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2009-10
Departmental Performance Report
National Parole Board
The original version was signed by
The Honourable Vic Toews, P.C., Q.C., M.P.
Minister of Public Safety
Table of Contents
Section II - Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome
Section III: Supplementary Information
- Financial Highlights
- Financial Highlights Chart
- Financial Statements
- Supplementary Information Tables
- Other Items of Interest
Chairperson's Message
Over the National Parole Board's (NPB or the Board) 51 year history, the Board has demonstrated an enduring commitment to public safety and public service. I joined the Board as its Chairperson in 2009 with a pledge to uphold and build upon this tradition of excellence. The Board demonstrated, in 2009-10, that it continues to play a key role within the criminal justice system by delivering high-quality conditional release and pardon decisions and clemency recommendations, with public safety as our primary objective.
In 2009, the Board set a course for greater organizational efficiency and effectiveness to enhance program delivery over the next decade. In 2009-10, the NPB was able to advance its plans for improvement and effectively to support new government priorities by making strategic choices and using resources wisely.
The Board supported the government's objectives to better meet the needs of victims by improving its information services, and by working more closely with stakeholders and partners to ensure effective and cohesive service delivery to victims.
Notable accomplishments during 2009-10 included:
- Identification and implementation of key priority activities;
- The first Annual Training on Risk Assessment (ATRA) was held involving Board members and staff from all regions;
- Implementation of efficiency improvements as per Strategic review recommendations;
- Developed a National Outreach Strategy and an Integrated HR and Business Plan; and,
- Participation in CSC Transformation Team.
The Board's outcomes attest to its ability to reach its public safety objectives. In 2009-10, the Board completed almost 17,000 conditional release reviews (federal and provincial offenders). Furthermore, 97% of offenders who completed a parole supervision period in 2009-2010 did not commit a new offence prior to warrant expiry. Furthermore, while over 32,000 new pardons applications were received in 2009-10, the Board was also able to significantly improve the processing time for a pardon application.
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 (NPB)
Section I - NPB Overview
Raison d'être and Responsibilities
Mandate and Organization
The National Parole Board (NPB)(NPB/Board) is an agency within the Ministry of Public Safety Canada which also includes the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC).
The Board is an independent administrative tribunal that has exclusive authority under the Corrections and Conditional Release Act to grant, deny, cancel, terminate or revoke day parole and full parole. The NPB may also order (only by referral by CSC) certain offenders to be held in prison until the end of their sentence. This is called detention during the period of statutory release. In addition, the Board makes conditional release decisions for offenders in provinces and territories that do not have their own parole boards. Only the provinces of Ontario and Quebec have their own parole boards that have authority to grant releases to offenders serving less than two years in prison.
As well, 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 Board is also responsible for making decisions to grant, deny and revoke pardons under the Criminal Records Act and the Criminal Code of Canada. A pardon is a formal attempt to remove the stigma of a criminal record for people who, having been convicted of an offence, have satisfied the sentence and remained crime free. The Board also makes recommendations for the exercise of clemency through the Royal Prerogative of Mercy (RPM). The Governor General or the Governor in Council approves the use of the RPM for those convicted for a federal offence, following investigations by the Board, and recommendations from the Minister of Public Safety.
The National Parole Board (NPB)is headed by a Chairperson who reports to Parliament through Public Safety Canada. The Minister, however, does not have statutory authority to give direction to the Chairperson or other members of the NPB in the exercise of their decision-making powers regarding the conditional release of offenders. This structure helps to ensure the NPB's impartiality and the integrity of the parole decision-making process.
Outcomes of the NPB daily work can be found in the annual Performance Monitoring Reports. The report provides performance and statistical information for the past five years for the NPB's two legislatively based programs - conditional release and clemency and pardons, as well as for the corporate service function of the Board.
Our 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.
As part of the criminal justice system, the Board contributes to the maintenance of a just, peaceful and safe society. The word "contribute" is used in the Mission statement because the Board is not alone in pursuing this goal. In conjunction with Ministry colleagues, the NPB works with other parole boards, correctional officers, police, after-care agencies, Crown attorneys and defence counsel and many other organizations and individuals in the community. The legal authority within which the NPB operates is set out by the Constitution, including the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Criminal Code, the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA) and its Regulations, and other legislation.
