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Incorporating culture and religion into a correctional environment
Terry Hackett, Correctional Service of Canada
by Farhaan Ladhani, Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team
Kandahar may be a long way from the Fraser Valley, British Columbia but many of the lessons that Terry Hackett learned in his early days working for the Correctional Service of Canada have stayed with him. Today, Hackett is the director of the Correctional Service of Canada contingent with the Provincial Reconstruction Team based in Kandahar City.
As the senior Canadian correctional official in Afghanistan, Hackett is responsible for a team of three officers who mentor and train correctional officials in Kandahar. He works closely with Sarpoza prison senior management, assisting them in the development of a functional correctional institution that will complement other areas aimed at re-establishing security in Kandahar, a city that is considered to be at the heart of the insurgency.
On a typical day, he advises and mentors senior management through the myriad of challenges they face in operating a correctional facility in a conflict zone. No two days are alike, but the fundamentals remain the same, from human resources to security risk assessments.
“The real tangible outcome is not just about the facility but also about delivering skills that Afghans themselves can pass along to future corrections officers.”
Hackett’s story begins in small communities throughout British Columbia where he spent much of his time working with disadvantaged populations. In northern B.C., he worked with children at risk, adults on probation, and the families of children removed from their homes by social services. He was an important member of the community and worked closely with local Aboriginal leadership to find community-based solutions to community-based problems. These early experiences helped shape the way he approached his work in corrections.
Hackett says that virtually everything he has done in his professional career thus far has played a big role in preparing him for Kandahar.
“Corrections is a very operational organization and we constantly deal with high stress, high stakes situations and these abilities are essential in this environment. My experience in areas such as security, programs, policy, reintegration and administration all come together here.”
He credits his two and a half years as the Warden of Kwìkwèxwelhp Healing Village for demonstrating the power of a community and culture to effect positive and lasting change in an individual.
“Simply put, I firmly believe in the mission. I felt that I needed to be here, I love challenges, and I have an unbelievably supportive wife and family who understand why I needed to do this.”
