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2008-2009
Reports on Plans and Priorities



Correctional Service Canada






The Honourable Stockwell Day, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Public Safety




Table of Contents



Minister’s Message

The Public Safety Portfolio of the Government of Canada continues to establish ambitious plans and priorities and to achieve successes in ensuring the safety and security of Canadians. As the Minister of Public Safety, I am pleased to present to Parliament this Report on Plans and Priorities that outlines our further objectives for 2008-2009.

This year, Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) played an important role in maintaining a just, peaceful and safe society while helping the Government to uphold its crime prevention agenda. CSC worked to ensure the safety and security of Canadians by focusing on programs that support the safe transition of eligible offenders into the community, providing effective interventions for First Nations, Métis and Inuit offenders, improving capacities to address mental health needs of offenders, and strengthening management practices.

In the coming year, we will continue to support the transformation of the federal corrections system and to advance important law reforms. The Government of Canada convened an independent panel to conduct a review of CSC's operational priorities, strategies and plans.

The independent panel’s report, A Roadmap to Strengthening Public Safety, was released in December 2007 and contains 109 recommendations. Over the course of the next year, we will be looking to implement this report in order to modernize and reform Canada’s corrections system.

Thanks to the ongoing commitment and dedication of Public Safety Portfolio staff and partners, I am confident that we will continue to enhance the safety and security of Canada in the year to come.

__________________________________________

The Honourable Stockwell Day, P.C., M.P.

Minister of Public Safety

 

Commissioner's Message

The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is working hard to protect the safety and security of Canadians. The 2008-2009 Report on Plans and Priorities (RPP) outlines our plans to sustain the public safety results we achieve in the context of increasingly complex challenges.

Recognizing the need to develop our workforce to meet the demands of the future, we will continue to strengthen our practices with respect to managing our most precious resource - our people. To this end, in response to changing workforce demographics and projected labour shortages, we are about to enter the second year of implementation of our comprehensive three-year strategic plan for human resources. As described in this RPP, continued implementation of this plan is among our top priorities for 2008-2009 and is central to our effort to strengthen management practices at CSC.

At the same time, our work in institutions will continue with new measures to enhance the safety of both staff and offenders through improved security practices. We will also continue to focus our attention on the safe transition of eligible offenders to communities, on enhancing our capacities to provide effective interventions for First Nations, Métis and Inuit offenders, and on improving our capacities to address the mental health needs of offenders.

In April 2007, the Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety, announced the appointment of an independent panel to review the operations of CSC. This review has recently been completed and the panel’s report outlines a roadmap for CSC to strengthen its contributions to public safety. The report, which includes 109 recommendations, sets a long-term agenda for the transformation of corrections at the federal level. It is now under active consideration by the Government and will likely have a major impact on corrections for years to come.

As we move forward in 2008-2009 and beyond, I am confident that the CSC team will continue to work with enormous dedication to deliver the best possible public safety results for Canadians.

__________________________________________

Keith Coulter, Commissioner

 

Management Representation Statement

I submit for tabling in Parliament, the 2008-2009 Report on Plans and Priorities for the Correctional Service of Canada.

This document has been prepared based on the reporting principles contained in the Guide to the Preparation of Part III of the 2008-2009 Estimates: Reports on Plans and Priorities and Departmental Performance Reports.

  1. It adheres to the specific reporting requirements outlined in the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat guidance;
  2. It is based on the department’s approved Strategic Outcome and Program Activity Architecture that were approved by the Treasury Board;
  3. It presents consistent, comprehensive, balanced and reliable information;
  4. It provides a basis of accountability for the results achieved with the resources and authorities entrusted to it; and
  5. It reports finances based on approved planned spending numbers from the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.

__________________________________________

Keith Coulter

Commissioner, Correctional Service of Canada

 

SECTION I:  OVERVIEW

This section presents general information about the Correctional Service of Canada and focuses on the current strategic context and priorities of the organization.

1.1 Raison d’être and Operating Environment

The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is an agency within the Public Safety Portfolio. The Portfolio brings together key federal agencies dedicated to public safety, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the National Parole Board, the Canada Border Services Agency, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, and three review bodies, including the Office of the Correctional Investigator.

CSC contributes to public safety by administering court-imposed sentences for offenders sentenced to two years or more. This involves managing institutions (penitentiaries) of various security levels and supervising offenders on different forms of conditional release, while assisting them to become law-abiding citizens. CSC also administers post-sentence supervision of offenders with Long Term Supervision Orders for up to 10 years.1

At the end of the 2006-07 fiscal year, CSC was responsible for approximately 13,200 federally incarcerated offenders and 8,000 offenders in the community. Over the course of the year, including all admissions and releases, CSC managed 19,500 incarcerated offenders and 14,000 supervised offenders in the community.2

FEDERALLY
MANAGED
FACILITIES INCLUDE

  • 58 institutions
  • 16 community correctional centres
  • 71 parole offices

CSC has a presence from coast to coast to coast--from large urban centres with their increasingly diverse populations, to remote Inuit communities across the North. CSC manages penitentiaries, mental health treatment centres, Aboriginal healing lodges, community correctional centres and parole offices. In addition, CSC has five regional headquarters that provide management and administrative support and serve as the delivery arm of CSC's programs and services. CSC also manages an addictions research centre, a correctional management learning centre, regional staff colleges and a national headquarters.

CORCAN, a Special Operating Agency of CSC, provides work and employability skills training to offenders in institutions in order to enhance job readiness upon their release to communities, and to increase the likelihood of successful reintegration. CORCAN also offers support services at 37 community-based employment locations across Canada to assist offenders on conditional release in securing employment. CORCAN’s services are provided through partnership contracts internally (CSC and CORCAN) as well as externally with other government organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations, and private enterprises.

Approximately 72% of CSC's 2006-07 Annual Reference Level3 was dedicated to the provision of care and custody of offenders in institutions and in communities, which includes such fixed and semi-fixed costs as security systems, salaries for correctional staff, facilities maintenance and food. The remaining 28% was allocated to rehabilitation and case management services.4

WORKFORCE

  • Approximately 15,200 employees, of whom 85% work in institutions and communities

CSC employs approximately 15,200 staff5 across the country and strives to maintain a workforce that reflects Canadian society. Slightly more than 5% are from visible minority groups, approximately 4% are persons with disabilities, and approximately 7% are Aboriginal.6  These rates are at or above the labour market availability7 of workers in these operational groups for the types of employment offered by CSC. Just under 46% of CSC staff are women.

Two occupational groups, for the most part exclusive to CSC, represent over half of all staff employed in operational units. The Correctional Officer group comprises 41% of staff, while another 15% of staff are in the Welfare Programmes category, the group that includes parole and program officers who work in the institutions and in the community. The remainder of CSC's workforce reflects the variety of other skills required to operate institutions and community offices--from health professionals, to electricians, to food service staff--as well as staff providing corporate and administrative functions at the local, regional and national levels. All staff work together to ensure that the institutions operate in a secure and safe fashion and that offenders are properly supervised on release.

Volunteers have been essential contributors to public safety for many years by enhancing the work of CSC and creating a liaison between the community and the offender. CSC benefits from the contributions of over 8,100 volunteers active in institutions and in the community. CSC volunteers are involved in activities ranging from one-time events to providing ongoing services to offenders and communities, including tutoring, social and cultural events, faith-based services and substance abuse programming. CSC also engages a volunteer Citizen Advisory Committee at the local, regional and national level to provide citizen feedback on CSC policies and practices.

1.2 Organizational Information

CSC is organized to provide effective correctional services in a fiscally responsible manner. There are three levels of management: national, regional and local.

National Headquarters

Provides support to the Commissioner and the Executive Committee and delivers services to all of CSC including: provision of information to Parliamentary Committees, Central Agencies and the public; ministerial liaison; communications and citizen engagement; correctional operations; human resource and financial management expert advice; national investigations and audit; performance assurance; policy and planning; program development; leadership on women offender and Aboriginal offender initiatives; research; legal services; and information management.

Regional Headquarters

Provides support to National Headquarters in the development of Commissioner’s Directives and national programs; implements national policies and manages correctional operations in the region; develops and implements regional procedures, plans and programs for performance measurement, human resources, financial management, federal/provincial/territorial relations and public consultation; and provides information to the media, elected officials, interest groups and the public.

Institutional/Parole Offices

CSC manages 58 institutions, 16 Community Correctional Centres and 71 Parole Offices. A description of institutional security level classifications (i.e., maximum, medium, minimum and multi-level) is provided in the Glossary, at the end of this report.


Map of CSC's Regions

 

The Commissioner is the Agency Head of the Correctional Service Canada and is accountable to the Minister of Public Safety. An Executive Committee of national and regional officials sets the vision and agenda for correctional services delivery. Specific functions are depicted in the following chart and outlined in the paragraphs below:8

 

Organization Chart

The Senior Deputy Commissioner supports the Commissioner by focusing on the management of operational and strategic issues, providing leadership on Aboriginal initiatives and oversight of policy and program development for Aboriginal offenders, overseeing the incident investigation process, and acting as Commissioner when required. As of July 2007, the Senior Deputy Commissioner acquired additional accountabilities, including the Information Management Technology Branch and the Performance Assurance Sector.

The five Regional Deputy Commissioners are responsible for the management of CSC operations within their respective regions, implementation of correctional policy, and leadership in providing advice on criminal justice system matters.

The Deputy Commissioner for Women provides functional leadership and corporate expertise on women offender issues, including program and policy development and implementation, through collaboration with other sectors at National Headquarters and with the Regions in order to monitor operational activities at the institutional and community levels.

The Assistant Commissioner, Correctional Operations and Programs is responsible for the integrity of community and institutional operations across CSC and for improving the development and delivery of security, case management, programming, chaplaincy and victim services.

The Assistant Commissioner, Policy and Research is responsible for corporate policy and research in support of the government agenda; federal, provincial, territorial and international relations; and fairness and equity of correctional practices through offender redress mechanisms and delivery of services under the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.

The Assistant Commissioner, Performance Assurance is responsible for ensuring mechanisms are in place to analyze, monitor and measure CSC's performance on delivering correctional results. In addition, Performance Assurance is accountable for evaluation, internal disclosure programs, the informal conflict management system, integrated business planning and reporting. The Assistant Commissioner is currently the Senior Values and Ethics Officer.