In making quality conditional releases and pardons decisions, as well as recommendations in clemency cases, the Board's primary objective is the long term protection of society. Law-abiding behaviour can best be achieved by timely and supervised conditional release and the effective administration of sentences. During the course of rendering its decisions, the Board is autonomous and independent. However, it is accountable for its actions, by virtue of its guiding legislation, policies and internal framework. The Board is accountable to Parliament and ultimately, to all Canadians.
Achieving the mandate of the NPB is not easily accomplished. It involves the safeguarding of two of NPB's most precious values: public safety and personal freedom. "Making the Mission a Reality" therefore is a challenge that becomes the primary responsibility and obligation to all those associated with the Board.
The Mission of the NPB establishes four core values:
- Contributing 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 Board carries out its responsibilities in five regions across the country and in the national office in Ottawa.
NPB Locations
Conditional release decisions are made by Board members in the regions. Board members are supported by staff that 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, 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 policy; 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, Aboriginal and diversity, victims, research, evaluation, audits and investigations, appeals 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, and 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/clemency cases;
- Conducting an in-depth analysis of each case, and 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 of the NPB 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 fulfillment 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 General of the Board is its senior staff member and chief operating officer. The Executive Director General, in support of the Chairperson, provides leadership for strategic and operational planning, resource management, performance measurement and administration.
Strategic Outcome 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/clemency, 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 outcome and four program activities.
The following chart illustrates the NPB's complete framework of program activities and program elements, which roll up and contribute to the NPB's single strategic outcome:
Performance Summary
| Planned Spending | Total Authorities | Actual Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 44,578 | 52,031 | 47,310 |
| Planned | Actual | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| 449 | 442 | 7 |
The following tables report back on the indicators and targets from the 2009-10 RPP to provide information on whether progress on the strategic outcome was achieved as planned.
Performance Summary Tables
Table 1
| Performance Indicators | Targets | 2009-10 Performance |
|---|---|---|
| The percentage of parole releases in previous years that did not result in a new conviction | Zero (0) re-offending by parolees prior to warrant expiry | 97% of offenders who completed a parole supervision period in 2009-2010 did not commit a new offence prior to warrant expiry |
| The percentage of pardon recipients who have not had their pardon revoked | 96% of all pardons awarded remain in force[1] | Since the inception of the pardon program, 96% of pardons awarded have remained in force |
| The percentage of victims, observers, and those who seek access to the decision registry who express satisfaction with the information and assistance they receive from the NPB | 90% rate of client satisfaction[2] | In a victims questionnaire conducted in 2009-10, 11% of respondents said that they were not satisfied with the services they received |
Table 2
| Program Activity[3] | 2008-09 Actual Spending |
2009-10 | Alignment to Government of Canada Outcomes[4] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main Estimates | Planned Spending[5] | Total Authorities[6] | Actual Spending[7] | |||
| Conditional Release Decisions | 35,065 | 33,101 | 32,118 | 37,479 | 34,078 | Safe and secure Canada |
| Conditional Release Openness and Accountability | 6,324 | 6,973 | 6,750 | 7,284 | 6,044 | Safe and secure Canada |
| Pardon Decisions / Clemency Recommendations | 2,865 | 1,428 | 1,358 | 2,528 | 2,770 | Safe and secure Canada |
| Internal Services[8] | 4,280 | 4,675 | 4,352 | 4,740 | 4,418 | |
| Total Planned Spending | 48,534 | 46,178 | 44,578 | 52,031 | 47,310 | |
Contributions of Priorities to Strategic Outcome
The following identifies the key operational priorities for the NPB during 2009-10, links them to the Board's strategic outcome and program activities and explains how these priorities contributed to progress made toward the strategic outcome. Implications are also briefly noted for both priorities that were met and not met as well as areas needing improvement.
