The Inside Out Prison: The Story of Beaver Creek Minimum Security Institution

The Inside Out Prison is the true story of a bold, low-cost “correctional experiment” begun in 1961 to make Canadians safer. Beaver Creek Correctional Camp, housed in a former Commonwealth air training base with no fences or weapons, would grow into Beaver Creek Institution, a minimum-security prison housing more than 200 inmates, 30 percent of whom would be lifers. The most important part of this history is how the staff, the community residents, and volunteers gave inmates an opportunity to change their lives. This symbiotic relationship between Corrections Canada and Muskoka epitomized the best of Canadian corrections, in the opinion of the author, who was the last indeterminate warden of this minimum-security prison facility. 

 

Charles Stickel captures the colourful dynamics between the staff and inmates and residents of the Gravenhurst area. His book is full of stories peppered with humour, which illustrate how a small number of staff effectively controlled a large number of inmates in a caring, practical, and meaningful way. It is a must read for those contemplating a career in corrections; plus an easy, enjoyable and funny read for the public, offering amazing insights into the valuable role a minimum-security institution can play in returning offenders successfully to the community. 

—Oliver Doyle, Professor, Sir Sandford Fleming College

 

Detailed and thorough, The Inside Out Prison brings to light an often-forgotten period of correctional innovation, when minimum security camps like Beaver Creek were opened far removed from the old, walled penitentiaries that typify prisons to most Canadians. Little has been written about these institutions, so this well-researched book is an important step in broadening our collective understanding. It is refreshing to read a book about a prison that focuses not on notoriety, escapes, and violence but on the difficult work, perseverance, trust, and community support that made Beaver Creek unique.

—Cameron Willis, Researcher and Operations Supervisor, Canada’s Penitentiary Museum

 

Charles Stickel has written a very readable book that provides a rare look at corrections history at Beaver Creek, likely unfamiliar to most. Having had hundreds of civilian-escorted inmates at our church services in the past, I read this book with great interest.

—Peter Ryttersgaard, Pastor