Hi all,
Please see the amended post below, with an extended deadline, information about the honorarium, as well as expanded criteria for participation.
Many thanks,
Sandra
CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS: Former federal prisoners and their family members/close friends (honorarium offered)
Video Advocacy Project on Human Rights and Prison Needle/Syringe Programs
In Canada, rates of HIV and hepatitis C infections among prisoners are at least 10 and 30 times higher, respectively, than in the population as a whole. One of the main reasons for this is the sharing of used needles to inject drugs. Yet, in spite of the overwhelming evidence of the benefits of prison-based needle and syringe programs (PNSPs), no Canadian prison permits the distribution of sterile injection equipment to prisoners. Prisoners’ health has suffered as a result — a reality that is costly to public health and to the public purse. It is also a violation of the human rights of prisoners.
This video advocacy project, being carried out by the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network (www.aidslaw.ca) and partners, will put a human face on the prison experience by interviewing both people previously incarcerated in federal prisons for a drug-related offence or who were dependent on drugs while in prison, and their family members and close friends. We will hear firsthand how prison has affected the lives of prisoners and their loved ones, many of whom need treatment for their drug use or mental illness — not hard time, where they are more vulnerable to violence, overcrowding and blood-borne infections.
The Legal Network hopes to raise public awareness of the plight of Canadian prisoners through short, compelling video clips and commentary that highlight the fact that prisoners are mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, friends and contributing members of our community. We want to explore how the failed “war on drugs” has impacted prisoners and their loved ones.
We will interview five former prisoners and friends and family members of prisoners about how prison has affected them, and discuss how the absence of PNSPs continues to pose a threat to their loved ones’ health. Because we are focusing our advocacy efforts on getting PNSPs in federal prisons, we will only be able to interview people who have done time in federal prisons and their friends or family members. Once the video clips have been filmed, the Legal Network and partners will disseminate the clips on websites and through social media. We hope that the general public and policy makers will come to see the importance of having PNSPs and change policy and laws.
Who?
We are seeking individuals in the Toronto area only:
who have been incarcerated in a federal prison for a drug-related offence and/or while they were dependent on drugs;
who injected drugs behind bars; and
family members or friends of those individuals.
If you fit these criteria, email us by Wednesday, December 14th, 2011 at: schu@aidslaw.ca with your phone number and tell us also:
- What factors led to your (or your friend’s or family member’s) imprisonment?
- What was your (or your friend’s or family member’s) experience injecting drugs behind bars?
- What message would you like to send policy makers about the importance of PNSPs?
- Are you willing to appear on camera?
Given our limited budget, we can only feature five interviews of people fitting our criteria and we strive to interview men and women (including transgender men and women) who represent a diversity of experiences and backgrounds. For each interview, we will offer a $100 honorarium (if this is a joint interview, each participant will receive $50). We are especially interested in interviewing a former prisoner together with his or her family member or friend.
Interviews will take no longer than 45 minutes.
After the December 14th deadline, we will review all submissions and follow up with everyone who emailed us. While we appreciate everyone’s interest, we will only be able to film five interviews, though we will try to reflect, to the best of our ability, everyone’s perspective on PNSPs in the final videos.
Why now?
Under the current Canadian Government, it is highly unlikely that PNSPs will be implemented. Yet, the urgency for PNSPs has never been more pressing. With new legislation expected to add to overcrowding, violence and the number of people using drugs in prison, the public needs to be aware of the health risks associated with inadequate harm reduction measures in prison and how it affects them — especially when prisoners ultimately re-enter their community.
____________________________
Sandra Ka Hon Chu
Senior Policy Analyst
Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network
+1 416 595-1666 ext. 232
Analyste principale des politiques
Réseau juridique canadien VIH/sida
+1 416 595-1666 (poste 232)