The Assistant Commissioner, Corporate Services is the Chief Financial Officer for CSC, and as such is the most senior departmental executive in charge of the financial management function and responsible for supporting the Commissioner in his role of Chief Accounting Officer. The Assistant Commissioner is also accountable for the operational planning function; the contract and procurement function; the design, construction, engineering and maintenance of all federal correctional facilities; the departmental environmental program; the vehicle fleet; the food and clothing services; and other administration services such as office accommodation and telecommunications.

The Assistant Commissioner, Health Services is responsible for improving the quality of health services provided to inmates, while ensuring that policies are applied consistently. In addition, the Health Services Sector will ensure standardized practices and provide greater integration of physical and mental health services. In September 2007, the Assistant Commissioner also became responsible for the direct management and operations of health services, excluding mental health treatment centres.

The Assistant Commissioner, Human Resource Management is responsible for human resource management strategies, management of administrative and human resource activities and interpretation of human resources-related policies, directives and guidelines.

The Assistant Commissioner, Communications and Citizen Engagement is responsible for leadership in the development of the voluntary sector and communication engagement initiatives, for the implementation of communication policy, and for the development and implementation of strategies to improve media and public understanding of CSC's mandate, policies and programs, through outreach activities and public consultation, as well as the design, production, dissemination and evaluation of multi-media products.

The Executive Director, Executive Secretariat is responsible for Ministerial liaison and Parliamentary relations to support the Commissioner and the Minister in fulfilling CSC's mandate.

The Director and General Counsel, Legal Services Unit provides advice on legal risks in the development of correctional policy, programs and services, as well providing legal advice to CSC on litigation.

The Chief Audit Executive is responsible for the management of the internal audit function, which is designed to assess and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control and governance processes within CSC.

1 For more information, see the Glossary at the end of this report.

2 Source: CSC Offender Management System.  Note that, within a given year, many offenders move between incarceration and conditional release. In such cases, the offender is counted only once in each category.

3 A Reference Level is the current dollar balance of funding available to an organization for each year as approved by Treasury Board and/or statutory estimates related to statutes of Canada.

4 Corporate management costs are factored into the above 72-28 percent distribution.

5 Source: CSC Human Resources Management System (November 30, 2007).

6 Source: CSC Human Resources Management System (Employment equity data, November 30, 2007).

7 As per the latest data released by Statistics Canada (2001 Census Data).

8 Although not a member of the Executive Committee, the Chief Audit Executive reports directly to the Commissioner.

 

1.3  Program Activity Architecture

The Management Resources and Results Structure of a federal department or agency identifies the organization’s strategic outcome(s), describes the activities supporting these outcomes and establishes the structure by which the organization will manage these activities. The Program Activity Architecture, an inherent part of the Management Resources and Results Structure, establishes an inventory of activities and sub-activities that allows the organization to clearly and accurately demonstrate results and value-for-money to Parliament, Central Agencies and Canadians against the priorities, expected results, plans and day-to-day operations it sets out to achieve.

In 2006-07, CSC worked closely with Treasury Board Secretariat program and policy analysts to strengthen and refine its Management Resources and Results Structure while ensuring it complied with the Treasury Board Management Resources and Results Structure policy. The result is an amended Management Resources and Results Structure that is comprehensive and well understood across the organization and that provides meaningful insight into program effectiveness for management decision-making purposes.

As part of the recent exercise to amend its Management Resources and Results Structure, CSC modified its single strategic outcome to better reflect the paramount importance of CSC's contribution to enhancing public safety while ensuring continued alignment to the Government of Canada "Safe Homes, Safe Communities" priority.

In addition, the amended Program Activity Architecture better reflects the way CSC manages its operations, capturing the long term strategic direction for CSC and allowing for better internal alignment of financial and human resources, results commitments, operational plans, milestones and deliverables, corporate risk profile, management control framework, audit plan, evaluation plan, management accountability framework, performance management program, etc., against the Program Activity Architecture. Treasury Board of Canada approved the amended Program Activity Architecture in June 2007.

Furthermore, CSC moved from a predominantly financially-oriented Program Activity Architecture to a clearly defined results-based architecture that is well aligned to support the organization's strategic outcome. CSC has aligned its financial 'envelope framework' to its amended Program Activity Architecture to ensure that the appropriate allocation of approved budgets is in line with the activities and functions performed by CSC officials.

As required under Phase 2 of the Management Resources and Results Structure Implementation Roadmap, efforts are currently underway to improve upon the already strong performance measurement framework that is available to senior management to support decision-making. In addition, CSC is taking immediate steps to develop a system to capture and report on all components of its Management Resources and Results Structure as part of the Phase 3 requirements of the Management Resources and Results Structure Roadmap.

Combining non-financial performance indicators and measures with its robust and rigorous financial and risk management frameworks will position CSC to evaluate its operational performance relative to the resources entrusted to the organization and to take the necessary actions to ensure the organization continues to achieve results for Canadians.

Below is a comparison of CSC's previous Program Activity Architecture, down to the Program Activity level, and the amended Program Activity Architecture adopted by organization for fiscal year 2008-09.


Previous PAA

Strategic Outcome:

Offenders are safely and effectively accommodated and reintegrated into Canadian communities with due regard to public safety

b
Program Activity:
Care & Custody
Program Activity:
Rehabilitation & Case Management
Program Activity:
CORCAN (Special Operating Agency)

 


New PAA 

Strategic Outcome:

The custody, correctional interventions, and supervision of offenders, in communities and institutions, contributes to public safety.

b
Program Activity:
Custody
Program Activity:
Correctional Interventions
Program Activity:
Community Supervision
Program Activity:
CORCAN
(Special Operating Agency)
Program Activity: Internal Services

1.4  Summary Information 

Note: CSC received 2-year interim funding for 2007-08 and 2008-09 to address its most pressing needs. At the time of publishing this RPP, it is uncertain whether this funding will be extended, which accounts for the decrease in 2009-10 and 2010-11.

Financial Resources ($M)


2008­-09

2009-10

2010-11

$ 2,174.2

$ 2,014.7

$ 2,001.5


Human Resources (FTEs)


2008-09

2009-10

2010-11

15,945

15,537

15,473



Voted and Statutory Items displayed in the Main Estimates



Vote or
Statutory Item

Truncated Vote or Statutory Wording

2008-09
Main Estimates

2007-08
Main Estimates

30

Operating expenditures

1,717.1

1,529.5

35

Capital expenditures

263.6

153.7

(S)

Contributions to employee benefit plans

193.5

186.8

(S)

CORCAN revolving fund

-

-

 

Total Department or Agency

2,174. 2

1,870.0


Explanation of the major differences between 2008-09 and 2007-08 Main Estimates:

  • One-time funding of $148.6 million to address CSC's most critical operating and capital funding integrity challenges.
  • $72.4 million for the National Capital, Accommodation & Operations Plan:  Adjustments are required due to the fluctuation in population levels and changes in offender profile, both incarcerated and in the Community, necessitating specific offender programs and specific accommodation measures such as one new maximum security unit in Kent Institution and in Saskatchewan Penitentiary respectively.
  • $41.8 million to compensate for signed Collective Bargaining, mostly for Correctional Officers.
  • $16.0 million for the increased costs in health care delivery, prescription drugs and Methadone Maintenance Program to inmates requiring treatment.
  • $18.9 million approved in previous years for the Health Information Management Module and for various construction initiatives subsequently deferred to 2008-09 along with the approved funding.

Planned Spending and Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs)


($ millions)
Forecast
Spending
2007-2008
Planned
Spending
2008-2009
Planned
Spending
2009-2010
Planned
Spending
2010-2011

 

 

 

 

 

Custody:  Offenders are provided reasonable, safe, secure and humane custody.

1,379.7

1,632.0

1,506.9

1,498.1

 

 

 

 

 

Correctional Interventions: Offenders’ individualized risks and needs are addressed.

490.3

424.6

407.6

403.2

 

 

 

 

 

Community Supervision: Re-offending in the community is reduced

0.0

117.6

100.2

100.2

 

 

 

 

 

CORCAN

77.5

83.7

85.4

85.4

 

 

 

 

 

Budgetary Main Estimates

1,947.5

2,257.9

2,100.1

2,086.9

 

 

 

 

 

Less: Respendable revenue (Corcan)

-77.5

-83.7

-85.4

-85.4

 

 

 

 

 

Total Main Estimates

1,870.0

2,174.2

2,014.7

2,001.5

Adjustments

 

 

 

 

Supplementary Estimates

 

 

 

 

- Funding to address challenges related to items such as capital rust out, maintenance of basic safety and security within institutions and meeting basic legal and policy program obligations

84.9

 

 

 

- Funding for the development of a unit and the addition of a unit at the Saskatchewan penitentiary

6.1

 

 

 

- Funding related to the transfer of responsibility for parole administration from the Province of British Columbia to the federal government (horizontal item)

6.0

 

 

 

- Funding to permit the implementation of the new Federal Victim’s Strategy and the establishment of the Office of the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime (horizontal item)

2.8

 

 

 

- Funding for the federal correctional facilities in New Brunswick to accommodate provincial offenders

1.0

1.5

1.5

1.5

- Funding for activities that are essential to the continued implementation of the Public Service Modernization Act (horizontal item)

0.3

 

 

 

- Funding in support of the Federal Accountability Act to evaluate all ongoing grant and contribution programs every five years (horizontal item)

0.1

 

 

 

- Transfer from National Parole Board - For the transfer of information technology services

2.6

 

 

 

- Transfer from Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness - For the Public Education and Citizen Engagement Strategy

0.3

 

 

 



($ millions)

Forecast
Spending
2007-2008

Planned
Spending
2008-2009

Planned
Spending
2009-2010

Planned
Spending
2010-2011

- Transfer from Canada Heritage - To ensure that new and existing federal policies, programs and services respond to the priorities and needs of ethnocultural communities (Inclusive Institutions Initiative)

0.1

 

 

 

- Transfer to Public Service Human Resources Management Agency of Canada - For the National Managers’ Community

-0.1

 

 

 

- Funding for Mandatory Minimum Penalties

 

55.7

90.6

77.4

- Funding for Quasi-Statutory expenditures required to meet Correctional Service of Canada’s  mandate

16.1

 

 

 

- Funding to cover increased Workers Compensation costs due to a rise in the number and the nature of incidents in federal institutions

3.2

 

 

 

Total Supplementary Estimates

123.4

57.2

92.1

78.9

 

 

 

 

OTHER ADJUSTMENTS

 

 

 

- Funding for signed Collective Agreements

37.2

 

 

- Employee Benefit Plan for signed Collective Agreements

7.4

 

 

- Operating budget carry forward from 2006-2007

59.0

 

 

- Impact of new Internal Audit Policy (horizontal initiative)

0.5

 

 

-Capital carry forward to future years

-43.7

 

 

Total Other Adjustments

60.4

 

 

Total Adjustments

183.8

57.2

92.1

78.9

 

 

 

 

Total Planned Spending

2,053.8

2,231.4

2,106.8

2,080.4

 

 

 

Total Planned Spending

2,053.8

2,231.4

2,106.8

2,080.4

Less: Non-respendable revenue

-7.4

-7.9

-7.9

-7.9

 

 

 

 

Plus: Cost of services received without charge

90.7

98.6

98.3

96.7

Total Departmental Spending

2,137.1

2,322.1

2,197.2

2,169.2

 

 

 

Full Time Equivalents

15,624

15,945

15,537

15,473


At this time, CSC's planned spending table forecasts a decrease of more than $160M from 2008-09 to 2009-10 and 2010-11. This is almost entirely due to the 2-year interim funding which was received for 2007-08 and 2008-09 to address challenges related to items such as ageing institutional facilities, maintenance of basic safety and security within institutions and meeting basic legal and policy program obligations. At the time of finalizing this RPP, a decision had not yet been taken with respect to the period beyond 2008-09.

