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2008-09
Departmental Performance Report



National Parole Board





The original version was signed by
The Honourable Peter Van Loan, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Public Safety





Table of Contents

Chairperson’s Message

Section I: Agency Overview

Section II: Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

Section III: Supplementary Information

Section IV: Other Items of Interest



Chairperson’s Message

As part of the criminal justice system, the National Parole Board (NPB or the “Board”) is a key player in the maintenance of a just, peaceful and safe society. Specifically, the Board is expected to make conditional release and pardon decisions that support the safe reintegration of offenders in the community.

In February 2009, the NPB marked its 50th anniversary. To honour this event, the Board issued a renewed vision statement entitled “Vision 2020 - Public Safety, Public Service”. The work of the Board will be guided by this vision so that we may continue to contribute effectively to public safety and to continue meeting the highest standard of public service. The information presented in the NPB’s 2008-09 Departmental Performance Report (DPR) demonstrates that the Board has made significant progress on our plans for improvement, even though the past year has been very challenging.

The Board operates in a very complex environment, with an ever-changing and more difficult offender profile: offenders with longer criminal histories, greater prevalence of violence, more gang affiliations, and more serious substance abuse and mental health issues. There has also been a shift towards shorter federal prison sentences, which affects our required number of reviews. Innovative and effective decision processes must address the needs of Aboriginal offenders and the increasing number of offenders from ethno-racial communities. The Board has also experienced a sharp increase in the demand for pardons, which required internal adjustments to deal with increased volumes and a backlog of applications.

The government has expressed its dedication to meeting the needs of victims, and the NPB has been working to improve the information services it provides to victims, while working closely with stakeholders and partners to ensure an effective and cohesive service delivery. Internally, the Board also experienced new challenges, including the retirement of many of our executives and long-term employees, and the required transfer of knowledge. In 2008-09, the Board was also chosen to participate in a Strategic Review of its programs. While this exercise presented a significant challenge to the Board given its limited resources, the NPB's report was cited as a best practice by the Treasury Board. The Board has begun to implement the findings of the Review.

Despite these challenges, the Board completed 17,565 conditional release reviews (federal and provincial offenders); 93% of parole releases did not commit a new offence and 99% did not commit a new violent offence. Furthermore, 36,000 new pardons applications were received in 2008-09, but the Board was also able to significantly improve the processing time for a pardon and was able to handle 40,428 applications.

These results speak to the great dedication and commitment of our Board members and public service employees who make significant contributions within the public safety portfolio to foster safe and secure communities for Canadians.

Harvey Cenaiko
Chairperson, National Parole Board



Section I: Agency Overview

Raison d’être

The National Parole Board (NPB or “the Board”) is an independent administrative tribunal responsible for making decisions about the timing and conditions of release of offenders to the community on various forms of conditional release. The Board also makes pardon decisions and recommendations respecting clemency through the Royal Prerogative of Mercy (RPM). Public safety is the paramount consideration in NPB decision-making as specified in law and reinforced in the Board's Mission, decision policies, training and operations.

Responsibilities

The Mission:

The National Parole Board, as part of the criminal justice system, makes independent, quality conditional release and pardon decisions and clemency recommendations. The Board contributes to the protection of society by facilitating, as appropriate, the timely integration of offenders as law-abiding citizens.

The Mission establishes four core values:

  • contribution to the attainment of a just, peaceful and safe society;
  • respect for the inherent potential and dignity of all individuals and the equal rights of all members of society;
  • belief that the contribution of qualified and motivated Board members and staff is essential to promoting the achievement of the Board's Mission; and,
  • commitment to openness, integrity and accountability in the execution of our mandate.

As an agency within the public safety portfolio, the NPB strives constantly to advance the government's public safety priorities. The Board contributes to these priorities by making quality conditional release and pardon decisions that result in the safe reintegration of offenders in the community.

The NPB derives its decision-making authority from the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA), the Criminal Records Act (CRA), and the Criminal Code. The CCRA empowers the Board to make conditional release decisions for federal offenders and offenders in provinces and territories without their own parole boards. In addition, the Board has extensive legislated responsibilities related to openness and accountability, including information and assistance for victims of crime, observers at hearings, access to the NPB's decision registry, and delivery of a program of public information. The CRA authorizes the Board to grant or revoke pardons for convictions under federal acts or regulations. The Governor General or the Governor in Council approves the use of the RPM for those convicted of a federal offence, following investigations by the Board, and recommendations from the Minister of Public Safety.

The Board carries out its responsibilities in five regions (six offices) across the country and in the national office in Ottawa. Conditional release decisions are made by Board members in the regions. Board members are supported by staff who schedule hearings, provide information for decision-making, ensure that information for decision-making is shared with offenders, and communicate conditional release decisions to the offender, Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) representatives and others, as required. Regional staff also provide information to victims, make arrangements for observers at hearings, and manage requests for access to the Board's decision registry. At the national office, Board members make pardon decisions and decisions related to the appeal of conditional release decisions. Staff at the national office deliver the pardons and clemency program, develop conditional release and pardon policies, coordinate Board member training, and deliver a program of public information. As well, the national office provides leadership for strategic and operational planning, resource management, performance monitoring and an array of internal services.