| Operational Priorities | Type | Performance Status |
Links to Strategic Outcome(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Effective management of legislated responsibilities related to quality conditional release decision-making RPP 2009-10 planned activities to meet priority: |
Ongoing | Status: Met All |
Strategic Outcome:
Priority contribution towards strategic outcome: |
| • Action to ensure the NPB has access to sufficient numbers of Board members to manage workloads. | • The Board undertook competitive processes in all regions to identify and qualify potential Board members over the last year. Also contingency measures were implemented to manage heavy workloads. | ||
| • Enhance training and information for current and newly appointed Board members, and staff. | • Training is constantly updated to reflect evidence based research and ongoing changes. In addition, the first Annual Training on Risk Assessment (ATRA) was held involving Board members and staff from all regions. Work is underway to enhance orientation sessions for staff. | ||
| • Refine policies / guidelines to support consistency in decision-making. | • Highlights include revisions to the CCRR in the area of quorum resulting in procedural amendments; the Board also refined its policy as it pertains to hearings for Statutory Release; and enhanced its process to prioritize policy amendments. | ||
| • Strategic resource management to enable the NPB to address growing workload pressures with scarce resources. In this context, the Board will implement, as a priority, directions set in the strategic review which call for the NPB to curtail resource use in low priority areas and create a framework for better use of Board member resources in order to sustain the quality of parole decision-making and the effectiveness of the Board's contribution to public safety. | • Decisions taken through NPB's operational planning and resource allocation process resulted in reduction in planned spending by $1.6 million in 2009-10 as per Strategic Review. In 2009-10 the Board examined and revised various resource formulas. These revised resource formulas provide transparent indicators and measures that will be used to gauge performance over time and assist managers in assessing progress and strengthen accountability. In addition, the Board's financial monitoring regime includes monthly budgeting and forecasting with subsequent analysis and reports to senior management, a mid-year review and report on the NPB's financial status which analyzes high risk areas and anticipated funding pressures, including re-profiling trends, in relation to business line and major funding approvals (real and projected), an in-year assessment and new year planning meeting in December and bi-weekly analysis of funds availability in the last quarter of the fiscal year. | ||
|
Strategic planning to position the NPB for long-term effectiveness and to respond to government announcements to introduce amendments to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act and sentencing practices RPP 2009-10 planned activities to meet priority: |
Previously committed | Status: Met All |
Strategic Outcome:
Priority contribution towards strategic outcome: |
| • Work towards making the renewed Vision document a reality. Within the limitations of available resources, integrate Vision elements with operational plans (e.g., enhance Board member training, improve information for parole decision-making, enhance responses to increasing diversity within the offender population, strengthen partnerships with criminal justice agencies and key stakeholders to support the safe reintegration of offenders in the community). | • In February 2009 the Board introduced "Vision 2020 - Public Safety, Public Service". This renewed Vision has been shaping and stimulating continuous improvement in NPB policy, training and operations and links planning and performance reporting. Through the Vision, the Board has developed a solid foundation for enhancing its contribution to public safety, quality program delivery and effective resource management. | ||
| • Assess implications of government proposals for reform of corrections and criminal justice (e.g., abolition of statutory release and a shift to earned parole; introduction of longer mandatory minimum sentences for firearms offences and serious drug offences), including a review of related policy issues, anticipated workload pressures, resource needs, and training requirements for Board members and staff. | • The Board responded to proposed changes to legislation over the last year (i.e., assessing, analyzing and formulating recommendations to various proposals). Board members and staff were consulted and updated on an on-going basis with regard to any changes in legislation and or policy that may have had an impact on decision making and decision writing. | ||
| • Assess policy and operational implications for the NPB of the recommendations of the Corrections Review Panel. | • NPB participated in CSC Transformation Team which was created following the release of the CSC Review Panel Report in late 2007. The NPB participant represented the interests of the Board towards identifying and assessing policy and operational implications. | ||
|
Improved information management in support of the NPB's conditional release responsibilities through development and implementation of an automated Conditional Release System (CRS) RPP 2009-10 planned activities to meet priority: |
Previously committed | Status: Met All |
Strategic Outcome:
Priority contribution towards strategic outcome: |
| • Continue to identify the business requirements for NPB's renewed system, and conduct acceptance testing of the File Management System module. | • The Board completed the business requirements for the File Management System and is in the final stages of completing the requirements for its other module within OMS: Case Management. In addition, business requirements towards upgrade of NPB's electronic Information Management System, Documentum completed - implementation expected in 2010-11. | ||