1.5  Strategic Context

In recent years, the offender population has been increasingly characterized by offenders with extensive histories of violence and violent crimes, previous youth and adult convictions, affiliations with gangs and organized crime, serious substance abuse histories and problems, serious mental health disorders, higher rates of infection with Hepatitis C and HIV and a disproportionate representation of Aboriginal people. For example:9

  • The proportion of men homicide offenders has increased from 22% in 1997 to 25% in 2006.10
  • More than one out of ten of new male offender admissions are initially rated as requiring maximum-security (13%) while more than one out of four are rated minimum-security (30%). There is an increasing trend for maximum designations since 1996-97 (6% to 13%, or +117%). There is also an increasing trend for maximum designations since 1996/97 for new women offender admissions (4% to 11%, or +64%).
  • More than one out of six men offenders in federal custody have gang affiliations and this phenomenon has been dramatically increasing since 1997 (12% to 16%, or +33%). One out of ten women offenders in federal custody have gang affiliations and this has been increasing since 1997 (7% to 13%, or +85%).
  • More than one out of ten men offenders in federal custody have been identified at admission as presenting mental health problems and this proportion has risen since 1997 (7% to 12%, +71%).
  • One out of five women offenders in federal custody were identified at admission as presenting mental health problems and this proportion has risen since 1997 (13% to 21%, +61%).

“Canadians feel less safe today and rightly worry about the security of their neighbourhoods and the country. There is no greater responsibility for a government than to protect this right to safety and security.”

-Speech from the Throne (October 16, 2007)

Effective management of the more challenging and complex offender population requires  new training and equipment for staff, an increase in specialized services--most notably in the provision of mental health care for offenders--and more distinct and targeted interventions, all of which result in the need for additional resources. Moreover, with a greater proportion of offenders serving sentences of under three years (over 50% for new offender admissions11), CSC is faced with having less time than in the past to deliver correctional programming and other necessary interventions.

Close to ninety percent of CSC's expenditures are non-discretionary or prescribed by legislation (e.g., salaries, utilities, food, medical services).12  These expenditures are driven by factors beyond CSC's direct control (e.g., inflation, price fluctuations, and new employee contracts) and are escalating. 

Another major challenge is the basic maintenance requirements of CSC institutions. CSC has one of the largest facility portfolios in the Government of Canada, consisting of a variety of institutions, community correctional centres and parole offices13 in communities across Canada. Together, these represent nearly 200 different sites. These facilities date from the early 1800s to the present, with most being over 40 years old.

On March 19, 2007, shortly after the 2007-08 RPP was finalized, the Government announced, in the Federal Budget, interim funding over the two subsequent fiscal years (2007-08 and 2008-09) to address CSC's most pressing operational needs. Subsequently, on April 20, 2007, Minister of Public Safety, Stockwell Day, announced the establishment of an Independent Panel to look at CSC's operational policies, strategies and business plans in order to determine future directions for the Service, as part of the Government’s commitment to protecting Canadian families and communities.

The Independent Panel released its report on December 13, 2007, A Roadmap to Strengthening Public Safety. It includes 109 recommendations, focusing on five key themes:

  1. Offender accountability
  2. Elimination of drugs from prisons
  3. Offender employment and employability
  4. Physical infrastructure
  5. Elimination of statutory release, and moving to earned parole

These themes define a potential long-term transformation agenda for CSC. The Independent Panel’s recommendations are currently under active consideration by the Government.

1.6  Priorities, Result Commitments and Measurement Strategies

This section presents the background for each strategic priority, the associated challenges and the direction CSC needs to follow to address these challenges; as well as results commitments and measurement strategies.

Given the challenges described previously, CSC continues to pursue five priorities   established in 2006-07, in order to sustain its public safety results:

  • Safe transition of eligible offenders into the community;
  • Safety and security for staff and offenders in our institutions;
  • Enhanced capacities to provide effective interventions for First Nations, Métis and Inuit offenders;
  • Improved capacities to address mental health needs of offenders; and
  • Strengthened management practices.

In support of each priority, CSC developed result commitments. These targets will ensure that CSC remains focussed on results that matter to Canadians and that its progress against its priorities, in the long term, is measurable and transparent.

CSC also identified plans in order to ensure specific, concrete actions would be undertaken. These plans are summarized at the end of this section, and detailed in
Section 2.

Priority: Safe transition of eligible offenders into the community

Based on current law and practice, over ninety percent of inmates will at some point in their sentence be released into the community under supervision. The changing offender profile and trends toward shorter sentences present new challenges with regard to managing an offender’s risk and needs.

As the following tables show, while CSC has achieved a small decline in violent re-offending while under supervision, there has been an increase in violent re-offending within two years after sentence completion.

Re-Offending with a Violent Conviction while on Supervision


01-02

02-03

03-04

04-05

05-06

Violent Convictions

Year

249

250

246

232

192

3-year average

266

262

248

243

223

Release Flowthrough

Year

16,611

16,382

16,168

16,156

16,368

3-year average

16,870

16,656

16,387

16,235

16,231

Rate

Year

1.5%

1.5%

1.5%

1.4%

1.2%

3-year average

1.6%

1.6%

1.5%

1.5%

1.4%


Source: Offender Management System (April 8, 2007).

Return to Federal Custody with Violent Conviction within 2 years Post-Sentence Completion14


00-01

01-02

02-03

03-04

04-05

Offenders who completed their sentence and were re-
admitted for a violent offence

Year

233

222

242

233

271

3-year average

228

221

232

232

249

Total number of offenders who completed their sentence in this period

Year

4,636

4,690

4,634

4,523

4,543

3-year average

4,529

4,576

4,653

4,616

4,567

Rate

Year

5.0%

4.7%

5.2%

5.2%

6.0%

3-year average

5.0%

4.8%

5.0%

5.0%

5.4%


Source: Offender Management System (April 8, 2007).

The increasing return to federal custody as depicted in the above table contributes to the changing offender profile as outlined in Section 1.5 and the greater concern for both staff and public safety. Furthermore, approximately 36% of offenders who complete their sentence will be convicted of a new crime, the majority receiving some type of provincial sentence.

Due to that changing offender profile, and in the context of limited resources, CSC has been finding it an increasing challenge to reduce levels of re-offending in the community, including violent re-offending. In this context, CSC is committing to preventing an increase in the level of violent re-offending over the next three years in order to sustain its contribution to public safety: 

Result Commitment

Preventing an increase in the level of violent re-offending15 by federal offenders returning to the community, as measured by:

  • The percentage of federal offenders in communities convicted of a violent offence while under CSC supervision;
  • The percentage of federal offenders convicted of a violent offence and returning to federal custody within two years of the end of their sentence;16 and
  • The percentage of federal offenders convicted of a violent offence within five years of the end of their sentence.

CSC compares the rate of re-offending during supervision with the rate after the period of supervision has been completed. This is done in order to assess the enduring effect of efforts the offender undertook to change their behaviour, as well as to signal to us social factors that may diminish the offender’s ability to remain law-abiding and thus enable us to identify future program options that could mitigate those factors.

Priority: Safety and Security for staff and offenders in our institutions

The changing offender profile presents new and/or elevated risks and needs. CSC is concerned about the vulnerability of institutional staff, inmates, and visitors to acts of physical or verbal aggression, including serious assaults and bodily injury.

CSC has undertaken numerous measures to increase the safety level of our penitentiaries. However, the presence of staff and security cameras, and the consequences of institutional discipline or further criminal charges, are not deterring inmates sufficiently from committing assaults. Part of the problem is the continued introduction and use of illicit drugs.17 While CSC is working with police, security intelligence officials, and other partners on an array of activities to reduce the entry and consumption of drugs in institutions, the sale or use of drugs in the institutional environment can lead to aggression, intimidation, and violence.

9 The Changing Federal Offender Population: Profiles and Forecasts, 2006 (CSC Research Branch, August 2006)

10 The length of sentence served by these offenders causes a natural accumulation of this category of offender in the institutional population. In addition to their conviction for a violent offence, it is a cause for safety concern when any group of violent offenders is present in large numbers.

11 Ibid.

12 The annual average cost per offender increased by 4.6% from 2005-06 ($71,004) to 2006-07 ($74,261). Source: CSC Comptroller Branch.

13 Parole offices, typically being rented facilities, do not present the same maintenance issues as correctional institutions.

14 The reporting of new offender convictions is delayed by one year in order to allow time for the judicial process. Reporting these results at the end of each fiscal year would misrepresent the actual results since the courts would not have had the opportunity to process the charges. This results in a total delay of three years from the current fiscal year, as we wait a year for the charges laid in the later part of the second year following sentence completion to be processed.

15 It is important to note that while CSC contributes to reducing the long-term rate of offenders returning to federal custody, several external factors influence this result, including the profile of the offenders, legislation, sentencing trends, law enforcement capacity, and events that happen to offenders following sentence completion and when they are no longer under CSC's jurisdiction.

16 This mental health indicator was not available at intake for most of the offenders who reached the end of their sentence five to ten years ago. The few that had a completed intake mental health assessment are not representative of the offender population over the past ten years. For this reason, CSC is not able to report at this time on the re-offending rate of offenders with mental health disorders at five years past sentence completion.