Consistent with the provisions of the Acts that govern the NPB, Board members are independent in their decision-making responsibilities, free from interference of any type. As independent decision-makers, Board members are guided by legislation and policy and are responsible for:

  • reviewing all information for consideration in conditional release and pardon cases;
  • conducting in-depth analysis of each case, requesting additional information, as necessary, to support quality decision-making;
  • assessing the risk and other factors related to cases, voting independently on the disposition of each case, and providing sound, well-documented, written reasons for decisions; and,
  • ensuring that hearings are conducted in accordance with the duty to act fairly, with respect for all procedural safeguards.

The Chairperson is a full-time member of the Board and its chief executive officer. The Chairperson directs NPB's program delivery in keeping with government plans and priorities, reports to Parliament through the Minister of Public Safety on the fulfilment of the Board's mandate and is accountable for the effectiveness and efficiency of NPB policy and operations. The Chairperson is assisted in these responsibilities by the Executive Vice-Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson of the Appeal Division, and the Board's five regional vice-chairpersons. The Executive Director of the Board is its senior staff member and chief operating officer. The Executive Director, in support of the Chairperson, provides leadership for strategic and operational planning, resource management, performance measurement and administration.

Strategic Outcomes and Program Activity Architecture (PAA)

The National Parole Board's Strategic Outcome and Program Activity Architecture (PAA), reflect the key aspects of the NPB's legislated responsibilities for conditional release and pardons, and represent the areas of accountability and performance in which the public and Parliamentarians most frequently express interest. In this context, the Board's strategic outcome is the cornerstone of its public accountability. The PAA includes a single strategic outcome and three operational program activities.

Summary of Performance1

Strategic Outcome and Program Activity Architecture Chart

Program Activity Architecture

The following tables provide a summary of the NPB’s financial and human resources in 2008-09.



2008-09 Financial Resources ($ thousands)
Planned Spending Total Authorities Actual Spending
$45,911 $53,355 $48,534

 



2008-09 Human Resources - Full-Time Equivalent (FTEs)
Planned Actual Difference
455 426 29

Performance Summary

This table offers a comparison of the Main Estimates, Planned Spending, Total Authorities and Actual Spending for the most recently completed fiscal year, as well historical figures for Actual Spending.


($ thousands)
Program Activity 2007-08
Actual
Spending		 2008-09 Alignment to Government of Canada Outcomes5
Main
Estimates		 Planned
Spending2		 Total
Authorities3		 Total
Actuals4
Conditional Release Decisions 34,330 36,065 36,065 40,789 38,360 Safe and secure communities6
Conditional Release Openness and Accountability 6,208 8,042 8,042 9,023 7,095
Pardon Decisions / Clemency Recommendations 2,892 1,804 1,804 3,543 3,079
Total 43,430 45,911 45,911 53,355 48,534
Less: Non-respendable revenue 1,483 N/A 800 N/A 1,336
Plus: Cost of services received without charge7 5,064 N/A 5,819 N/A 6,154
Total Departmental Spending 47,055 N/A 50,930 N/A 53,351
Full-time Equivalents 426 N/A 455 N/A 426


Contribution of Priorities to Strategic Outcome

The following identifies the key operational and management priorities for the NPB during 2008-09, their status, and links them to the Board’s strategic outcomes.


Operational Priority Type Status Linkages to Strategic Outcome(s)

Effective management of legislated responsibilities related to quality conditional release decision-making. Key indicators include:

  • Outcomes of release on parole
  • Convictions for violent offences by parolees
  • Post-warrant expiry re-offending of offenders on full parole resulting in return to a federal penitentiary
  • Ongoing

Status: Successfully met

Completion of 17,565 conditional release reviews (federal and provincial offenders), as required by the CCRA.

  • Approximately 93% of parole releases – no new offence
  • 99% of parole releases – no new violent offence
  • 9 in 10 offenders who reach warrant expiry on full parole do not return to a federal penitentiary
  • Ensures public safety by providing quality decisions on the timing and conditions of release of offenders into the community
Strategic planning to prepare the NPB for response to government announcements to introduce amendments to the CCRA and sentencing practices.
  • Previously committed

Status: Successfully met

  • The NPB continues to assess proposals for reform of the CCRA, Correctional and Conditional Release Regulations (CCRR) and Criminal Code, including potential impacts on workloads and costs
  • Supports the development and implementation of measures to enhance public safety
Improved information management in support of the NPB's conditional release responsibilities through development and implementation of the renewal of the Board’s module of the Offender Management System (OMS).
  • Previously committed

Status: Successfully met

  • The modernization of the NPB's OMS legacy system is underway. The File Management portion is in development and  requirements are being finalized for the Case Management portion
  • Supports the delivery of quality decisions on the timing and conditions of release of offenders into the community

