Profile: John Lutz

On the front lines at a penitentiary

The way John Lutz sees it we’re all 30 seconds away from a jail sentence. A choice made in a matter of seconds can land us behind bars—or not.

John works at the Shepody Health Centre in New Brunswick’s Dorchester Penitentiary, helping offenders with special needs to make the most of their return to the outside world.

A lot of barriers

“I believe that I am different from offenders and the same as offenders,” says John, who wears his long silver hair in a ponytail and a hearing aid in each ear. “I just haven’t moved so far along the continuum of personal dysfunction or harmful behaviour as they,” he says.

John, who has a master’s degree in social work and a 40-year career with Correctional Service Canada, admits that he has a tough job. “I do whatever it takes to provide the offender with a chance of making it outside. It’s tough work. It isn’t easy and there are a lot of barriers.”

Working for an even chance they’ll make it

One of the biggest barriers is perception. “In my experience, it is vital to see offenders as men and women first, and to get beyond what they have done to (understand) who they are and who they want to become. Respecting them doesn’t happen until we make that separation,” he says.

John promotes restorative justice, which is working for reconciliation between offenders and the people and communities they have harmed. And he uses every available opportunity, person and tool to ensure that offenders have an even chance of making it on the outside.

Connecting with the community

To accomplish that, John has learned how to connect with people on the outside, that network of people dedicated to work with offenders in the community and on the streets.

Even when he’s off duty, John visits his clients in the palliative care unit at the Moncton hospital on weekends, or checks in with inmates’ families to make sure they have access to the services they need.

“He’s a very caring person with a lot of experience, expertise and knowledge who is well respected by his peers and well liked by offenders at the same time,” says Luc Doucet, Executive Director of the Shepody Health Centre.

Calls a spade a spade

But John is no pushover. “He’s very honest,” says Luc, “and calls a spade a spade. He is a realist who tries to see ‘the humanity’ in everyone, and he tries never to give up on anyone nor judge them.”

John is no quitter either. He’s 69 and has no plans to retire, and that’s just fine with Luc, who says, “He has the motivation and energy of a person half his age. He lives social work every day.”

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