17 In 2006-07 CSC completed an internal audit on drug interdiction at CSC institutions. An enhanced drug interdiction plan was developed and implemented, which includes increased use of drug dogs and ion scanning technology as well as enhanced searching within the institutions. Available at: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/pa/adt-toc-eng.shtml

 

Staff Assaults18 (by Inmates)


02-03

03-04

04-05

05-06

06-07

Staff Assaults

year

465

367

293

375

355

3-year average

478.7

446.7

375.0

345.0

341.0

Institutional Staff19

year

11,277

11,480

11,260

11,247

11,339

3-year average

10,985

11,267

11,339

11,329

11,282

Rate

year

4.1%

3.2%

2.6%

3.3%

3.1%

3-year average

4.4%

4.0%

3.3%

3.0%

3.0%


Source: Offender Management System (April 8, 2007).

Inmate Assaults (by Inmates)


02-03

03-04

04-05

05-06

06-07

Inmate Assaults

year

540

468

463

558

556

3-year average

530.7

506.0

490.3

496.3

525.7

Number of Inmates (Institutional Flowthrough)

year

18,588

18,532

18,623

19,039

19,490

3-year average

18,628

18,567

18,581

18,731

19,051

Rate

year

2.9%

2.5%

2.5%

2.9%

2.9%

3-year average

2.8%

2.7%

2.6%

2.6%

2.8%


Source: Offender Management System (April 8, 2007). Institutional Flowthrough as of April 8, 2007.

The two charts above should be viewed together. The 3-year average for assaults on staff show a downward trend whereas that for inmate assaults on inmates has remained relatively stable. This suggests that while inmate violence remains a serious issue, staff’s ability to prevent that violence from resulting in an assault on them is improving. Hence, although some gains have been made on this issue, there is additional room for improvement in CSC's commitment to make institutions safe environments for everyone.

Front-line staff have identified that the climate in institutions is changing, with assaultive behaviour becoming more pronounced and with more incidents of aggressive, intimidating behaviour that is problematic but short of reportable assaults.

The increase in instances of bodily fluids and waste being thrown on staff and verbal assaults such as threats to harm, has only recently been fully appreciated for its impact. These incidents are now better understood as precursors to physical violence and indicative of an ingrained lack of respect for others. They are understood to have lasting and significant impact on staff and offenders' sense of safety and security, and as hampering effective interaction between staff and offenders.

In response to these challenges, and in the context of tight resource constraints as outlined in Section 1.5, CSC is committing to achieving the following results over the next three years: 

Result Commitment

Preventing an increase in the level of violent behaviour within institutions, as measured by the rate of security incidents.

Preventing an increase in assaultive behaviour within institutions as measured by:

  • The rate of assaults on staff;
  • The rate of assaults on offenders;
  • The rate of injuries to staff caused by offenders; and
  • The rate of injuries to offenders caused by offenders.

Preventing an increase in illicit drugs within institutions as measured by the percentage of offenders testing positive during random urinalysis tests.

CSC is further looking for ways to capture other indicators of relevant behaviours such as gang affiliation or intimidation and threats, which indicate a propensity towards violent behaviour and which reflect the experiences reported by staff.

Enhanced Capacities to provide effective interventions for First Nations, Métis and Inuit offenders

There is a considerable gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal offenders with respect to re-offending, both while under CSC supervision in the community, and following the completion of their sentence.

According to a recent Statistics Canada report,20 crime rates on Reserves are about three times higher than crime rates elsewhere in Canada and violent crime rates are significantly higher; rates of spousal violence are 3½ times higher among Aboriginals than among non-Aboriginals; and Aboriginal people are 10 times more likely than non-Aboriginals to be accused of homicide involving alcohol and/or drug consumption. The  report suggests that social disruption, particularly on Reserves, will remain a significant challenge, and that most Aboriginal communities’ focus on crime prevention will continue to be diverted by the need to improve clean water, health, housing, and education to support economic development.

As the following table shows, the gap between Aboriginal re-offending versus non-Aboriginal re-offending while under CSC supervision has decreased somewhat over the past five years:21

n

However, the gap in re-offending within two years of end of sentence is increasing,22 which is not surprising given the lack of adequate Aboriginal community capacity for offenders once they are no longer supervised.

n

On the other hand, the gap in re-offending within five years of end of sentence has been decreasing marginally.23 This may be due to the fact that in the initial two-year post-supervision period offenders are more vulnerable to re-offend than during the longer term  when they have had more time to adjust to living without supervision.

n

CSC will continue to address the continued disproportionate representation of Aboriginal offenders within CSC institutions. A critical component of this effort is strengthening partnership with Aboriginal stakeholders.

In response to these challenges, and in accordance with its Strategic Plan for Aboriginal Corrections (2006-2011), CSC is committing to achieving the following result over the next three years: 

Result Commitment

Preventing the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal correctional results from widening, as measured by:

  • The percentage of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal federal offenders convicted of violent or non-violent offences in communities while under CSC supervision;
  • The percentage of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal federal offenders convicted of a violent or non-violent offence and returning to federal custody within two years of the end of their sentence; and
  • The percentage of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal federal offenders convicted of violent or non-violent offences within five years of the end of their sentence.

Priority: Improved capacities to address mental health needs of offenders

Mental health disorders are three times more likely among CSC inmates than the general population. The number of offenders with identified mental health needs is increasing. At the same time, community capacity for support of mental health cases is eroding.

Penitentiaries are, by their very nature, closed environments where all offender interactions can be strained and difficult. Inmates can not always easily avoid other offenders they find unpleasant or frightening. Even offenders without mental disorders find the environment stressful and continued levels of stress can lead to inappropriate behaviour, aggression, despondency or depression. Offenders with mental health disorders may be subject to abuse; unpredictable behaviours may become a source of fear or suspicion in others; and the acting out associated with some disorders can be violent towards others or self-destructive.

Inmates with untreated mental health disorders cannot fully engage in their correctional plans. They may compromise the safety of other inmates and front-line staff, and may become unstable within the community upon release, particularly where service providers may not perceive offenders as one of their client groups.

Federal inmates are excluded from the Canada Health Act and their treatment is not covered by Health Canada or provincial/territorial health systems during their incarceration. As a result, CSC provides a full-spectrum response to the broad and multi-dimensional mental health needs of offenders. CSC has developed an overarching Mental Health Strategy that has five24 components. Late in 2006-07, the Government of Canada provided two-year funding to address the most urgent requirements within three components of CSC's Mental Health Strategy, namely: clinical screening and assessment, enhanced provision of primary mental health care in all CSC institutions, and consistent standards and approach in CSC mental health treatment.  Implementation in these areas began in 2007-08.


In addition, in 2006-07 CSC continued development of the one previously funded component of its Mental Health Strategy, namely, the Community Mental Health Initiative.25  The goal of the Community Mental Health Initiative is to ensure that inmates requiring mental health services receive the best possible preparation for reintegration, and can transition to the community mental health system at the appropriate time with continuity of support.  The funds are earmarked for discharge planning; transitional care; specialized mental health staff working out of selected parole offices to provide support to offenders with mental health disorders in Community Correctional Centres and in Community Residential Facilities; annual mental health training for staff of selected parole offices, Community Correctional Centres and Community Residential Facilities; and funds for specialized services such as psychiatric and psychological interventions.

In response to these challenges, CSC is committing to achieving the following result over the next three years: 

Result Commitment26

Sustaining current correctional results for federal offenders with mental health disorders, as measured by:

  • The percentage of federal offenders with mental health disorders returning to federal custody within two years of the end of their sentence.
  • The percentage of federal offenders with mental health disorders returning to federal custody within five years of the end of their sentence.

Priority: Strengthened Management Practices

CSC's most recent Management Accountability Framework assessment by the Treasury Board Secretariat identified three areas where additional attention is required: Human Resource Management, Values and Ethics, and Internal Communications.

An important focus for CSC is in strengthening its human resource management. This is increasingly important in today’s changing workforce--changing demographics, projected labour shortages, effective labour relations and evolving learning needs present new and important challenges. To ensure that CSC meets these challenges and to strengthen its human resource management, CSC developed the three-year Strategic Plan for Human Resource Management (2007-2010), which is approaching the second year of implementation.

The plan focuses on four priorities for the organization: strengthen human resource management practices; build an effective representative workforce; provide learning, training and development; and improve workplace health and labour relations.

Another way CSC is strengthening its management practices is by further promoting ethical awareness and decision making through the organization. Building on the ethical training workshops piloted at 17 operational units during fiscal year 2007-08, CSC intends to expand the workshops to ensure a large percentage of staff and managers at all levels of the organization have the necessary tools and skills to apply ethical decision making skills in day-to-day work. Additionally, CSC will work to benchmark ethical indicators as a basis of assessing the effectiveness of the ethical initiatives undertaken.

In addition, CSC has been actively engaged with its major unions on issues arising out of the 2005 Public Service Employee Survey, in particular around issues of grievances and harassment. In addition, CSC will continue to use the Joint Learning Program that engages union-member line staff and managers to teach courses in anti-harassment and respecting differences. CSC will seek evidence, by way of staff surveys, that we have reduced workplace conflict through more ethical interactions.

Finally, a major focus for the next three years and beyond will be to continue improving internal communications. This includes effectively communicating to staff the information coming out of the Independent Panel recommendations and the Government’s response. CSC will improve existing communication tools, develop new ones and deliver consistent, regular messaging from the Commissioner, as well as face-to-face meetings, videoconferencing and town halls when possible.

CSC is improving its two-way communications by streamlining processes for employee feedback. The biannual Executive Development Symposiums will be more focussed to help ensure that executives receive consistent messages that they can take back to staff. To assist employees with communicating, CSC will launch and promote an internal communications toolkit, which includes information for all levels of staff on improving communications at all levels.

18  An assault is defined as "a deliberate attack on any person". (Commissioner’s Directive: Recording and Reporting of Security Incidents).  Data includes "Commit" , "Attempt to commit", "Threaten to commit", "Suspected of committing", "Conspire to commit" and so on.

19 "Institutional Staff" reflects the number of CSC employees in institutions at a given point in the year. This number is thus a snapshot, rather than a flowthrough.

20 Statistics Canada, Victimization and Offending Among Aboriginal Population in Canada, Juristat,
Catalogue No. 85-002-XIE, Volume 26, No. 3, June 2006.

21  CSC year-end data. Corporate Reporting System. April 8, 2007.

22 Ibid.

23 Ibid.

24  The five components are: Implement clinical screening and assessment process at intake; Provide primary mental health care in all CSC institutions; Create intermediate mental health care units in selected men’s institutions; Ensure consistent standards and approach in CSC mental health treatment centres; and, Implement community mental health initiative.