Effective management of legislated responsibilities related to open and accountable conditional release processes. Key indicators include:

  • Timeliness and quality of information and assistance provided
  • Ongoing

Status: Successfully met

  • Implementation of: Strengthening Community Safety Initiative (e.g., funding for Regional Communications Officers - RCOs - to assist victims), and the Federal Victims Initiative (e.g., funding for outreach)
  • In 2008-09, the Board had more than 20,000 contacts with victims
  • The Board had 1,904 observers at its hearings in 2008-09, reflecting a 62% increase over the last five years
  • Victims made 192 presentations at 112 hearings
  • Ensures the NPB operates in an open and accountable manner, consistent with the provisions of the CCRA
  • Client satisfaction
  • A new joint NPB/CSC victim questionnaire was developed
  • Results of a similar 2003 survey indicated an overall satisfaction with the quality and timeliness of the information provided by NPB staff
Introduction of measures to provide victims with a more effective voice in conditional release processes.
  • Previously committed

Status: Successfully met

  • The NPB enhanced victims’ access to the conditional release process by: providing simultaneous interpretation services, improving voice amplification systems in hearing rooms, increased community outreach (including remote northern and Aboriginal communities)
  • Built on partnerships with the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime, and with Victims’ Advisory Committee
  • Provided training on victims issues to RCOs
  • Began examination of the use of videoconferencing to facilitate victims observing hearings
  • Ensures the NPB operates in an open and accountable manner, consistent with the provisions of the CCRA

Effective management of legislated responsibilities related to the processing of pardon applications. Key indicators include:

  • Average time required to process pardon applications
  • Percentage of pardons revoked annually
  • Ongoing

Status: Successfully met

In 2008-09, the Board received 36,000 pardons applications (and processed 40,428 – to reduce a backlog)

  • Average process time was 3.5 months (significant decrease from previous years)
  • 96% of all pardons awarded remain in force
  • Supports rehabilitation and community reintegration by providing quality pardon decisions and clemency recommendations


Management Priorities Type Status Linkages to Strategic Outcome(s)
Implementation of a new information systems and technology partnership in which CSC provides the Board’s information systems/technology services.
  • Previously committed

Status: Successfully met

  • Master Service Agreement began in April 2007 and was re-signed in 2008-09
  • Priorities established
  • Governance structure developed
  • Supports the delivery of quality decisions on the timing and conditions of release of offenders into the community
Integrated human resource and business planning to sustain effective program delivery in the midst of anticipated retirement of significant numbers of senior staff at the Board.
  • Previously committed

Status: Successfully met

  • HR committee was established
  • Intergrated Human Resources/Business plan was developed
  • HR plans developed for each of the Board’s sectors
  • Developed approach for knowledge transfer to address retirement of key personnel (e.g., training, guidelines, briefing books, job shadowing)
  • Monitoring process for staffing processes was developed
  • Supports the delivery of quality decisions on the timing and conditions of release of offenders into the community

Risk Analysis

The NPB works in a challenging environment that demands effective support for government priorities, careful assessment of criminal justice issues and community concerns in a dynamic public context, and rigorous pursuit of innovation and improvement to meet heavy workload pressures with scarce resources. Public safety remains the Board’s primary concern in all aspects of decision-making policy, training, and operations.

The Board delivers two legislatively based programs: conditional release; and, pardons and clemency. The NPB also manages a range of internal services that provide critical support for program delivery. The conditional release area is, by far, the most complex, accounting for about 90% of annual program expenditures. Program delivery is labour intensive, with salary costs amounting to close to 85% of yearly program costs. Most of the remaining expenditures cover essential operating costs such as travel to parole hearings. In this context, management of heavy and complex workloads within existing budgets, consistent with the principle of public safety, presents a constant challenge.

Conditional Release

Workloads related to conditional release decision-making are driven by factors beyond the NPB’s control. Legislation governing the Board (e.g., the CCRA) is prescriptive, specifying when and how the Board must conduct its business (e.g., when to conduct parole hearings). In addition, workloads are driven by the actions of offenders, victims and the community. In concrete terms, the NPB must deal with high workload volumes, involving critical issues of public safety, in tight timeframes, amid intense public scrutiny. For example, in 2008-09, the Board completed 17,565 conditional release reviews for federal and provincial offenders.

The Board must also continue to deal with growing complexity in conditional release decision-making, as reflected in three important trends. The first is the more difficult federal offender population, characterized by longer criminal histories, greater prevalence of violence, more gang affiliations, more serious substance abuse problems and more serious mental health issues. The second involves the shift toward shorter federal prison sentences. A more difficult offender population with shorter sentences (and less time to benefit from programs) challenges the NPB’s work to assess factors related to safe reintegration in the community. The third trend is the growing diversity in the offender population, as reflected in the continued over-representation of Aboriginal people and the growing numbers of offenders from diverse ethno-racial communities. This trend demands that the Board continue to develop policies, training and decision processes that enable it to collect and assess relevant information related to risk and safe community reintegration for groups of offenders with unique needs and circumstances. Decision processes such as Elder-assisted hearings for Aboriginal offenders exemplify the NPB’s efforts in this area.

