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Section II - Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

Strategic Outcome

The National Parole Board (NPB)has a single strategic outcome:

Conditional release and pardon decisions and decision processes that safeguard Canadian communities.

Program Activity by Strategic Outcome

NPB program activities and priorities are designed to support continuous progress in achieving the strategic outcome. To support this outcome, NPB has four program activities:

• Conditional release decisions;
• Conditional release openness and accountability;
• Pardon decisions / clemency recommendations; and
• Internal services.

The following section describes the NPB's program activities and identifies the expected results, 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 activity.

Program Activity 1.1: Conditional Release Decisions

[Text Equivalent]

2009-10 Financial Resources ($ thousands)			2009-10 Human Resources (FTEs)
Planned Spending	Total Authorities	Actual Spending	Planned	Actual	Difference
32,118	37,479	34,078	331	299	32

Program Activity Expected Results	Performance Indicators	Targets	Performance Status	Performance Summary
Quality conditional release decisions that contribute to public safety	Multi-year information on the number and % releases on parole that result in a new offence or a new violent offence	Zero (0) re-offending by parolees prior to warrant expiry	Mostly Met	Over the last ten years, 93% of parole supervision periods were completed without the offender being convicted of a new offence. Over a ten year period, 99% of releases on parole did not result in a conviction for a new violent offence.
	Multi-year information on the number and % of offenders who complete their sentence on full parole and do not re-offend and return to a federal penitentiary	Zero re-offending after warrant expiry by offenders who reach the end of their sentence on full parole	Mostly Met	Over the long-term (10 to 15 years after release), 90% of offenders who completed their sentences on full parole have not re-offended and returned to a federal penitentiary.

Program Activity Description and Benefits to Canadians

Conditional release is based on the principle that when appropriate, a 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. This program activity supports public safety by providing quality decisions on the timing and conditions of release of offenders into the community. Through this program activity, NPB staff provide timely, accurate information for Board member decision-making, and develop effective training and policies that are essential tools for quality risk assessment and decision-making. Effectiveness was assessed through monitoring of the outcomes of release on parole. This program activity was directly supported by the following priorities identified for 2009-10:

• Effectively fulfilling legislative responsibilities related to quality conditional release decision-making;
• Pursuing strategic excellence in NPB governance;
• Investing in our people; and,
• Strengthening stakeholder and community partnerships.

Performance Analysis

Information on performance demonstrates that the Board achieved the priorities and commitments identified in its Plans and Priorities for 2009-10. In 2009-10, the Board completed almost 17,000 conditional release reviews for federal and provincial offenders.

Multi-year data continues to support that parole contributes to public safety. Ninety-three percent (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.

For more information, please access the Board's Performance Monitoring Reports at:

http://www.NPB-CNLC.gc.ca/rprts/rprt-eng.shtml.

Program Activity 1.2: Conditional Release Openness and Accountability

[Text Equivalent]

2009-10 Financial Resources ($ thousands)			2009-10 Human Resources (FTEs)
Planned Spending	Total Authorities	Actual Spending	Planned	Actual	Difference
6,750	7,284	6,044	60	64	(4)

Program Activity Expected Results	Performance Indicators	Targets	Performance Status	Performance Summary
Conditional release processes that ensure that the NPB operates in an open and accountable manner, consistent with the CCRA	Average time required to respond to: requests for information and assistance from victims, requests to observe hearings; and requests for access to NPB's decision registry	Response to requests for information and assistance within 15 working days, on average	Met All	The NPB responded to all requests within an average of less than 15 days.
	Levels of satisfaction of victims, observers, and those who seek access to the decision registry with quality and timeliness of information and assistance provided by NPB	90% rate of client satisfaction	Met All	During the spring of 2009, the NPB and CSC developed and conducted a victims' questionnaire in order to examine the extent to which we are currently meeting the information needs of victims. Participants were asked to provide an overall rating for their level of satisfaction with NPB staff. In a victims questionnaire conducted in 2009-10, 11% of respondents said that they were not satisfied with the services they received. Results of surveys conducted of those who observe hearings, request access to the decision registry as well as victims who contact the NPB indicate that NPB response times are within acceptable ranges.