25 The Community Mental Health Initiative received five-year funding starting in 2005-06.

26  In the short term, CSC is limited to reporting results based on the mental health condition of offenders at admission.  CSC is working toward implementing a more comprehensive measurement strategy which will capture both correctional and health performance.

CSC will hold a second Internal Communications Survey before the end of fiscal year 2007-08 to measure progress on key areas and initiatives since the last Survey in the Spring of 2007, and to identify new areas for improvement. It is significant to note that this survey will include questions to gauge the effectiveness of the initial internal communications around the transformation of the Service flowing from the CSC Independent Panel’s report and recommendations. Those results will attempt to benchmark the results of internal communications activities in individual sectors and regions to provide Executive Committee members with useful data they can use to change/improve their internal communications efforts.

In addition to addressing the above areas of focus related to the Management Accountability Framework assessment, in 2007-08 CSC implemented a Corporate Risk Profile, which will serve as the foundation of a new integrated risk-based decision-making process to guide management decision-making. In 2007-08, major plans and strategies for the organization such as CSC's Human Resource Plan, Research Plan, and Evaluation Plan used the Corporate Risk Profile as a basis for identifying planned initiatives.

In 2008, CSC's Program Activity Architecture, Management Accountability Framework Assessment, Corporate Risk Profile and the various risk-based plans mentioned above will be integrated into a Business Plan for the organization.

The next step will be to create Functional Risk Profiles that draw in the Regional and Sector based risks and strategies and which links them to CSC's Legal Risk Management Profile. In this way, the organization will have an integrated risk foundation that will facilitate planning decisions at the field as well as corporate level.

In pursuing the above management improvement challenges, CSC is committing to achieving the following result over the next three years: 

Result Commitment

A stronger contribution to public safety in priority areas, as measured by:

  • Reductions in workplace conflicts in the areas of harassment, staff grievances, and improvements in mutual respect, trust and accountability as reflected in employee surveys.
  • Improvements in management practices as reflected in Management Accountability Framework assessments by the Treasury Board Secretariat; and
  • Improvements in the areas of ethics, integrity, fairness, and respect, as measured through assessment against baseline data from employee surveys.

Plans and Priorities by Program Activity

The following table lists, by Program Activity, CSC's plans for the next three fiscal years and for each plan indicates the associated strategic priority. The plans are further described in Section 2 of this report. Note that the Program Activity CORCAN does not appear in this table as there are no plans associated with it.


Program Activity Plans Ongoing  Priority

Custody

   

 

Continue to increase safety and security of CSC's institutions

Safety and security for staff and offenders in our institutions

 

Improve capacity to deliver essential physical health care services to inmates

Safety and security for staff and offenders in our institutions

 

Improve capacity to deliver mental health care to offenders in institutions

Improved capacity to address mental health needs of offenders

 

Implement the Correctional Officer Deployment Standards

Strengthened management practices

 

Ensure CSC's ability to deal with a potentially growing number of radicalized offenders, including terrorists

Safe transition of eligible offenders into the community

 

Improve interception and interventions to reduce the presence of drugs in institutions

Safety and security for staff and offenders in our institutions

Correctional Interventions

   

 

Expand measures to reduce violent reoffending

Safe transition of eligible offenders into the community

 

Improve capacity to address the unique needs and risks of Aboriginal offenders, including Aboriginal women offenders

Enhanced capacities to provide effective intervention for First Nations, Métis and Inuit offenders

 

Enhance internal and horizontal collaboration on Aboriginal community development issues (Strategic Plan for Aboriginal Corrections)

Enhanced capacities to provide effective intervention for First Nations, Métis and Inuit offenders

 

Enhance community partnerships

Safe transition of eligible offenders into the community

 

Enhance the employability of offenders prior to release

Safe transition of eligible offenders into the community

Community Supervision

   

 

Improve the safety and security of staff working in the community

Strengthened management practices

 

Improve the safety and security of offender supervision

Safe transition of eligible offenders into the community

 

Improve capacity to deliver mental health care to offenders under community supervision

Improved capacity to address mental health needs of offenders

 

Enhance the employment results for released offenders

Safe transition of eligible offenders into the community

Internal Services

   

 

Achieve an effective and representative workforce

Strengthened management practices

 

Enhance CSC's Training and Development Capacity

Strengthened management practices

 

Contribute to the improvement of the health of CSC's Workforce and promote effective and responsive labour relations  

Strengthened management practices

 

Enhance physical infrastructure    

Strengthened management practices

 

Enhance Information Management/Information Technology infrastructure

Strengthened management practices

 

Enhance organizational capacity to adjust to changing government priorities and direction  

Strengthened management practices

 

Ensure CSC's financial sustainability  

Strengthened management practices

 

Enhance National Victim Services Program

Strengthened management practices

 

Improve the greening of CSC's operations

Strengthened management practices




SECTION 2:   ANALYSIS OF PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

This section explains i) how CSC's program activities, and the plans associated with them, support CSC's single strategic outcome, and ii) how progress toward achieving the strategic outcome will be measured and reported in CSC's 2008-2009 Departmental Performance Report.

The determination of CSC's plans over the next three fiscal years is based largely on a risk-based decision-making process as reflected in CSC's Corporate Risk Profile.27

2.1 Custody


Strategic Outcome:

The custody, correctional interventions, and supervision of offenders, in communities and institutions, contributes to public safety.

b
Custody Correctional Interventions Community Supervision CORCAN
(Special.Operating Agency)
Internal Services

As mandated in the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, CSC contributes to the maintenance of a just, peaceful and safe society by carrying out sentences imposed by courts through the safe and humane custody of offenders. The Custody Program Activity encompasses all activities related to the provision of reasonable, safe, secure and humane custody of inmates. This includes a wide range of activities that address health and safety issues as well as the provision of basics such as food, clothing, accommodation and health services. It also includes security measures within institutions including drug interdiction, and appropriate control practices to prevent security incidents.

Expected Result: Offenders are provided reasonable, safe, secure and humane custody.

Performance Indicators:

  1. Rate of escapees from federal institutions
  2. Rate of inmate deaths by other than natural causes28
  3. Rate of assaultive behaviour      

Plans:

Continue to increase safety and security of CSC's institutions

One of CSC's priorities is to continue to increase the safety and security of staff and offenders in its institutions.

Following are CSC's milestones for 2008-09:

  • Enhance the Gang Management Strategy by including a specific component for Aboriginal offenders;
  • Complete the acquisition and distribution of stab-resistant vests to designated front line correctional staff;
  • Assess and evaluate the need for stab-resistant vests for other staff;
  • Procure new pistols which were approved by Executive Committee and ensure all required staff are trained;
  • Commence procurement process of remaining firearms as approved by Executive Committee;
  • Determine next steps (pilot) for Taser usage within CSC;
  • Explore legal options to enhance or develop more effective disciplinary responses to drug smuggling and trafficking in institutions; and
  • Implement a smoke-free environment in all federal institutions by April 30, 2008.

Improve capacity to deliver essential physical health care services to inmates

CSC is legally obligated to provide essential health services to inmates. In addition, adequately addressing the health needs of offenders allows them to more fully engage in their correctional plan and therefore contributes directly to public safety for Canadians.

  • Develop and implement a recruiting and retention strategy for Health Care professionals.
  • Institute a Continuous Quality Improvement  program in the Health Services sector that includes accreditation by the Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation;
  • Finalize implementation of CSC's new governance model for health services;
  • Finalize implementation of the regional pharmacies; and
  • Strengthen CSC's public health response to infectious diseases through:
    • Increased focus on health promotion activities;
    • Ensuring effective discharge planning for offenders with ongoing treatment needs; and
    • Developing specific approaches for women and Aboriginal offenders.

Improve capacity to deliver mental health care to offenders in institutions

As per CSC's Mental Health Strategy, CSC will:

  • Enhance clinical screening and mental health assessment processes at intake;
  • Provide primary mental health care in all institutions; and
  • Ensure consistent standards and approach in CSC mental health treatment centres.

Implement the Correctional Officer Deployment Standards

CSC has approved a new organizational model to improve the management structures and processes in its institutions, as well as a strategy for implementing revised correctional officer deployment standards. Implementation of the new organizational management model, completed in September 2007, is expected to enhance management of unit-centered correctional operations on a continual basis while improving supervision of interventions with offenders.

The implementation of the new deployment standards is on hold to allow for a full review of the recommendations identified in the CSC Independent Panel’s report. A number of the report’s recommendations may affect the standards that were being developed for implementation.  

Ensure CSC's ability to deal with a potentially growing number

World events and shifting immigration trends have given rise to legitimate concerns that persons with radical values and extremist approaches are to be increasingly found in Canadian society and thereby potentially under custody. International experience is also showing that prisons are ripe environments for nurturing the disaffection that can lead to adopting radical points of view, particularly against the State or Government. Because these points of view may be based on political, religious, cultural or other non-criminal values, correctional approaches that target criminogenic factors may not have an impact on such offenders. CSC carefully monitors developments in this area, including engagement with international criminal justice partners and will continue to ensure that the safety and security of its institutions is not jeopardized.

  • Closely monitor trends;
  • Enhance secure information sharing; and
  • Maintain a centralized detention centre.

Improve interception and interventions to reduce the presence of drugs in institutions

  • Implement a pilot of the external threat detector system to prevent intruders from approaching institutional perimeters;
  • Assess the feasibility of introducing a millimetre wave imaging system to detect possession of contraband;
  • Build on our capacity to exchange pertinent information between the institution and community police as it relates to drug trafficking;
  • Review existing inmate visiting protocols in a effort to better control the access to the institution; and
  • Pilot enhanced drug interdiction measures at two sites by ensuring all visitors and contractors entering the federal institutions are subjected to a non-intrusive search.

27 A corporate risk profile helps a department or agency establish a direction for managing corporate risks. The profile presents a snapshot of the organization's risk status at a particular point in time by addressing the following questions from a risk perspective: Where is the organization now (threats, opportunities, strengths, and weaknesses); where is it going (organizational objectives and expected results); and what are the key high-level risks that need to be managed at the senior management level to enable the organization to achieve its corporate objectives and results.

28 A study, commissioned by the Correctional Investigator of Canada, examined all reported deaths in Canadian penitentiaries from 2001-2005, due to factors other than natural causes. See Deaths in Custody Study (February 2007).