The openness and accountability provisions of the CCRA continue to present important challenges for the Board with respect to: sharing information with victims of crime; provision of information and assistance for those who wish to observe NPB hearings or gain access to the Board’s registry of decisions; and delivery of a program of public information. Workloads in these areas have grown exponentially since the introduction of the CCRA in 1992. In 2008-09, the Board had more than 20,000 contacts with victims. As with conditional release decision-making, the need for quality program delivery in this area is critical, given its implications for public safety and public confidence in corrections and conditional release.

The government has announced extensive plans to tackle crime and strengthen community safety, including reform of sentencing, corrections and conditional release. The NPB must continue work to support those initiatives in an effective manner. The Board must manage the workload and cost implications of the provision of mandatory minimum penalties for gun crimes (Tackling Violent Crime Act). The Board must also support more stringent measures for dealing with Dangerous Offenders and offenders serving Long-term Supervision Orders as outlined in the Tackling Violent Crime Act. Proposals to amend the CCRA to introduce an “earned parole” approach would have a profound impact on the Board and, therefore, demand careful analysis and sound planning.

Pardons and Clemency

A drastic increase in the number of pardon applications has created a serious situation for the pardons program. Historically, the Board received 15,000 to 20,000 pardon applications every year. In the past three years, however, application volumes rose sharply, reaching 36,000 in 2008-09. Factors contributing to growth in annual volumes of pardon applications include:

  • greater scrutiny by government, private and voluntary sectors of potential employees;
  • perceptions by Canadians of the increased value of a pardon for employment, and travel;
  • active advertising campaigns by private sector organizations that provide assistance applying for pardons; and
  • the increasing number of people eligible to apply for a pardon - the current estimate is 1.5 million people, which grows by 60,000 annually.

Growth in applications resulted in a backlog of pardon applications. The Board worked to clear this backlog and put in place measures to create long-term sustainability for the pardon program. These measures are critical, given the expectation that pardon applications will continue to grow.

Strategic Resource Management

The Board has been addressing, and must continue to address, the need for strategic management of human, financial, information and technology resources to support quality program delivery.

The Board’s human resource challenge has two dimensions. The first involves Board members who are Governor-in-Council appointments. The CCRA specifies that the Board will comprise no more than 45 full-time members who are usually appointed for five years. The Act also provides for the appointment of part-time members to help manage conditional release decision-making workloads. Part-time members are usually appointed for three years. Each year, decision-making workloads require the use of significant numbers of part-time Board members (20 to 30 full-time equivalents).

Maintaining sufficient numbers of experienced Board members is a challenge because of the specified terms of appointment. The NPB must also deal with the reality that, following an initial orientation period of five weeks, newly appointed Board members still require three to six months of additional training and mentoring before they can manage the full scope of their decision-making responsibilities. In this context, the Board must ensure that it recruits sufficient numbers of qualified candidates for consideration for appointment as Board members, and provides effective training to ensure that Board members have the knowledge they need to apply NPB policies and assess risk in decision-making.

The Board faces an equally difficult challenge with respect to its staff. In the last year, a significant number of senior and experienced staff have retired and more will be able to retire shortly. Departures will erode corporate memory and diminish critical knowledge of the law, policy and operations. For the Board, whose members are appointed for specified periods, staff provide the continuity of knowledge and information essential for quality program delivery. For this reason, development of an effective human resource plan for dealing with staff turnover was essential. Timely access to relevant information provides the foundation for quality conditional release and pardon decision-making and ultimately for the Board’s continuing contribution to public safety. In addition, the Board must deal with legislated responsibilities for sharing appropriate information with victims of crime, offenders, other criminal justice agencies, and the public. In this environment, strategic information management is crucial, requiring the Board to have in place the automated systems necessary to support effective collection, storage and sharing of information, as well as the policies and processes necessary to ensure effective information management. Progress in these areas will require the assistance of CSC, because CSC is the Board’s information technology service provider. Effective management of this partnership for service delivery must continue to be a priority for the Board.

Strategic management of financial resources has also presented important challenges. The Board has faced complex and growing workload pressures in areas of legislated responsibility. In 2008-09, the Board also participated in the strategic review process. While this exercise presented a significant challenge to the Board given its limited resources, the NPB's report was cited as a best practice by Treasury Board. The Board must implement measures to reduce planned spending consistent with the strategic review, while ensuring that it retains the capacity to sustain quality in all aspects of program delivery.

Expenditure Profile

In 2008-09, the Board’s total authorities, consisting of Main Estimates, subsequent to Supplementary Estimates funding, were $53.4M. This consisted of $47.9M of operating resources and $5.4M for the Employee Benefit Plan.