|
Effective management of legislated responsibilities related to open and accountable conditional release processes RPP 2009-10 planned activities to meet priority: |
Ongoing | Status: Met All |
Strategic Outcome:
Priority contribution towards strategic outcome: |
| • Continue to implement plans to provide victims of crime with access to NPB hearings through the use of video conferencing technology. | • The Board continues to provide victims of crime access to video conferencing. The Board is also in the process of reviewing its services in this area in an effort to identify improvements. | ||
| • Strengthen our partnership with CSC to ensure clarity in our legislated roles and responsibilities regarding the provision of information. | • Over and above the work and liaison activities to which NPB participated as part of the CSC Transformation Team, ongoing and regular collaboration between the organizations continued to be fostered and expanded (e.g., joint victims steering committee, regional Interlinkages, national Interlinkages). | ||
| • Enhance information products available to victims and the public. | • Produced plain-language publications on parole and pardons. The Board is working on a joint information package with CSC and Public Safety (National Office of Victims of Crime). | ||
| • Implement efficiency improvements set out in the strategic review. | • Elimination of lowest priority tasks, process streamlining and integration of organizational units implemented April 1, 2009. Discontinuation of hearing for SR residency cases implemented April 1, 2009. Regulatory Reform - align quorum for federal cases (reduce Board member votes from 3 to 2) - regulatory change implemented November 2009. Raising the cap on full-time board members from 45 to 60 - on-going. Pardon User fee - increase the Board's component of the user fee for processing a pardon application - on-going. | ||
|
Continuation of measures to provide victims with a more effective voice in conditional release processes RPP 2009-10 planned activities to meet priority: |
Previously committed | Status: Met All |
Strategic Outcome:
Priority contribution towards strategic outcome: |
| • Provide interpretation services for victims at NPB hearings. | • NPB received resources through the Federal Victims Strategy (FVS) with which it developed the protocol so that it could offer simultaneous interpretation or, if required logistically, whisper interpretation services for unilingual victims attending hearings held in the other official language. | ||
| • Provide voice amplification equipment in hearing rooms so that victims can clearly hear what is said. | • In March 2008, the NPB purchased voice amplification units to improve the acoustics in various hearing rooms across the country. | ||
| • Enhance community outreach so that victims and victim organizations are aware of the information services provided by the Board. | • The NPB developed a national outreach strategy, enhanced its outreach to victims by developing and delivering information sessions to victims in different communities across Canada. National and regional staff also made formal and informal presentations on the NPB's services to different victim services groups, the police, youth groups, employment groups, the courts, students, CSC and at victim information fairs. As well, the NPB produced a brochure and poster which where distributed nationally to victims and victim services agencies. | ||
| • Increase outreach to Aboriginal communities to discuss issues related to victims and conditional release. | • Undertook targeted outreach activities with particular emphasis on Aboriginal communities. | ||
| • Strengthen partnerships with CSC and victim organizations to improve the provision of information to victims. | • NPB held national training sessions for Regional Communications Officers (RCOs). The topics covered in the training sessions included, among others, emotional distance without indifference, videoconferencing, decision registry, presentation techniques, dealing with people in crisis and communications. To supplement the national training, the regions held numerous workshops on various topics relating to victims in order to enhance the capacity of staff to provide information and assistance to victims in the different communities in their regions in an effective and timely manner. In addition, the OMS Victims module was revised in September 2009 resulting in improved victims information as well as improved efficiencies for staff at the Board. National staff training was conducted as part of the initiative to support staff in this area. | ||
| • Provide enhanced training for staff who work with victims. | • A joint NPB-CSC action plan was prepared, which includes actions to improve our partnerships with CSC and other partners. This has included the creation of a NPB-CSC Joint Steering Committee and Working Group and creation of a national victims' advisory committee. In addition, Victim services was added to the agendas of national and regional interlinkages committee meetings. | ||
|
Effective management of legislated responsibilities related to the processing of pardon applications RPP 2009-10 planned activities to meet priority: |
Ongoing | Status: Met All |
Strategic Outcome:
Priority contribution towards strategic outcome: |
| • As a first step in creating sustainability, the NPB eliminated the backlog of applications. In 2009-10, we will continue efforts to achieve sustainability based on policy refinement, process streamlining, and productive use of technology. | • Security and functional enhancements were made to Informatics systems used in application processing. Security classifications for Pardons Officers allowing for additional access to law enforcement data. Tabling package for increase in user fee prepared. | ||
| • Implement service standards for application processing. |
• Service standards developed in support of cost recovery.
