Elizabeth Fry Society

The Elizabeth Fry Society of Saint John was established in Saint John in April 1987, and has been a resource to women who are criminalized, marginalized, victimized or at risk of becoming in volved in the Criminal Justice System. We operate out of our office located at 68 Carleton Street and within the community through the generation financial donations as well as volunteers. To volunteer with E. Fry, click here.

Rebels with a Cause Learn More

The Elizabeth Fry Society in Saint John is committed to:
-remedy socio-economic conditions that contribute to involvement in criminal activity;
-assist women and their families in the Greater Saint John Community;
-assist women who are incarcerated provincially and federally;
-address underlying systemic or individual issues for women who are marginalized, at risk, or in the criminal justice system;
-create a supportive community, and to ensure that the women we serve are given the opportunity to participate fully in their communities;
-advocate for the provision of programs and services, and to develop such programs and services where they do not exist;
-to advocate for change and reform in the criminal justice system;
-ensure that individual rights of women are protected.
More information about us.

ADVOCACY has been one of the main endeavors of E. Fry Saint John. Since 1987, as volunteers visitor at the Saint John Regional Correctional Centre, we have become aware of the ravages of addiction on the women and the presence of alcoholism in their immediate families. It appears that these people cannot readily access the services that exist in the community, or that they require treatment that is not available. Therefore, we have lobbied successive provincial governments for the past fifteen years to provide long-term intensive rehabilitation for the addicted people who are begging for help, some of whom have died for lack of treatment. Counseling and support are desperately needed for their families, who are victims themselves of this vicious disease, and might deter them from future involvement in criminal activity. It seems that politicians will only act when there is a huge public outcry to protest against a situation that is reprehensible and unjust. Please telephone or write to your member of the legislative assembly at P.O. Box 6000, Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1.

CAEFS (The Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies) is an association of self-governing, community-based Elizabeth Fry Societies that work with and for women and girls in the justice system, particularly those who are, or may be, criminalized. Together, Elizabeth Fry Societies develop and advocate the beliefs, principles and positions that guide CAEFS. The association exists to ensure substantive equality in the delivery and development of services and programs through public education, research, legislative and administrative reform, regionally, national and internationally.. To learn more about our Sister Societies, click here.

E. Fry Saint John hosted Kim Pate, Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies, at a well-attended workshop on April 17, 2008. The theme was “Mobilize the Community – Developing Resources in our Communities that will Provide Alternatives to Incarceration for Women.” She spoke about the criminalization of women with mental illness and how some of them find themselves incarcerated due to lack of community support. We look forward to having Kim Pate with us in the near future to conduct another workshop.

Contribute

Our Society is only sustainable with generous donations. Please consider making an online donation to the Elizabeth Fry Society of Saint John, New Brunswick through canadahelps.org.

You may also make a donation directly at our office located at 68 Carleton Street in Uptown Saint John.

Tax Receipts Available.

"The Volunteers care. It is important that someone cares. They don't treat us like inmates. They look at us and talk to us like we are real people."