Actual expenditures were $43.1M8 and resulted in a reported Public Accounts lapse of $4.8M. This lapse included $2.8M of special allotments that the Board could not spend, therefore resulting in a real lapse of $1.9M. The $1.9M lapse or approximately 3.6% of total authorities indicates that the Board was able to manage its resources successfully for 2008-09.

The Board applied its resources to the three following program areas: Conditional Release Decisions, Conditional Release Openness and Accountability and Pardon Decisions/Clemency Recommendations.9

Chart: Spending Trends

Chart: Spending Trends

Resource increases in 2007-08 and 2008-09 are a result of funding received for: the National Accommodations Plan; the transfer of the BC provincial parole functions to the NPB; an increase the Board’s capacity to render parole decisions due to an increased number of provincial offenders sentenced under the Mandatory Minimum Penalties for Serious Drug Offences; compensation for collective agreements; and to improve communications with victims.

Chart: Spending Trends

Chart: Spending Trends


Voted and Statutory Items

The following table illustrates the way in which Parliament approved NPB resources, and shows the changes in resources derived from supplementary estimates and other authorities.

($ thousands)
Vote or Statutory Item Truncated Vote or Statutory Wording 2006-07
Actual
Spending		 2007-08
Actual
Spending		 2008-09
Main
Estimates10		 2008-09
Actual
Spending11
40 Operating expenditures 38,354 38,306 40,800 43,115
(S) Contributions to employee benefit plans 4,990 5,118 5,315 5,401
(S) Refunds of amounts credited to revenues in previous years 1 - - -
  Spending of proceeds from the disposal of surplus Crown assets 3 5 - 18
Total 43,346 43,430 45,911 48,534

(S) indicates expenditures the Department is required to make that do not require an appropriation act.



Section II: Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

The NPB has one strategic outcome:

Strategic Outcome: Conditional release and pardon decisions and decision processes that safeguard Canadian communities

Program Activity by Strategic Outcome

The NPB program activities and priorities are designed to support continuous progress in achieving the strategic outcome. The following section describes the NPB’s program activities and identifies the expected result, performance indicators and targets for each of them. This section also explains how the NPB plans on meeting the expected results and presents the financial and non-financial resources that will be dedicated to each program activity.

The section will contain a discussion of plans surrounding the following Program Activities:

  • Program Activity 1: Conditional Release Decisions
  • Program Activity 2: Conditional Release Openness and Accountability
  • Program Activity 3: Pardon Decisions / Clemency Recommendations

Program Activity 1: Conditional Release Decisions



2008-09 Financial Resources
($ thousands)		 2008-09 Human Resources
(FTEs)
Planned
Spending		 Total
Authorities		 Actual
Spending		 Planned Actual Difference
$36,065 $40,789 $38,360 359 320 39


Expected
Results		 Performance
Indicators		 Targets Performance
Status		 Performance
Summary
Quality decisions on the timing and conditions of release that support the safe reintegration of offenders in the community.

Priority (1):

Effective management of legislative responsibilities related to conditional release decision-making.
  • Outcomes of release on parole
  • High success rate on parole

Met all
  • Approximately 93% of parole releases do not result in a new offence
  • Convictions for violent offences by parolees
  • Low re-conviction rate for violent offences while on parole
 Met all
  • 99% of parole releases do not result in a new violent offence
  • Post-warrant expiry re-offending of offenders on full parole resulting in return to a federal penitentiary
  • Low re-conviction rate past warrant expiry date
 Met all
  • 9 in 10 offenders who reach warrant expiry on full parole do not return to a federal penitentiary

Priority (2):

Strategic planning to prepare the NPB for response to government announcements to introduce amendments to the CCRA and sentencing practices.
  • Addressing policy issues, anticipated workload pressures, resource needs, and training requirements for Board members and staff
  • Successfully addressing required needs
 Met all
  • The NPB continues to assess proposals for reform of the CCRA, regulatory changes (e.g., change to quorum),etc., and sentencing practices, including potential impacts on workloads and costs
  • Renewed Vision
  • Successful completion of a new Vision document
 Met all
  • Renewed Vision statement released February 200912

Priority (3):

Improved information management in support of the NPB’s conditional release responsibilities through development and implementation of the renewal of the Board’s module of the Offender Management System (OMS).
  • Work toward a renewed offender management system
  • Continued identification of user needs and completion of acceptance testing for specific modules of the system
 Met all
  • Modernization of NPB's OMS legacy system is well underway. File Management portion is in development while requirements are being finalized for the Case Management portion

Benefits for Canadians

The government has identified "safe and secure communities" as a key outcome area. Public safety is the Board's primary objective. Conditional release is based on the principle that gradual release to the community, in conjunction with effective programs and treatment, quality assessments of the risk of re-offending and effective community supervision enhances community safety. Information on post-warrant readmission on a federal sentence reinforces this theory, suggesting that the detailed process of case preparation and assessment used by the Board and CSC for parole decision-making is effective in identifying those offenders most likely to remain free from crime in the community.