Note: Legislative change to the CRA has forced the NPB to review its service standards to respond to the new legal requirements for pardon eligibility. |
||
| • Implement strategic review recommendations, including measures to increase efficiency in program delivery and increase the user fee for processing a pardon application. | • Work was done to assess the direct cost of the Pardon process. A tabling package was ready for Parliament as require by the UFA. Proposed legislative changes necessitated additional analysis prior to tabling of the package. |
The following identifies the key management priorities for the NPB during 2009-10, links them to the Board's strategic outcome and strategic activities, describes why they are a priority, and indicates performance for meeting the priority.
| Management Priorities | Type | Performance Status |
Links to Strategic Outcome(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Effective management of the information systems and technology partnership in which CSC provides the NPB's information systems / technology services RPP 2009-10 planned activities to meet priority: |
Previously committed | Status: Met All |
Strategic Outcome:
Priority contribution towards strategic outcome: |
| • Ensure that NPB priorities are shared, and agreed upon, with CSC, and that the Board emphasizes the importance of achieving progress on these priorities. | • NPB has outsourced the provision of information technology services to CSC (portfolio organization). The NPB maintains accountability and shares responsibility with CSC for the management of information technology through a signed service level agreement. The NPB provides Information Technology requirements to CSC for inclusion in the Information Technology Plan of the portfolio organization. The NPB relies on and follows the CSC's plan for the adoption of common and shared Information Technology services from Public Works and Government Services Canada, Information Technology Services Branch. | ||
| • Enhance our ongoing partnership with CSC in relation to our IT requirements. | • Corporate and Information Technology governance structures have been established within the NPB, including Information Technology specific governance based on sound management practices and processes. There is a cooperative governance arrangement with CSC guided by a Service Level Agreement. These governance bodies address Information Technology oversight, Information Technology alignment to business need and Information Technology reporting given the nature of the business, the size of the organization and the relationship with CSC. NPB conducts an annual joint business and Information Technology planning process to foster ongoing relations and enable business transformation. | ||
| • Closely monitor progress on NPB priorities to ensure that NPB programs derive maximum benefit from information systems and technology. | • The NPB reviews progress on a regular basis with CSC on matters of information technology and the status of planned activities undertaken by CSC. There are regular meetings that allow status reporting and corrective actions to be taken. As an additional safeguard, small focused committees exist for each priority where the business owners regularly meet with the portfolio department. | ||
|
Integrated human resource and business planning to sustain effective program delivery RPP 2009-10 planned activities to meet priority: |
Previously committed | Status: Met All |
Strategic Outcome:
Priority contribution towards strategic outcome: |
| • Develop an integrated human resource and business plan, and an ongoing mechanism for monitoring it. | • An integrated human resource and business plan was developed for the NPB. The plan will be communicated to staff in FY10-11. | ||
| • Pursue recruitment and retention strategies that attract quality staff to counter the anticipated impacts of departures in the workforce. | • The NPB has increased its use of generic staffing processes to establish pools of pre-qualified candidates. | ||
| • Identify critical positions for which bridging approaches are necessary, so departing employees can coach new employees. | • One of NPB's priority activities relates to succession planning which includes the identification of key positions within the NPB. Work continues to ensure critical positions are identified and mitigation strategies are in place to ensure continuity of service should a position become vacant. | ||
| • Work to ensure a sufficient number of qualified individuals are identified for consideration as Board member appointees. | • Board member qualification processes held in all regions in FY 09-10. Since 1994 only people who have qualified through the qualification process have been appointed to the NPB. | ||
| • Address issues related to diversity, language and gender in Board member and staff recruitment. | • The Board Member qualification process incorporates diversity, language and gender requirements to ensure qualified Board member representation in these areas. With regard to staff recruitment, the NPB launched a targeted staffing process in order to increase the number of visible minorities in the organization. The official language champion sent regular bulletins to staff, also meetings are held in both official languages when applicable. | ||
| • Enhance knowledge of management practices, training, development, and guidelines to help address corporate memory loss. | • Mandatory training continues to apply for new managers to obtain their delegation to ensure understanding of legislative and policy, human resources and respectful workplace requirements. Information and knowledge management mechanisms investigated to mitigate potential impact resulting from corporate memory loss - work in the area is ongoing. |
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. The Board is expected to rigorously pursue innovation and improvements to meet heavy workload pressures, with limited resources. Public safety remains the Board's primary concern in all aspects of decision-making policy, training, and operations.