2.2  Correctional Interventions


Strategic Outcome:

The custody, correctional interventions, and supervision of offenders, in communities and institutions, contributes to public safety.

b
Custody Correctional Interventions Community Supervision CORCAN
(Special.Operating Agency)
Internal Services

As mandated in the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, CSC contributes to the maintenance of a just, peaceful and safe society by assisting the rehabilitation of offenders and their reintegration into the community as law-abiding citizens through the provision of programs in penitentiaries and in the community. The Correctional Interventions Program Activity encompasses all activities related to the delivery of correctional interventions and programs in institutions and communities designed to successfully reintegrate offenders into society as law-abiding citizens. It includes the development of individualized correctional plans for offenders, offender case management, the provision of cultural and spiritual services, engagement of the community, the provision of targeted correctional programs designed to address criminogenic factors and to sustain behavioural improvements of offenders, as well as the provision of offender education and employment training.

Expected Result: Offenders’ individualized risks and needs are addressed

Performance Indicators:

  1. Percentage of offenders granted discretionary release 
  2. Percentage of offenders granted parole at earliest possible parole date

Plans:

Expand measures to reduce violent re-offending 

  • Continue delivery of violence prevention programming, substance abuse programming and maintenance programs;
  • Promote the Community Maintenance Program as an aftercare strategy for offenders who have participated in institutional violence prevention and substance abuse programming;
  • Implement the Alternatives, Attitudes and Associates program in the community; and
  • Implement the Violence Prevention Program for Women.

Improve capacity to address the unique needs and risks of Aboriginal offenders, including Aboriginal women offenders

  •  Increase cultural competency throughout CSC, including in case management, through Aboriginal perceptions training of parole officers and assignment of Aboriginal offenders to their caseloads;
  • Continue development and implementation with territorial and provincial governments of options to address the unique needs of Northern offenders, particularly the Inuit;
  • Implement the Aboriginal relapse prevention maintenance program for women offenders;
  • Implement modifications to the Offender Management System to allow for the monitoring and reporting of results against the Aboriginal Continuum of Care; and
  • Increase the opportunities for released Aboriginal offenders to be employed in their communities, through collaboration with other federal departments in initiatives that address labour market shortages.

Enhance internal and horizontal collaboration on Aboriginal community development issues (Strategic Plan for Aboriginal Corrections)

  • Internal Collaboration: Ensure that the planning, reporting and accountability mechanisms at all levels of CSC integrate the Aboriginal dimension;
  • Horizontal Collaboration: Address the gaps in external collaborative capacity through a more coordinated approach within the Public Safety Portfolio, with other federal departments and agencies, and with other levels of government; and
  • Aboriginal Community Engagement: Engage Aboriginal communities in the further development and implementation of new programs and approaches that will contribute to safe and healthy communities.

Enhance community partnerships

This plan aims at increasing community engagement, including information sharing and coordination of activities and services, thereby decreasing re-offending risk to communities.

  • Implement and champion a national citizen engagement governance structure;
  • Develop and amend terms of reference with major partner organizations in order to clarify roles and responsibilities;
  • Provide leadership within CSC and with other agencies and departments to foster the growth of citizen engagement expertise; and
  • Engage a broader range of stakeholders in making use of existing engagement initiatives, including grants and contributions, community forum programs, outreach fund and speakers bureau.

Enhance the employability of offenders prior to release

 This plan aims to improve offenders’ job skills while matching the targeted skills to the needs of the labour market in the geographical area to which the offenders are likely to be released.

  • Increase the number of offenders certified in a vocation program recognized by the broader community; and
  • Refine vocational training and skills learning to meet labour market opportunities, thereby increasing the likelihood of steady employment.  

 

2.3 Community Supervision


Strategic Outcome:

The custody, correctional interventions, and supervision of offenders, in communities and institutions, contributes to public safety.

b
Custody Correctional Interventions Community Supervision CORCAN
(Special.Operating Agency)
Internal Services

As mandated in the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, CSC contributes to the maintenance of a just, peaceful and safe society by carrying out sentences imposed by courts through the safe and humane supervision of eligible offenders in the community. The Community Supervision Program Activity encompasses all activities related to the supervision of eligible offenders in the community, including the provision of a structured and supportive environment during the gradual reintegration process through Community Residential Facilities, Community Correctional Centres and Aboriginal Healing Lodges, as well as the provision of limited specialized services for mentally disordered offenders in the community.

Expected Result: Re-offending in the community is reduced.

Performance Indicators:

  1. Percentage of offenders under community supervision who incur new convictions
  2. Percentage of offenders under community supervision who incur new convictions for violent offences
  3. Percentage of offenders under community supervision who incur new convictions for non-violent offences
  4. Percentage of offenders under community supervision who incur suspensions                                                                  

Plans:

Improve the safety and security of staff working in the community

  • Expand  and evaluate the Community Staff Safety Program;
  • Deliver safety training non-parole officer staff;
  • Review small parole office staffing strategy for expansion;
  • Revise orientation program for new parole officers; and
  • Enhance capacity to manage offenders released at Statutory Release or those serving a Long Term Supervision Order.

Improve the safety and security of offender supervision

  • Evaluate the Community Corrections Liaison Officer positions (police officers working under agreements with CSC);
  • Pilot test electronic monitoring;
  • Expand CSC's Security Intelligence Network to parole offices; and
  • Expand Security Intelligence Officer positions in the community.

Improve capacity to deliver mental health care to offenders under community supervision

As per the Community Mental Health Initiative, the following are milestones for
2008-09:

  • Deliver Community Mental Health training to front line staff;
  • Enhance services in the community for special subgroups of offenders, including women and Aboriginals; and
  • Enhance discharge planning in select institutions and mental health treatment centres.

Enhance the employment results for released offenders

This plan is to assist released offenders to find employment and remain employed as a stabilizing factor in their reintegration:

  • Strengthen the employment assistance available to released offenders through alliances with employers and trades training institutions to focus on finding jobs to meet labour market shortages.

2.4 CORCAN


Strategic Outcome:

The custody, correctional interventions, and supervision of offenders, in communities and institutions, contributes to public safety.

b
Custody Correctional Interventions Community Supervision CORCAN
(Special Operating Agency)
Internal Services

CORCAN29 is a Special Operating Agency of CSC that employs federal offenders for its workforce and, in doing so, provides them with working skills and working habits necessary to compete in the workforce once released from federal custody.

Employment and employability are recognized as major factors in an offender’s ability to pursue a crime-free life. Currently, more than 70% of offenders at admission have unstable work histories; more than 70% have not completed high school and more than 60% have no trade or skill knowledge.30 Without the means to earn a living upon release, an offender’s rehabilitation is jeopardized.

The CORCAN program is thus an integral part of CSC's reintegration strategy. Over two million hours of employment and training are provided each year as a complement to other reintegration programs. Up to 20% of the offender population is active in CORCAN training and there can be a long waiting list.

Further information about CORCAN, including its annual reports, can be found at: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/prgrm/corcan/home-eng.shtml.

29 In accordance with Treasury Board guidelines, there are no formal "Expected Result" or "performance indicators" associated with this Program Activity box. CORCAN appears in this year's PAA at the  Program Activity level because of CSC's transition from its old PAA to the new one. Employment and employability is a sub-activity of the Correctional Intervention Program Activity, and has been addressed in a previous section of this RPP. In future years a separate CORCAN box will not be included as a Program Activity level item.

 

2.5 Internal  Services


Strategic Outcome:

The custody, correctional interventions, and supervision of offenders, in communities and institutions, contributes to public safety.

b
Custody Correctional Interventions Community Supervision CORCAN
(Special Operating Agency)
Internal Services

This Program Activity entails all corporate and administrative services that support the effective and efficient delivery of operational programs and activities across the organization. (e.g., human resources management services; financial management services; information management services; etc.)

Treasury Board Secretariat does not require formal "Expected Result" and "Performance Indicators" associated with this Program Activity. Improvements in Internal Services is measured annually by Treasury Board through its Management Accountability Framework.

Plans:

Achieve an effective and representative workforce

In April 2007, the Executive Committee approved the Strategic Plan for Human Resource Management 2007-10. Human resource management is increasingly important in today's changing workforce. Some of the challenges CSC currently faces are common across the Public Service, while others are unique to CSC. CSC's challenges include changing demographics, projected labour shortages, effective labour relations and evolving learning needs. To ensure that CSC meets these challenges and to strengthen its human resource management, CSC has developed a comprehensive three-year strategic plan.

The plan supports CSC's efforts to strengthen management practices across the organization. It focuses on four priorities: Strengthen human resource management practices, build an effective representative workforce; provide learning, training and development; and improve workplace health and labour relations.

Attracting and retaining an innovative and representative workforce with the appropriate skills and competencies to meet CSC's business needs at all levels of the organization is fundamental to the sustainability of correctional results today and in the future. This must be achieved in the context of the broader Public Service as well as in the context of the current labour market trends in Canada, an ageing workforce, projected increases in retirements, and the business needs with regards to staffing nurses, doctors and psychologists. CSC has actively hired post-secondary school graduates and has met other important objectives in the context of the Public Service Renewal Action Plan.

The following milestones in key areas have been established for 2008-09:

  • Develop an Aboriginal Employee Recruitment Strategy;
  • Develop a succession planning framework for executive groups and executive feeder groups, and refine the Performance Management Plan for executives; and
  • Implement Business Process Re-engineering.

Enhance CSC's Training and Development Capacity

In order to be able to attract, develop and retain a qualified, motivated and adaptable workforce, CSC must provide its workforce with the training and development essential to meet current and future needs.

The following milestones have been established for 2008-09:

"The most valuable asset of Canada's Public Service is the talent and commitment of its employees"

- Fourteenth Annual Report to the Prime Minister on the Public Service of Canada (March 31, 2007)

  • Implement the following  redesigned programs: the Correctional Training Program,  the Parole Officer Orientation Program, the Women-Centered Training
  • Program and the Revised Women-Centered Training--Refresher Program;
  • Implement a professional development strategy in support of recruitment and succession planning; and
  • Implement a Corporate Learning Plan.

Contribute to the improvement of the health of CSC's Workforce and promote effective and responsive labour relations

Given the nature of CSC's business, employees endure a high level of stress. This can manifest itself in poor morale, high level of staff grievances (as revealed in the 2005 Public Service Employment Survey results) and an increasing rate of employees taking sick leave, all of which impact directly on service delivery and increases the risk of  incidents in institutions and communities.

  • Implement the Grievance Delegation Strategy;
  • Implement the Informal Conflict Management System;
  • Renew the Occupational Safety and Health framework; and
  • Develop and implement the ethics strategy.