Performance Analysis

Information on performance demonstrates that the Board achieved the priorities and commitments identified in its Plans and Priorities for 2008-09. In 2008-09, the Board completed 17,565 conditional release reviews for federal and provincial offenders.

Data continues to support that parole contributes to public safety. More than 93% of all parole releases do not result in a new offence, and 99% do not result in a new violent offence.

Information on re-offending after completion of sentence illustrates that 9 of 10 offenders who reach the end of their sentences on full parole do not return to a federal penitentiary.

The Board made progress on the development of a new automated system for managing and sharing conditional release information within the Board and with CSC. The Renewal Project is well underway, with the File Management portion in development while requirements are being finalized for the Case Management portion.

For more information, please access the Board’s Performance Monitoring Reports at:
http://www.npb-cnlc.gc.ca/rprts/rprt-eng.shtml.

Lessons Learned

In 2008-09, the NPB carried out a number of activities designed to support quality decision-making, including:

  • presented findings of an evaluation of the Board’s orientation and training program for Board members and created an advisory committee to advance initiatives and address priorities.
  • implementation of new policy for the use of video-conferencing technology to facilitate Board member involvement in hearings.

Program Activity 2: Conditional Release Openness and Accountability



2008-09 Financial Resources
($ thousands)		 2008-09 Human Resources
(FTEs)
Planned
Spending		 Total
Authorities		 Actual
Spending		 Planned Actual Difference
$8,042 $9,023 $7,095 68 65 3


Expected
Results		 Performance
Indicators		 Targets Performance
Status		 Performance
Summary
Conditional release processes which reflect the intent of the CCRA respecting openness and accountability

Priority (1):

Effective management of legislative responsibilities related to open and accountable conditional release processes.
  • Timeliness and quality of information and assistance measured through surveys of users and stakeholders
  • Increased accessibility to services for victims
 Met all
  • In 2008-09, the Board had 20,000 contacts with victims
  • The Board had 1,904 observers at its hearings in 2008-09 (62% increase over the last five years)
  • Victims made 192 presentations at 112 hearings
  • Past victim surveys indicate high satisfaction with the quality and timeliness of information provided by NPB staff
  • Development of a victim questionnaire in 2010-11
 Exceeded
  • A new joint NPB/CSC victim questionnaire was completed during 2008-09 and results will be available shortly

Priority (2):

Introduction of measures to provide victims with a more effective voice in conditional release processes.
  • Information and assistance provided to victims
  • Improved interpretation services for victims at NPB hearings
 Met all
  • Interpretation services provided for victims in each region
  • Improved voice amplification equipment in hearing rooms
 Met all
  • New voice amplification equipment and systems have been installed
  • Increased community outreach
 Met all
  • Increased community outreach (particular focus on Northern and Aboriginal Communities)
  • Effective training for NPB staff to ensure consistency in NPB processes and policies
 Met all
  • Training for regional communications officers completed
  • Examine use of video-conferencing with victims
 Met all
  • Developed guidelines on the use of video-conferencing and began training in regions
  • Partner with stakeholders and other federal departments working with victims
 Met all
  • Advisory Committee developed; continued work with CSC, Federal Ombudsman for Victims, and other stakeholder organizations

Benefits for Canadians

This program activity is designed to ensure that the Board operates in an open and accountable manner, consistent with the provisions of the CCRA and that it shares information effectively in support of public safety. Work in this area recognizes that the NPB operates in a difficult environment in which timely sharing of accurate information is fundamental to effective partnership and public trust.

The CCRA requires the Board to provide information for victims of crime, allow observers at its hearings and provide access to its decisions through a registry of decisions.

Performance Analysis

The openness and accountability provisions of the CCRA continue to present important challenges for the Board with respect to: sharing information with victims of crime; provision of information and assistance for those who wish to observe NPB hearings or gain access to the Board's registry of decisions; and delivery of a program of public information. Workloads in these areas have grown exponentially since introduction of the CCRA in 1992. In 2008-09, for example, the Board had more than 20,000 contacts with victims. As with conditional release decision-making, the need for quality program delivery in this area is critical, given its implications for public safety and public confidence in corrections and conditional release. Intense public scrutiny and extensive media interest in this area make program effectiveness crucial.

Most of the 20,000 contacts were with victims of violence, such as sexual assault or the murder of a family member. The results of a joint NPB/CSC questionnaire of victims’ services conducted in the summer of 2009 will be available shortly. A similar survey conducted with victims in 2003 found the majority were satisfied with the quality and timeliness of the information provided by NPB staff.

The Board had 1,904 observers at its hearings in 2008-09, reflecting a 62% increase over the last five years and in 2008-09, victims made 192 presentations at 112 hearings. Most of these were family members of victims of murder (47%) or manslaughter (15%). Most of the presentations (94%) were made in person, while the rest were on either audio or video tape, or by video or teleconference.

The CCRA permits access to specific decisions and to decisions for research purposes through the Board’s registry of decisions. For more information, please see http://www.npb-cnlc.gc.ca/infocntr/factsh/registr-eng.shtml/.