The Board delivers two program areas grounded in legislation: 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 the most complex and accounts for almost 86% of annual program expenditures. Program delivery is labour-intensive, with salary costs accounting for 82% of yearly program expenditures. 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 contributing to 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 Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA)) is prescriptive, specifying when and how the Board must 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. In 2009-10 the NPB completed almost 17,000 conditional release reviews for federal and provincial offenders.
The Board must also continue to deal with the ever 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 ensure policies, training and decision processes are reflective of present and future realities 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 2009-10 the Board had over 22,000 contacts with victims, over 2,200 observers at hearings and processed over 5,700 requests for access to the decision registry. 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. Public scrutiny and ongoing media interest in this area make program effectiveness crucial.
Pardons
Workload growth and the fluctuation in the number of pardon applications and clemency requests received from year-to-year can create a very volatile situation in the processing of applications. Historically, the Board received between 16,000 to 27,000 pardon applications per year and approximately 20 clemency requests. However, in 2009-10 the Board received 32,106 pardon applications and 37 clemency requests. Clemency requests are more complex and are not directed by statute but rather by precedent and are based on the monarch's power vested in the Governor General through the Letters Patent. It is largely an unfettered discretionary power to apply exceptional remedies under exceptional circumstances to deserving cases. As the number of pardon applications and clemency requests have increased over the past years so have pressures on existing resources to address them in a timely manner, consequently impacting the sustainability of the Pardons program.
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 involved in 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.
Strategic Resource Management
The Board continued to address the need for strategic management of human, financial, information and technology resources to support quality program delivery.
NPB is committed to ensuring a strong, diverse and dynamic workforce that excels in delivering the Board's mandate to Canadians. The Board's human resource challenge has two dimensions:
- Maintaining sufficient numbers of experienced Board members is an ongoing challenge because of their specified periods of appointment; and,
- Over the next five years, many senior and experienced staff at the Board will be able to retire without penalty to their pension.
The first challenge 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 three to five year terms. 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 year terms. Each year, decision-making workloads require the use of significant numbers of part-time Board members (over the last five years the number has increased from 15 to 25 full-time equivalents). Maintaining sufficient numbers of experienced Board members is an ongoing challenge because of the specified terms of appointment. The NPB deals 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. Departures of experienced staff is eroding corporate memory and diminishing critical knowledge of the law, policy, and training. For the Board, whose Board members are appointed for specified periods, staff provide the continuity of knowledge and information essential for quality program delivery.
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 the automated systems necessary to support effective collection, storage and sharing of information. Additionally the Board must have in place the policies and procedures necessary to ensure effective information management. Progress in these areas has required the assistance of the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) as the CSC is the Board's information technology service provider. Effective management of this partnership for service delivery continues to be a priority for the Board.
Strategic management of financial resources has also presented important challenges. In 2009-10, as in previous years, the Board faced complex and growing workload pressures in areas of legislated responsibility. The Board's limited resource capacity was further constrained by the need to address new priorities in a period of restraint in which the focus of the federal government was on efforts to stimulate economic recovery. In 2008-09, the Board also participated in the strategic review process. In this context, the Board has implemented 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 2009-10, the Board's total authorities, consisting of Main Estimates, subsequent to Supplementary Estimates funding, were $52.0M. This consisted of $46.1M of operating resources and $5.9M for the Employee Benefit Plan.
Actual expenditures were $41.4M[9] and resulted in a reported Public Accounts lapse of $4.7M. This lapse included $2.6M of frozen allotments that the Board could not spend, therefore resulting in a real lapse of $2.1M. The $2.1M lapse or approximately 4.0% of total authorities indicates that the Board was able to manage its resources successfully for 2009-10.
The Board applied its resources to the four following program areas: Conditional Release Decisions, Conditional Release Openness and Accountability, Pardon Decisions/Clemency Recommendations and Internal Services.
The graph reflects the impact of decisions taken in the strategic review process which reduced spending in 2009-10 compared to 2008-09.