Enhance physical infrastructure  

  • Review the CSC Long-Term Capital Plan, and develop a revised resourcing strategy for a sustainable long-term plan;
  • Allocate interim funding to highest priority areas, including fire safety (equipment and training), electronic security systems, vehicle fleet, infrastructure maintenance, enhanced security measures and equipment, environmental protection (drinking water quality), as well as food and health equipment; and
  • Refine population forecast information and demographics.

Enhance Information Management/Information Technology infrastructure

  • Approve Information Technology Strategy
  • Ensure Security Intelligence Network has been installed in institutions to support Security Intelligence Officers;
  • Develop a process to test and monitor CSC's Information Technology disaster recovery capacity for mission-critical applications;
  • Redevelop Security Offender Management System module; and
  • Implement a new computing platform that will enable CSC to consolidate the distributed Offender Management System database and further bring our platform into alignment with the industry.

Enhance organizational capacity to adjust to changing government priorities and direction

  • Implement integrated and risk-based business planning;
  • Align priorities and plans with Long Term Capital Plan and corporate risks; and
  • Implement revised Program Activity Architecture to assist with improved resource allocation, activity-based reporting, accountabilities and corporate evaluations.

Ensure CSC's financial sustainability

CSC must ensure it will have sufficient financial resources to sustain its corporate commitments, legal obligations and results in the context of a changing operating environment.

  • In collaboration with central agencies, secure funding for the National Capital Accommodation and Operations Plan as well as funding for the implementation of approved recommendations of the Independent Panel report; and
  • Assess impact on correctional results and CSC's workforce if no additional funding is received.

Enhance National Victim Services Program

The Corrections and Conditional Release Act recognizes that victims of crime have a legitimate interest in receiving information about the offenders who harmed them and mandates CSC to notify victims of certain information31 at their request. The National Victim Services Program currently responds to requests from 5,500 registered victims and their agents. These numbers are expected to increase significantly as a result of the new service delivery.

  • The expected results of the program are:
  • Greater continuity of service delivery and timely notification by dedicated staff;
  • Increased number of registrations of victims of federally sentenced offenders;
  • Increased number of notifications provided to victims; and
  • Detailed evaluation framework developed for corporate reporting.

Improve the greening of CSC's operations

In accordance with CSC's Sustainable Development Strategy 2007-2010 and the Government of Canada’s Policy on Green Procurement, CSC has established targets in greening its operations, and contributing to a healthier physical and social environment. More information can be found in Section 3, Table 2 (Sustainable Development Strategy),  as well as Table 6 (Green Procurement) at http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/rpp/2008-2009/info/info-eng.asp

31 In accordance with Section 26 of the CCRA, upon request, CSC must provide registered victims with specific information, such as the offence for which the offender was convicted, as well as applicable eligibility and review dates with respect to temporary absences or parole. CSC may provide further information on a discretionary basis such as penitentiary location, the destination of the offender while on conditional release and whether the offender will be in the victim’s vicinity while on release.


SECTION 3: Supplementary Information

Table 1: Link to the Government of Canada Outcome Areas32


Strategic Outcome: 

The custody, correctional interventions, and supervision of offenders, in communities and institutions, contributes to public safety.

Program Activity Planned Spending ($millions)33

Alignment to Government of Canada Outcome Area

2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
Custody 1,632.0 1,506.9 1,498.1

Canada’s Social Affairs
Safe and Secure Communities

Correctional Interventions 424.6 407.6 403.2

Canada’s Social Affairs
Safe and Secure Communities

Community Supervision 117.6 100.2 100.2

Canada’s Social Affairs
Safe and Secure Communities

CORCAN (Special Operating Agency) 0.0* 0.0* 0.0*

Canada’s Social Affairs
Safe and Secure Communities


* CORCAN operates through a revolving fund; spending is expected to be offset by revenue.

A "whole-of-government" framework groups all federal departments' Strategic Outcomes and Program Activities into 13 long-term benefits to Canadians--referred to as "Government of Canada Outcomes"--in three broad sectors: social, economic, and international.

Through its Program Activities, CSC contributes most directly to the social affairs sector, under the Government of Canada Outcome, "Safe and Secure Communities", as follows:

  • Decreased levels of crime and victimization by offenders through the delivery of programs and services that reduce recidivism;
  • Enhanced community capacity to deliver programs and services that meet the needs of at-risk populations, through partnerships and formal arrangements with the voluntary sector; and
  • Enhanced intelligence gathering and information-sharing capacity, both internally and with criminal justice partners, allowing for a more cooperative response to ensuring security and safety in institutions and communities.

CORCAN contributes also to the economic sector, under the Government of Canada Outcome, "Income Security and Employment for Canadians", as follows:

  • Provision of work opportunities and employability skills to offenders, through work and training in institutions and support in finding employment when released to the community. This results in a larger, more productive Canadian workforce.

CSC makes an important, but more indirect, contribution to other Government of Canada Outcomes, notably, "Healthy Canadians", via infectious diseases surveillance and control within federal institutions; provision of harm reduction programs that reduce the impact of high-risk behaviour; and interdiction procedures that reduce the amount of illicit drugs getting into institutions.

CSC is one of 34 federal departments and agencies engaged in the government-wide Aboriginal Affairs agenda. Correctional initiatives are reported in annual updates to the federal Aboriginal Programs and Spending web site. As the only federal public service organization responsible for a segment of the Aboriginal Canadian population 24/7, CSC priorities and plans are explicitly linked to the government-wide agenda to reduce disparities between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians.   


32 The Whole-of-Government Framework is used for whole-of-government reporting, as reflected in documents such as the annual Canada's Performance reports: www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/report/govrev/06/cp-rc_e.pdf
33 For each Program Activity, the planned spending  includes allocations for internal services.

 

Table 2:  Sustainable Development Strategy


1. Sustainable Development Departmental Goals:

Contribute to a just, peaceful and safe Canadian society, respectful of natural resources and ecological capacities.

 

Sustainable Development Strategy 2007-2010 reflects our expanded efforts to achieve realistic targets and commitments. For each of our commitments, measuring our performance will be straightforward, for we have defined, in most cases, qualitative targets. We will continue to implement data management systems that will allow us to quantify, store, retrieve and manipulate our data, and then make decisions about how to improve our performance. Consequently, since the first year of Sustainable Development Strategy 2007-2010, most of our efforts to improve our Sustainable Development/Environmental performance have been focused on increasing our dedicated human resource capacities to ensure adequate workload transition, optimal human resource restructuring and robust program delivery.
2. Federal Sustainable Development  Goal (including Greening of Government Operations goals)

 

CSC's Sustainable Development Strategy 2007-2010 sets out the following 7 goals that are all in line with the Federal Sustainable Development goals:
  1. Contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions that are responsible for climate change;
  2. Contribute to the protection of the atmosphere;
  3. Contribute to the conservation of the tropospheric air quality;
  4. Contribute to the protection of the hydrosphere;
  5. Contribute  to the support of sustainable communities;
  6. Contribute to the sustainable use of the natural resources;
  7. Contribute to the reinforcement of governance and decisions that support Sustainable Development.

3. Performance Measurements from current SDS

CSC's Sustainable Development Strategy 2007-2010 will refer to the following performance measures to evaluate progress toward its commitments/targets:
  • Weight (in metric tonnes) of CO2 emissions produced by our central heating plants and institutional heating systems;
  • Number of renewable energy production projects implemented;
  • % of newly acquired vehicles that run on alternative fuels;
  • Number of measures to improve the efficiency of large boilers;
  • Number of halocarbon cooling systems replaced;
  • Number of phase 1 and 2 Volatile Organic Compounds recovery projects/units installed/completed;
  • Number of projects to upgrade our wastewater treatment systems implemented;
  • Potable water consumption (litres/occupant/day);
  • Number of priority contaminated sites remediated;
  • Number of assessments of potentially contaminated areas;
  • Number of solid waste audits conducted;
  • Number of employees who received training on green procurement;
  • Number of Sustainable Development Strategy progress reports presented to Senior Management.

4. CSC's Expected Results for 2008-09

Although CSC's Sustainable Development Strategy targets span over a 3-year cycle, we implement Sustainable Development/Environmental initiatives on an annual basis in accordance with the available budget and human resource level.
  • Reduce our natural gas and/or heating oil consumption by approximately 0.5%;
  • At least 10% of all newly acquired vehicles will be hybrid models or will run on alternative fuels;
  • Replace at least 1 large cooling system that represent a high risk of leakage;
  • Implement two Phase 1 and 2 Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery Projects on our petroleum storage tanks;
  • Implement at least 1 project to improve the quality of targeted outfall from a wastewater treatment system;
  • Reduce our potable water consumption by approximately 2% to 3%;
  • Proceed with the remediation of a minimum of 2 priority contaminated sites and further advance our environmental farm management plan;
  • Proceed with a minimum of 3 new environmental assessments of potentially contaminated sites;
  • Conduct 2 institutional solid waste audits;
  • Initiate the development of an internal policy on green procurement; and
  • Prepare and deliver at least two Sustainable Development Strategy progress report for Senior Management.

The following tables are available electronically, and can be found on Treasury Board Secretariat website at: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/rpp/2008-2009/info/info-eng.asp.

  • Evaluations
  • Green Procurement
  • Internal Audits
  • Revolving Funds
  • Services Received Without Charge
  • Sources of Respendable and Non-respendable Revenue
  • Summary of Capital Spending by Program Activity
  • User Fees


SECTION 4:   OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST

4.1  Correctional Approach

CSC uses research-based approaches across the full continuum of the offender’s sentence. The following four key activities comprise CSC's correctional strategy and are anchored in this research-based approach:

  • A comprehensive intake assessment process to determine security risk and needs, as well as an initial placement to an institution at the appropriate security level. The assessment results in the establishment of a multi-disciplinary correctional plan for treatment and intervention throughout the sentence. This assessment includes a review of information on the impact of offenders’ crimes on victims, police reports, court transcripts, judges’ comments on sentencing and other information, which provides a comprehensive picture of the offenders and the reasons why they committed their crimes.
  • Institutional accommodation and intervention to address the offender’s risk for re-offending. This includes adjustments to security level based on the offender’s behaviour and performance, and the delivery of rehabilitation programs. A broad range of programs, varying in intensity and subject matter, is available to address those factors that led to criminal behaviour.
  • Risk re-assessment is conducted at specific points throughout the sentence to assess an offender’s progress against the correctional plan and recommend any changes to the plan. CSC obtains input from the community, including police and victims, where appropriate, as well as assessments and recommendations from  psychologists and psychiatrists, as appropriate. Preparation for transition to the community includes notification to police of all releases from institutions. Victims, who have so requested, also receive notification at major milestones throughout the offender’s sentence.
  • The supervision of offenders in the community includes the provision of community-based programs and interventions to address an offender’s needs and risks and monitor progress. Community supervision may include a requirement to reside in a half-way house or other community correctional centre. Levels of supervision are adjusted based on the offender’s performance. The National Parole Board may impose various special conditions that restrict what the offender may do (e.g., abstain from alcohol, non-association with certain people, individual counseling, required program involvement) or where the offender may go. The CSC parole officer maintains regular contact with the offender, as well as with police, employers, social workers, relatives and others who are involved with the offender, in order to assess the offender’s progress in reintegrating into the community, the level of risk that the offender represents, as well as to determine whether the offender’s conditional release should be suspended, resulting in a return to custody.

