions area; and
- as part of a cleaning crew.
First Nations programs and services
Corrections works with Yukon First Nations to deliver correctional services and programs, incorporating Indigenous cultural heritage.
Chaplaincy
Chaplaincy provides spiritual support through:
- multi-faith services; and
- counselling.
Medical care
The correctional centre has a well-equipped medical unit with 5 full-time nurses and a medical manager.
- Nursing care is available 16 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- A physician attends the centre weekly to see inmates referred by nursing staff.
- A public health nurse attends once a week to see self-referred clients.
- On-site emergency dental services are available.
- A local optometry practice provides optical care to inmates as needed.
Mental health
A psychologist is on contract for:
- psychological assessments;
- cognitive functioning assessments;
- mental health assessments;
- grief counselling; and
- consultations with case managers and probation officers.
A psychiatrist visits the correctional centre on a weekly basis. Referrals are made through the correctional centre’s physician.