The compilation and drafting of the International Prison Policy Development Instrument involved the contributions and assistance of a number of key individuals and organizations from around the world over the past couple of years. Special thanks go to Mr. Jean Paul Laborde of the United Nations Centre for International Crime Prevention in Vienna, for it was through discussions with him that the need and inspiration for such an instrument came to be realized.

This instrument is a compilation of standards and policies from many national and international sources. The proposed policies included in the Instrument are based primarily on material from the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) and the Corrections Branch of the British Columbia Ministry of Attorney General. I would like to thank both of these organizations, the Commissioner of the CSC at the time, Dr. Ole Ingstrup, and the Assistant Deputy Minister of the BC Corrections, Mr. Don Demers, for their support and contributions. I would also like to thank Warden Mitch Kassen and Unit Manager Jack Kline of Bowden Institution (CSC) whose respective contribution at the field level were most crucial to this project.

The development of the Instrument involved researching various United Nations and other international prison-related standards followed by the synthesis and formatting of the resulting large volume of material. I would like to thank students Ms. Leanne Salel, Ms. Lorna Lynch, Ms. Heidi Kralik and Ms. Mikala Grante for their invaluable assistance in this regard.

Following the first draft of the instrument, an experts meeting was held in Kampala, Uganda to introduce the instrument, explore countries’ individual needs for such a tool, and to assess the usefulness of the information contained therein. The following individuals participated in the meeting and I thank them for their comments and input: Mr. Joseph A. A. Etima, Commissioner, Uganda Prison Service (UPS); Mr. Onel E. Malisa, Commissioner Tanzania Prison Service; Mr. Evaristus Shikongo, Commissioner Namibia Ministry of Prisons and Correctional Services (NPCS); Dr. Kurt Neudek and Mr. George Edanyu, Assistant Commissioners UPS; Mr. John Nyoka, Assistant Commissioner NPCS; Professor Leonard Shaidi, University of Dar Es Salaam; Mr. Livingston Sewanyana and Ms Christine Achieng, Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (Kampala, Uganda); Mr. Willie Coetzee and Mr. Willie Clack, Technikon SA; Mr. Ahmed Othmani, Penal Reform International; and Dr. Misamba Sita, United Nations Africa Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (UNAFRI). I would also like to thank the former and current Directors of UNAFRI, Mr. Isam Abugideri and Mr. Eric Kibuka, as well as the many other UNAFRI staff, for hosting the meeting and for their coordination assistance. Special thanks to Ms. Monique Trépanier of the International Centre who provided the overall coordination for this event.

Finally, I would like to thank the CSC and in particular, Commissioner Lucie McClung, Assistant Commissioner, Corporate Policy Mr. Michel Roy and Director General of Intergovernmental Affairs Ms. Karen Wiseman, for their ongoing support and commitment to the International Centre’s activities and the collaborative programme of work with the CSC. Without this support the development of this Instrument would not have been possible.

Brian Tkachuk, Director Corrections programme