In 2008-09, the Board released over 6,100 decisions from the registry. Victims were the most frequent requestors of decisions (approximately 52%), followed by the media (approximately 32%).

When an offender on conditional release is charged with a serious violent offence in the community, the NPB may conduct a National Joint Board of Investigation with CSC. One Board of Investigation was conducted in 2008-09.

Lessons Learned

The Board developed guidelines on the use of videoconferencing technology to enhance access by victims to NPB hearings and began training the regional offices on its use. Effective progress also requires that the NPB work in partnership with CSC to ensure that videoconferencing equipment is available in hearing rooms and in various sites in the community to support productive use of this technology.

Program Activity 3: Pardons Decisions and Clemency Recommendations



2008-09 Financial Resources
($ thousands)		 2008-09 Human Resources
(FTEs)
Planned
Spending		 Total
Authorities		 Actual
Spending		 Planned Actual Difference
$1,804 $3,543 $3,079 28 41 (13)


Expected
Results		 Performance
Indicators		 Targets Performance
Status		 Performance
Summary

Priority (1)

Effective management of legislative responsibilities related to the processing of pardon applications.
  • Effective management of the pardons process
  • Elimination of pardons application backlog
 Met all
  • Backlog was eliminated through a temporary shift of resources from the Conditional Release program area
  • Development of service standards for pardons application processing
 Met all
  • Service standards were developed in anticipation of an increase to the user fee
  • Program sustainability
  • Policy refinement, process streamlining, productive use of technology.
 Met all
  • Policy, process and use of technology were reviewed and revised
  • Percentage of pardons revoked annually
  • High success rate once pardoned
 Met all
  • 96% of all pardons awarded remain in force
  • Average time required to process pardon applications
  • Decrease pardon processing time
 Met all
  • In 2008-09, 40,428 pardon applications were processed. The average process time was 3.5 months (significant decrease from previous years)

Benefits for Canadians

A pardon is a formal attempt to remove the stigma of a criminal record for people found guilty of a federal offence and who, after satisfying their sentence and a specified waiting period, have shown themselves to be responsible citizens.

By providing quality pardon decisions and clemency recommendations, this program activity is designed to support safe and secure communities through rehabilitation and community reintegration.

The pardons program is an important part of the NPB’s mandate. The benefits of the program include:

  • ensuring careful consideration is given to issues of public safety;
  • providing an opportunity for pardon recipients to contribute to their communities as law-abiding citizens;
  • those who receive a pardon have increased opportunities for employment and housing;
  • most individuals (over 96%) who receive a pardon remain crime free, demonstrating the value of a pardon as a long-term measure for community reintegration.
Performance Analysis

The Board used to receive 15,000 to 20,000 pardon applications per year; however in 2008-09 the number of applications rose to 36,000. The impact of this increase on workload is substantial, and led to a backlog of applications in 2007. To address this backlog, the Board shifted resources on a temporary basis from the Conditional Release program to the Pardons program. As well, an action plan was developed to enhance productivity in the short-term and to establish sustainability for the pardon program in the long-term. This plan calls for a wide range of improvements, including: policy refinement; technological advancements; process streamlining; creation of a team to eliminate the backlog of the applications; establishment of service standards for application processing; and increasing the user fee to align it with current operational and program realities.

The NPB charges a $50.00 user fee for the processing of pardon applications and has access to 70% of revenues collected. The RCMP has access to 30% of user fees collected. These fees do not represent the full cost of a pardon. The fee was set at $50.00 so as not to serve as an impediment for Canadians who wish to benefit from a pardon. In response to the growing need to process more pardons and to make the Pardon program sustainable, the Board has proposed an increase to the pardon fee and hopes to implement this change in 2009-10.

For more information, please access the Board’s Performance Monitoring Reports at:
http://www.npb-cnlc.gc.ca/rprts/rprt-eng.shtml.

Lessons Learned

The Board recently established service standards for processing pardon applications. In conformity with s. 4 of the User Fees Act, the Board created these standards before proposing to increase its fee for a pardon application. The Board has attempted to meet these service standards over the last year; however, due to the backlog in the processing of pardon applications, the Board was only able to meet the new standards by shifting resources between the conditional release and the pardons program. This shift in funding is, however, unsustainable – thus the need for an increase in the fee for a pardon application.



Section III: Supplementary Information

Financial Highlights



($ thousands)
Condensed Statement of Financial Position (unaudited)
At March 31, 2009		 % Change 2009 2008
Assets      
Total Assets 6.8% 2,168 2,030
Total 6.8% 2,168 2,030
Liabilities      
Total Liabilities 26.8% 13,523 10,668
Equity      
Total Equity 31.5% (11,355) (8,638)
Total 6.8% 2,168 2,030


($ thousands)
Condensed Statement of Operations (unaudited)
For the year ended March 31, 2009		 % Change 2009 2008
Expenses      
Total Expenses 14.6% 54,892 47,909
Revenues      
Total Revenues (6.0)% 1,357 1,444
Net Cost of Operations 15.2% 53,535 46,465

Financial Highlights Chart

The figure below displays the allocation of NPB funding by program activity for 2008-09.