Voted and Statutory Items
This table illustrates information items appearing in the Main Estimates that Parliament approved through supply bills. The vote numbers and wording must therefore be identical to the department's vote numbers and wording as identified in the departmental summary of the Main Estimates. Statutory items are displayed for information purposes only.
| Vote # or Statutory Item (S) | Truncated Vote or Statutory Wording | 2007-08 Actual Spending |
2008-09 Actual Spending |
2009-10 Main Estimates |
2009-10 Actual Spending |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | Operating expenditures | 38,306 | 43,115 | 41,029 | 41,432 |
| (S) | Contributions to employee benefit plans | 5,118 | 5,401 | 5,149 | 5,867 |
| (S) | Spending of proceeds from the disposal of surplus Crown assets | 5 | 18 | - | 11 |
| Total | 43,430 | 48,534 | 46,178 | 47,310 | |
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
| 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
| 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
| 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 $50.00 in 1994-95 so as not to serve as an impediment for Canadians who wish to benefit from a pardon. In response to the growing need to process more pardons and to make the Pardon program sustainable, the Board has proposed an increase to the pardon fee and hopes to implement this change in the near future.
For more information, please access the Board's Performance Monitoring Reports at:
http://www.NPB-CNLC.gc.ca/rprts/rprt-eng.shtml.
Program Activity 1.4: Internal Services
| 2009-10 Financial Resources ($ 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.
Section III: Supplementary Information
Financial Highlights
| Condensed Statement of Financial Position (unaudited) At March 31, 2010 |
% Change | 2010 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASSETS | |||
| Total Assets | (37.0)% | 4,692 | 7,442 |
| TOTAL | (37.0)% | 4,692 | 7,442 |
| LIABILITIES | |||
| Total Liabilities | (24.3)% | 10,237 | 13,523 |
| EQUITY | |||
| Total Equity | (8.8)% | (5,545) | (6,081) |
| TOTAL | (37)% | 4,692 | 7,442 |
| Condensed Statement of Operations (unaudited) For the year ended March 31, 2010 |
% Change | 2010 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXPENSES | |||
| Total Expenses | (4.7)% | 52,294 | 54,892 |
| REVENUES | |||
| Total Revenues | (6.6)% | 1,267 | 1,357 |
| NET COST OF OPERATIONS | (4.7)% | 51,027 | 53,535 |
Financial Highlights Chart
The figure below displays the allocation of NPB funding by program activity for 2009-10.
Close to three-quarters (73%) of the NPB's funding in 2009-10 is allocated to Program Activity 1 (Conditional Release Decisions), 13% is allocated to Program Activity 2 (Conditional Release Openness and Accountability) and 6% is allocated to Program Activity 3 (Pardon Decisions/Clemency Recommendations). In total, the Board's work relating to conditional release accounts for 86% of annual program expenditures. The remaining 8% is dedicated to Internal Services which supports the organization and its activities.
Financial Statements
For the Board's 2009-10 Financial Statements, please go to: http://www.pbc-clcc.gc.ca/rprts/dpr/2009/dpr09-eng.shtml
Supplementary Information Tables
All electronic supplementary information tables listed in the 2009-10 Departmental Performance Report can be found on the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat's website at http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/dpr-rmr/st-ts-eng.asp.
- Horizontal Initiatives
- Upcoming Internal Audits and Evaluations
- Sources of Non-Respendable Revenue
- User Fees
Other Items of Interest
Parole: Contributing to Public Safety
Vision 2020 - Public Safety, Public Service
Parole Decision-Making: Myths and Realities
[1] % is based on historical trend over the past five years.
[2] Satisfaction threshold % is based on previous year survey result; to be used as a benchmark for future comparison.
[3] For program activity descriptions, please access the Main Estimates on-line at http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/est-pre/estime.asp.
[4] For more information on the Government of Canada framework and outcomes, go to http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pol/index-eng.aspx?tree=framework.
[5] From the 2009-10 Report on Plans and Priorities.
[6] From the 2009-10 Public Accounts.
[7] From the 2009-10 Public Accounts.
[8] Commencing in the 2009-10 Estimates cycle, the resources for the Internal Services program activity are displayed separately from other program activities; they are no longer distributed among the remaining program activities, as was the case in previous Main Estimates. This has affected the comparability of spending and FTE information by program activity between fiscal years.
[9] This figure does not include the Employee Benefit Plan.