Program Activity Description and Benefits to Canadians

This program activity ensures that the NPB operates in an open and accountable manner, consistent with the provisions of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act. This program activity consists of the provision of information for victims of crime; assistance for observers at hearings and those who seek access to the Board's registry of decisions; encouragement of citizen engagement; as well as performance monitoring and reporting on the release process. Results for this program activity are assessed by monitoring the timeliness of information shared and by selected surveys of those who receive information and assistance from the NPB. Work in this area recognizes that the NPB operates in a difficult environment in which timely sharing of accurate information is fundamental for effective partnership and public trust.

This program activity was supported directly by NPB's priorities for 2009-10:

• Effectively fulfilling legislative responsibilities for open and accountable conditional release processes;
• Strengthening stakeholder and community partnerships;
• Improving information services for victims;
• Pursuing strategic excellence in NPB governance; and
• Investing in our people.

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 2009-10, for example, the Board had more than 22,000 contacts with victims, reflecting a 11% increase from 2008-09. 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 22,000 contacts were with victims of violence, such as sexual assault or the murder of a family member.

The Board had over 2,200 observers at its hearings in 2009-10, reflecting a 38% increase over the last five years and in 2009-10, victims made 231 presentations at 127 hearings. Most of these were family members of victims of murder (28%) or manslaughter (24%) or attempted murder (20%). Most of the presentations (91%) 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 2009-10, the Board released over 5,700 decisions from the registry. Victims were the most frequent requestors of decisions (approximately 48%), followed by the media (approximately 32%).

Program Activity 1.3: Pardon Decisions / Clemency Recommendations

[Text Equivalent]

2009-10 Financial Resources ($ thousands)			2009-10 Human Resources (FTEs)
Planned Spending	Total Authorities	Actual Spending	Planned	Actual	Difference
1,358	2,528	2,770	24	40	(16)

Program Activity Expected Results	Performance Indicators	Targets	Performance Status	Performance Summary
Quality pardon decisions that support rehabilitation and community reintegration	The numbers and rates of revocation / cessation of pardons	96% of all pardons awarded remain in force	Met All	Since the inception of the pardon program, 96% of all pardons awarded remain in force.
	The average time required to process pardon applications for cases involving summary convictions and convictions for indictable offences	Adherence to established service standards for processing pardon applications	Met All	Service standards were established, the average processing time for pardon applications was just over 2 months in 2009-10. With some variances due to complexity, summary convictions were processed in just over one month, while indictable offences were processed within 3 months.

Program Activity Description and Benefits to Canadians

A pardon is designed to recognize the successful rehabilitation and subsequent reintegration of an individual into society. It 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 law-abiding citizens. Through this program activity, the NPB screens applications for eligibility and completeness, collects information for decision-making and develops policy to guide decision processes. The results of this program are assessed through ongoing review of the average time required to process pardon applications, and the rates of revocation of pardons granted. This program activity was supported by the following priorities:

• Effectively fulfilling legislative responsibilities related to the processing of pardon applications;
• Pursuing strategic excellence in NPB governance; and,
• Investing in our people.

This program activity is designed to support rehabilitation and community reintegration by providing quality pardon decisions and clemency recommendations. 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; and,
• Most individuals who receive a pardon still have it (i.e., remain crime free), demonstrating the value of a pardon as an effective public safety tool and long-term measure for community reintegration.

Performance Analysis

The Board used to receive 15,000 to 20,000 pardon applications per year. Over the past several years there has been an increase of applications received. The impact of these increases over recent years has been substantial, and led to a backlog of applications in 2007. In 2009-10 the number of applications rose to 32,106. 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 called 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 in 1994-95 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 the near future.

For more information, please access the Board's Performance Monitoring Reports at:

http://www.NPB-CNLC.gc.ca/rprts/rprt-eng.shtml.

Program Activity 1.4: Internal Services

[Text Equivalent]

2009-10 Financial Resources ($ thousands)			2009-10 Human Resources (FTEs)
Planned Spending	Total Authorities	Actual Spending	Planned	Actual	Difference
4,352	4,740	4,418	34	39	(5)

Program Activity Expected Results	Performance Indicators	Targets	Performance Status	Performance Summary
Efficient and effective internal services that support quality program delivery	Performance indicators in this area are under consideration	Performance targets in this area are under consideration	Somewhat Met	Progress made towards formalizing and strengthening performance indicators and targets. Mechanisms are in place but work continues to integrate and enhance the use of indicators and targets into the business reporting structure and PAA.

Program Activity Description and Benefits to Canadians

This program activity includes the provision of financial, human resource, administration, security and modern management services. This program activity was supported by the following priorities:

• Pursuing strategic excellence in NPB governance; and,
• Investing in our people.

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