The Alberta Seventh Step Society has been active in the criminal justice system since our incorporation under the Societies Act of Alberta in 1974. We are a self-help organization with a mandate to offer programs designed to assist in the prevention of crime, recidivism, and public legal education.

The Seventh Step Public Legal Education Program remains unique in every way. Fully funded by the Alberta Law Foundation, our full-time Speakers present their own life stories of their involvement in the criminal lifestyle from the start to finish. This often includes incarceration, the impact of their decisions on their families and loved ones, and in many cases the long-term consequences that follow them far after they left their criminal careers. It is not “scared straight’, rather simply a realistic description of choices that will inspire participants to challenge themselves to consider their own lives. All of this is presented within the context of the Canadian Criminal Justice System.

Each Speaker presents in his or her own style, personalizing and tailoring the story to meet the needs of each group. The audience is as diverse as the communities they come from. This is reflected in their ages, personal circumstances, or ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Each presentation reaches the audience in a different way resulting in different questions during the interactive portion of the presentation.

The mandate of the program is to enhance community life through broadening community knowledge and understanding of the criminal justice system. Our primary objective is to provide an educational service to young people and community groups by enlisting the support of ex- offenders to relate their personal experiences that will inspire consideration of the consequences of decisions made in one’s life.

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