Re-evaluating the Path to Rehabilitation Through Inclusion: Education at the Prison for Women, 1965- 2000

As a fourth-year History and Concurrent Education student and a Kingston Penitentiary tour guide, I was drawn to write a historical narrative about education at the former Prison for Women (P4W) after conversations with colleagues who were former correctional officers. While embarking on this research project, I recognized that an annotated research guide would be best considering the topic’s understudied nature and dispersed sources. This research guide serves as a resource for individuals studying the history of education at the P4W in Kingston, Ontario, from 1965 until its decommissioning in 2000. It divides education at the P4W into three categories: academic, vocational, and recreational. As the only federal institution for women in Canada during this period, the P4W operated within a correctional system primarily designed for male inmates. Consequently, educational programs for women were limited, often replicating those in male institutions without adaptations to accommodate the unique and complex needs of female offenders. Despite extensive research on male penal institutions in Canada, the role of education as a rehabilitative tool for incarcerated women remains understudied. This guide addresses that gap, focusing on a period marked by significant prison education reforms at the P4W and the broader prison system. It compiles diverse perspectives, centring the often marginalized voices of inmates who directly experienced these programs. This guide includes newsletters from the P4W and the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC), articles from Queen’s University’s Queen’s Journal, interviews with former P4W educators, government reports, and other primary and secondary sources. By juxtaposing the official narratives of CSC with the lived experiences of inmates, educators, and observations of visitors, this guide provides a more nuanced understanding of education at the P4W. The purpose of this guide is to support and inspire further research on the history of prison education for women in Canada.