Correctional Services

The Correctional Facilities Committee of Greater Toronto Area Intergroup is responsible for supplying Chairpersons, Speakers, and Literature for A.A. Meetings at correctional centers, jails, detention centers, probation centers and similar institutions.

The Correctional Facilities Committee deals directly with the staff and personnel of corrections facilities - who are involved in treating alcoholics.

Going Inside Correctional Facilities

The fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous was in its seventh year when a pioneering warden at San Quentin Penitentiary asked nearby A.A.s to carry the message to alcoholics in the prison. He was heard to say, "If the A.A. program will help just one man, I want to start it." Today there are hundreds of A.A. groups behind the walls, as well as many Correctional Facilities Committees serving them. GTA Intergroup formed the Correctional Facilities Committee back in 1973. It comprises of one Correctional Chairperson and, preferably, an Alternate from each of the General Service Districts in our Area 83. Coordinated by a committee chairperson selected by the Operating Committee of Intergroup.

To become a Correctional Volunteer requires minimum continuous sobriety of one to two years. Because we are entering highly restricted areas, there are application forms to be completed and submitted to the facility where the individual would like to carry the message of recovery to our members on the inside. A government background check is completed. In some cases, a reference letter is requested by mail from someone given as a character reference. The A.A. member is then required to attend an one to two evening orientation meeting to become acquainted with procedures and guidelines for the institution. When all this has been completed, a identification tag with a recent photo on it is provided. By now a fairly good idea of the type of commitment needed is clear. For example, how many times a months one can be available to put on a meeting on the inside. It is suggested that our newly cleared members consider a minimum of once a month and commit for a one year period.

There are a lot of facilities available in the GTA area for correctional service work.

How to become a Corrections Volunteer in GTA:

Fill in the volunteer form here.

Corrections Correspondence Service

Any A.A. member who would like to carry the message in this way should contact:

Correctional Facilities Desk
P.O. Box 459
Grand Central Station
New York, N.Y.10163
Web site: www.aa.org
Tel: (212) 870-3085
Fax: (212) 870-3003
Email: corrections@aa.org