Kory, Assistant Warden, Stony Mountain Institution

My name is Kory Abrams, I’m the Assistant Warden of Interventions (Stony Mountain Institution).

During the transition from segregation to SIU, I was actually a manager in segregation and became the manager of the SIU when we opened up in 2019.

In implementing the SIU, we made a number of changes primarily to do with the conditions of confinement. Mostly related to time outside of cell, opportunity to interact with others, interact with family and participate in programs and various interventions that we offer within the SIU.

We certainly encounter challenges with the inmates coming out of their cell. That’s where the offenders really benefit from the opportunity to interact and progress through their correctional plans while they are residing here.

Our Indigenous population at Stony Mountain and throughout the Prairie region is quite high. We have a strong cultural Indigenous initiatives team here. We are responsible as a service to focus on ensuring reintegration options that are culturally appropriate for those offenders.

There is no button that you can press that will fix or resolve all of someone’s issues.

What motivates me to do a good job in this environment is the challenge of it and the ultimate reward. When you see an offender actually meeting some goals in their correctional plan, actually participating in some program and successfully reintegrating into a mainstream population where they maybe would not have previously.

I think that it’s the most important job for us, to make sure that while they are residing in our institution and within our SIUs, that they get the most benefit out of the resources that are available as possible.