In early June, USJE member Jason Zambo, federal Parole Officer and President of Local 00056, met with Conservative MP Lianne Rood to discuss USJE’s report, The Mental Health and Well-being of Canadian Federal Parole Officers: A Qualitative Investigation.
Written by public safety expert Dr. Rosemary Ricciardelli and released in May, USJE’s report describes the untenable levels of occupational stress experienced by federal Parole Officers who supervise Canada’s highest risk offenders. The report’s urgent recommendations are to:
- Reduce caseload sizes
- Provide backfill when Parole Officers are on annual or extended leave
- Hire additional indeterminate Parole Officers, and
- Improve Parole Officer training
In addition to the meeting with MP Rood, Jason was able to connect with other members of the Conservative Caucus. USJE is pleased that MP Rood and other members of the Conservative caucus have committed to convening a roundtable on urgent issues and barriers affecting USJE members.