Our History
1949 - 1950
Establishing the movement
This clustering of services, specializing in the provision of services to adult clients having come in contact with the criminal justice system, occurred as a result of the development social service agencies, first on a charitable basis, but eventually taking on increasingly professional features during the 40s and 50s.
1959
Creation of the National Parole Board
In 1959, the adoption of a law led to the creation of the National Parole Board (NPB) and setting out the rules governing the granting of parole. In the wake of these events, the specialized agencies that would later form the ASRSQ played a key role in giving a concrete expression to the new vision of delinquency: the importance of the social reintegration of incarcerated individuals.
1962
Founding of the Organization
The Association of Social Rehabilitation Services (ASRS) was founded in 1962 through the initiative of four post-penal assistance agencies: the Société d’orientation et de réhabilitation sociale (Montreal), the John Howard Society of Quebec (Montreal), the Service de réadaptation sociale (Quebec City), and the Catholic Family Rehabilitation Services (Montreal).
It was created with the aim of [translation] “bringing together, in the province of Quebec, generic and/or specialized social services interested in the social rehabilitation of prisoners and offenders of both sexes.”
1960 - 1970
Effervescence and expansion
The 1960s and 1970s were a period of great activity and expansion in the field of criminal justice and correctional services. The baby-boom—as it did in other sectors of human endeavour—generated an explosion in the number of people coming before the courts and having to deal with the correctional system.
This phenomenon, along with the increasing use of social reintegration measures for offenders, led to the development, in the 1970s, of residential facilities located within the community and managed by citizens from those same communities; these facilities were referred to as Community Residential Centres (CRC) or halfway houses.
1967
Creation of the Adult Probation Service
In addition to the development of new services at the federal level, the creation of the NPB led to the establishment, at the end of 1967, of the Adult Probation Service by the Government of Quebec.
1978
Evolution of the Organization
Evolution of the Organization
The internal operations of the ASRS also had to evolve to meet new service demands and emerging challenges. Thus, from a temporary secretariat composed of volunteer administrators, the organization transitioned in October 1978 to a permanent secretariat made up of two staff members: a general director, Mr. Reneault Tremblay, and a part-time secretary.
During this period, the ASRS negotiated, on behalf of its members, its first contract with the federal government. The contract included financial clauses and appendices outlining procedures for community assessment and supervision standards. This negotiation resulted in the signing of a service agreement for 25 of its member organizations, which at the time were referred to as “social agencies.”
1978
The ASRSQ philosophy
At the end of the 1970s, the ASRS formed a committee whose work led to the development of a philosophical statement focused on the needs, role, and contribution of the community.
Five key characteristics were then outlined to serve as guiding principles for the Association (see the document below).
1982
The Partnership
In March 1982, the Association and its members adopted a statement of principles entitled “The Partnership.” This statement represents [translation] “ … an agreement between the Government and the community sectors with regard to policy development and general directions, program planning, the assessment of functioning and outcomes”.
1987
Update of the "Partnership"
That notion of partnership evolved and was updated by the ASRS Board of Directors in 1987. Around the same time, the Association abandoned its provincial corporate charter to become incorporated under federal law.
1989
A New Name for the Organization
The organization, originally known as the Association des services de réhabilitation sociale (ASRS), became the Association des services de réhabilitation sociale du Québec (ASRSQ) in 1989 upon adopting a federal charter.
This change helped strengthen the organization’s position as a national association within Canada’s voluntary sector.
2000 to present
Since the 2000s
The ASRSQ has continued to provide services to its members and to strengthen its position on the political stage, both at the provincial and federal levels. In addition to launching its website, both internal and external communications have been reinforced.
Moreover, a training program tailored to the needs of frontline workers and managers in the community network has been implemented.
2006
Increase in Collaborations and Committees
Since the early 2000s, the ASRSQ has taken a particular interest in the issue of criminal records. In 2006, the Association began a collaboration with the Comité consultatif pour une clientèle judiciarisée adulte (CCCJA), aimed at raising awareness about the impacts of criminal records, and developed various tools related to this issue.
A revision of its governance principles and the development of a new code of ethics, which merged previous documents, helped to update its actions. The growth of joint working committees with various institutional partners — including provincial and federal correctional services and parole boards — has positioned the ASRSQ as a voice for the community-based network.
2007
Act respecting the Québec correctional system
The coming into force of the Act respecting the Québec correctional system in February 2007 officially established that community organizations active in the field of criminal justice are now legally recognized as full partners of Quebec’s public institutions.
2015
Diversification of Activities
Starting in 2015, the Association expanded its outreach activities, particularly in federal correctional facilities, and continued its development by overseeing various pilot projects and diversifying its initiatives.
It was in this context that, in 2015, the first Cabaret de la Seconde Chance took place — a multidisciplinary performance aimed at raising awareness, reducing prejudice, and reaffirming the importance of the social and community reintegration of offenders, as well as the community’s involvement in this process. In 2018, the ASRSQ launched Social Reintegration Week, an opportunity to raise public awareness about the reintegration of justice-involved individuals and to highlight the exceptional work of the organizations dedicated to supporting them.
...
To Learn More
For more detailed historical information about the Association, consult the document Le risque du communautaire (1992).