Financial Highlights Chart

Financial Highlights Chart

More than three-quarters (79%) of the NPB’s funding in 2008-09 is allocated to Program Activity 1 (conditional release decisions), and 15% is allocated to Program Activity 2 (conditional release openness and accountability). In total, the Board’s work relating to conditional release accounts for 94% of annual program expenditures. The remaining 6% is dedicated to pardon decisions/clemency recommendations.

Financial Statements

For the Board’s 2008-09 Financial statements, please go to:
http://www.npb-cnlc.gc.ca/rprts/dpr/2008/dpr08-eng.shtml

List of Supplementary Information Tables

The following tables are located on the Treasury Board Secretariat website:

  • Table 1: Sources of Respendable and Non-Respendable Revenue
  • Table 2: User Fees/External Fees
  • Table 2B: Policy on User Fees/External Fees
  • Table 7: Horizontal Initiatives
  • Table 9: Green Procurement

All electronic supplementary information tables found in the 2008-09 Department Performance Report can be found on the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat’s website at http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/dpr-rmr/2008-2009/index-eng.asp.



Section IV: Other Items of Interest

Structure for Program Delivery

The Board carries-out its work through six offices across the country and the national office in Ottawa. The national office makes clemency recommendations, pardon decisions and develops related policies. It is also responsible for a range of activities related to conditional release, including investigations, appeal decisions, policy development, and Board member training. As well, the national office provides leadership for planning, resource management, communications, performance reporting and corporate services.

Conditional release decisions are made by Board members in the regions. Board members are supported by staff who schedule hearings, ensure that information for decision-making is received and shared with the offender, provide policy advice, and communicate conditional release decisions to the offender, CSC and others as required. Staff in regions also provide information for victims, make arrangements for observers at hearings, and manage requests for access to the Board’s decision registry, and provide training for Board members.

Partnership for Program Delivery

Partnership is integral to effective NPB operations. As the Board's key partner, CSC provides information for NPB decision-making (internally generated and from external sources). If an offender is granted release by the Board, CSC supervises the offender in the community. Clearly, the Board shares accountability for “outcomes”. When parolees succeed, “success” is the result of many players in the system, as well as the offender.


CSC and NPB Working Relationship - Conditional Release
CSC Responsibilities for Offenders NPB Decision-Making Responsibilities
  • Care and custody.
  
  • Programs and treatment.
  
  • Work release, temporary absences (TA) (TA authority delegated by the NPB in many cases).
  
  • Information for NPB decisions: external (e.g., police, courts); produced by CSC (e.g., programs/treatment, recommendations).
  • Review of cases and decisions for:
    • TAs for specific groups (e.g., lifers);
    • the timing and conditions of release of offenders on day and full parole
  • Statutory release (SR) occurs by law at 2/3rds of sentence. Recommendations to the NPB on the need for special conditions for SR.
  • Decisions to impose special conditions on SR.
  • Supervision of offenders released on TAs, parole and SR. Information for NPB post-release decisions.
  • Post-release decisions (revoke or maintain release, revise conditions).
  • Recommendations to the NPB for detention of offenders past SR to warrant expiry.
  • Detention decisions.
  • Supervision of long-term supervision offenders (LTSO).
  • Imposition of special conditions on LTSO.

The RCMP also works with the Board in the processing of pardon applications. The RCMP provides the NPB with information on criminal histories, and periods of crime-free behaviour for pardon applicants. When the Board issues or grants a pardon, it notifies the RCMP which seals the pardoned record. In the case of pardon revocation, the Board and the RCMP share information to support NPB decision-making, and RCMP responsibilities for management of information within the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC).

The National Parole Board's Internet site address is: http://www.npb-cnlc.gc.ca/.

 

1 There are also two management priorities not indicated in this figure.
2 From the 2008-09 Report on Plans and Priorities.
3 From the 2008-09 Public Accounts.
4 From the 2008-09 Public Accounts.
5 For more information on the Government of Canada framework and outcomes, go to http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ppg-cpr/frame-cadre-eng.aspx.
6 For an explanation of the role of conditional release and pardons and clemency recommendations on the safety and security of Canadians, please see: http://www.npb-cnlc.gc.ca/index-eng.shtml.
7 Services received without charge usually include accommodation provided by PWGSC, the employer's share of employees' insurance premiums, Workers' Compensation coverage provided by Social Development Canada, and services received from the Department of Justice Canada.
8 This figure does not include the Employee Benefit Plan.
9 Internal Services are included in these 3 program areas.
10 From the 2008-09 Report on Plans and Priorities.
11 From the 2008-09 Public Accounts.
12 For renewed Vision, see: http://www.npb-cnlc.gc.ca/infocntr/vision2020-eng.shtml.