Ottawa sex offender rehabilitation program could close without new funding

[Jim Burton]

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/circles- ... ity-ottawa

For many people who’ve been convicted of sexual offences, restorative justice programs are a lifeline.

Most struggle with reintegration. Many may have lost their family connections and been excluded from the wider community, according to the John Howard Society. Others struggle with trauma from being incarcerated, where they can face ostracization and violence.

It would seem, then, that reducing recidivism would be a high priority for all levels of government.

[Jim Burton]

Also elsewhere:

https://www.dailycamera.com/2026/01/11/ ... editorial/

Colorado’s sex offender rehabilitation program is a mess.

After creating aspirational standards for offender rehabilitation, our state has systematically failed to provide the treatment — and political backbone — necessary to see the system succeed. By failing to give offenders the tools and opportunity for rehabilitation, Colorado has left inmates languishing in prison after their parole eligibility date and has fallen short of providing the best possible opportunity for ensuring public safety.

In 1998, Colorado overhauled the system for sentencing and monitoring sex offenders. In theory, the changes were pragmatic and progressive. The legislation created “indeterminate” sentences, with no set release date, for those convicted of sex offences in order to mandate that they receive treatment prior to being paroled.

Essentially, instead of being given a fixed prison term, sex offenders are given indeterminate sentences in order to require them to complete treatment before returning to society.

In theory, this is a practical system that, by prioritizing treatment, also prioritizes public safety. Treatment for sex offenders has been proven to work, reducing the likelihood of recidivism — thereby making our communities safer.

The problem is, after creating this new system, Colorado and the state Department of Corrections have since continually failed to provide enough therapists to meet the needs of offenders awaiting treatment.