4.2  Partnerships

CSC actively works with a broad range of governmental and non-governmental agencies, soliciting their input and implementing partnerships toward achieving results. Many of these partners are involved in the delivery of programs and other services involving our federal offenders. They include the National Associations Active in Criminal Justice, the Canadian Criminal Justice Association, the National Volunteer Association, the National Judicial Institute, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, and others.

Citizen groups, such as Citizen Advisory Committees (for each institution and parole district), the Health Care Advisory Committee, the Interfaith Committee, the national and regional Ethnocultural Advisory Committees, national and regional Aboriginal Advisory Committees and the National Elders Working Group provide advice and act as a link between communities and CSC.

In addition to federally-operated facilities, CSC partners with non-government organizations that manage approximately 200 community-based residential facilities across the country, which provide important programs and services to offenders on conditional release to the community. Specialized correctional services and programs are also provided through a variety of Exchange of Service Agreements with provincial and territorial correctional and justice authorities. CSC also partners with Aboriginal communities to provide custody and supervision of Aboriginal offenders through the establishment of healing lodges under section 81 of the CCRA and through release plans under section 84 of the CCRA. There are currently four healing lodges, operated by Aboriginal Communities in collaboration with CSC,  that are the result of section 81 agreements.34  There are also four CSC-operated healing lodges under Memoranda of Agreement with local Aboriginal communities. Other partnerships are represented by the faith communities and agencies who provide Institutional and Community Chaplaincy or Circles of Support and Accountability.  The Canadian Families and Corrections Network has also been of assistance to the CSC in its work with families of offenders.

CSC also partners with experts in the community in order to consider possibilities for victim-offender mediation and restorative justice circles which can contribute to safer communities and provide further potential for victim satisfaction for those involved.

Because of its international reputation and significant correctional expertise, CSC is able to contribute to the establishment of a sound correctional system in war-torn countries that respects international standards of human rights and is responsive to the rule of law. CSC is playing a key role in Haiti and Afghanistan, both as an active United Nations member, and in concert with other interested nations, to help build stable, secure and democratic societies.

4.3  Federal Institutions35 by Region and Security Level


Atlantic Region

Quebec Region

Atlantic Institution (Maximum)

Donnacona Institution (Maximum)

Nova Institution for Women (Multi)

Port-Cartier Institution (Maximum)

Shepody Healing Centre (Multi)

Regional Reception Centre36 (Maximum)

Dorchester Penitentiary (Medium)

Joliette Institution (Multi)

Springhill Institution (Medium)

Regional Mental Health Centre (Multi)

Westmorland Institution (Minimum)

Archambault Institution (Medium)

CarltonCCC (Minimum)

Cowansville Institution (Medium)

Carlton Annex CCC (Minimum)

Drummond Institution (Medium)

Newfoundland and LabradorCCC (Min)

La Macaza Institution (Medium)

Parrtown CCC (Minimum)

Leclerc Institution (Medium)

 

Federal Training Centre (Minimum)

 

Montée Saint-François Institution (Min)

Ontario Region

Sainte-Anne-des Plaines Institution (Min)

Kingston Penitentiary (Maximum)

Hochelaga CCC (Minimum)

Millhaven Institution (Maximum)

Laferrière CCC (Minimum)

Grand Valley Institution for Women (Multi)

Marcel Caron CCC (Minimum)

Regional Treatment Centre (Multi)

Martineau CCC (Minimum)

Bath Institution (Medium)

Ogilvy CCC (Minimum)

Collins Bay Institution (Medium)

SherbrookeCCC (Minimum)

Fenbrook Institution (Medium)

 

Joyceville Institution (Medium)

 

Warkworth Institution (Medium)

Prairie Region

Beaver Creek Institution (Minimum)

Edmonton Institution (Maximum)

Frontenac Institution (Minimum)

Edmonton Institution for Women (Multi)

Isabel McNeill (Minimum)

Okimaw Ohci Healing Lodge (Minimum/Medium)

Pittsburgh Institution (Minimum)

Regional Psychiatric Centre (Multi)

HamiltonCCC (Minimum)

Saskatchewan Penitentiary (Multi)

Keele CCC (Minimum)

Bowden Institution (Medium)

PortsmouthCCC (Minimum)

Bowden Annex (Minimum)

 

Drumheller Institution (Medium)

 

Drumheller Annex (Minimum)

Pacific Region

Stony Mountain Institution (Medium)

Kent Institution (Maximum)

Grande Cache Institution (Minimum)

Fraser Valley Institution (Multi)

Riverbend Institution (Minimum)

Pacific Institution (Multi)

Rockwood Institution (Minimum)

Regional Treatment Centre (Multi)

Willow Cree Healing Lodge (Minimum)

Matsqui Institution (Medium)

Grierson Centre (Minimum)

Mission Institution (Medium)

Pê Sâkâstêw (Minimum)

Mountain Institution (Medium)

Osborne CCC (Minimum)

Ferndale Institution (Minimum)

Oskana CCC (Minimum)

Kwikwèxwelhp Healing Village (Minimum)

 

William Head Institution (Minimum)

 

ChilliwackCCC (Minimum)

 


 

4.4  Glossary

Aboriginal
First Nation, Métis or Inuit.
Aboriginal community
Aboriginal community is a First Nation, tribal council, band, community, organization or other group with a predominantly Aboriginal leadership.
Accelerated Parole Review
The APR provisions of the CCRA provide for the selection of first time federal offenders who have not committed an offence listed in Schedule I (violent offences) of the Act and who have not received judicial determination of their parole eligibility with an offence on Schedule II (drug offence) of the Act. If an offender meets the APR criteria, he or she is reviewed by the NPB for parole without the need for a hearing.
Administrative segregation
Administrative segregation is confinement to keep the offender from associating with other inmates in order to maintain the security of the institution. Inmates may be segregated involuntarily or voluntarily.
Community-based Residential Facilities
Facilities contracted from outside agencies or organizations to house federal offenders in the community.
Community Correctional Centre
Community Correctional Centres primarily house offenders on day parole and are designated as minimum-security institutions. In these, the director, parole officers and support staff work as a team, often in co-operation with community partners, to supervise and provide programs for offenders and prepare them for full parole.
Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA)
The legislative framework governing Correctional Service Canada.
Conditional Release
Conditional release helps inmates make a gradual, supervised return to society while serving their sentence. Regardless of the type of conditional release, all offenders are supervised until their Warrant Expiry Date.
Temporary Absences
Temporary Absences may be granted to offenders for medical, administrative, community service, family contact, and personal development reasons.
-Escorted Temporary Absence may be granted at any time during the sentence.
-Unescorted Temporary Absence may be granted after an offender has served one-sixth of the sentence or six months, whichever is greater.
Work Release
Work release allows an offender, classified as minimum or medium security and who is judged not to pose an undue risk, to do paid or voluntary work in the community under supervision.
Day Parole
Day parole allows an offender to participate in community-based activities to prepare for release on full parole or statutory release.
Full Parole
Inmates are normally eligible to be considered for full parole by the National Parole Board, after serving one-third of their sentence, or seven years, whichever is less.
Statutory Release
By law, most offenders who are serving sentences of fixed length, and who have not been granted parole or had their parole revoked, must be released on statutory release after serving two-thirds of their sentence.
CORCAN
A Special Operating Agency that employs federal offenders for its workforce and, in doing so, provides them with working skills and working habits necessary to compete in the workforce.
Correctional Programs
Correctional programs are designed to improve offenders’ current knowledge and skill level, improving the likelihood of successful reintegration into the community upon release.
Healing Lodge
These types of facilities may or may not be located on First Nations’ reservation land. There are two distinct types of Healing Lodges available to offenders under the care and custody of CSC.

A Section 81 Healing Lodge is an Aboriginal community based correctional facility where the community has entered into an agreement with the Minister of Public Safety  for the provision of correctional care and custody to Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal offenders. The second type is located on CSC property and run by CSC with the assistance of community Aboriginal people.
Ion scanner
An ion scanner is an electronic device that has the ability to detect residual amounts of particular drugs on personal items such as money or credit cards.
Long Term Supervision Order
A Long Term Supervision Order is an order imposed by the court. The offender who has received such an order is supervised in accordance with the Corrections and Conditional Release Act. The Long Term Supervision Order commences when the offender has finished serving all sentences for offences for which he or she had been convicted. The period of supervision to which the offender is subject at any time must not total more than 10 years.
Maximum Security Institutions
House offenders who pose a serious risk to staff, other offenders and the community. The perimeter of a maximum-security institution is well defined, highly secure and controlled. Offender movement and association are strictly regulated and directly supervised.
Medium Security Institutions
House offenders who pose a risk to the safety of the community. The perimeter of a medium-security institution is well defined, secure and controlled. Offender movement and association is regulated and generally supervised.
Minimum Security Institutions
House offenders who pose a limited risk to the safety of the community. The perimeter of a minimum-security institution is defined but not directly controlled. Offender movement and association within the institution are regulated under minimal supervision.
Multi-level Institutions
House offenders of different security classifications in different secure areas of the institution.
Offender Management System
The automated information system used by CSC as its main database for offender information.
Revocation
If parolees violate the conditions of their conditional release, or have been charged with a criminal offence, their conditional release (day parole, full parole) is suspended and they are re-incarcerated. Upon reviewing the case at a formal hearing, the National Parole Board may then decide to revoke parole and have the offender remain incarcerated. If the offender is not revoked, the conditional release is reinstated.
Sections 81/84 of Corrections and Conditional Release Act
Section 81 enables CSC to enter into agreements with Aboriginal communities for the provision of correctional services to Aboriginal offenders. These agreements permit CSC, with the consent of the offender and the Aboriginal community, to transfer the care and custody of the offender to an Aboriginal community. Under Section 84 of the CCRA, CSC gives the Aboriginal community an opportunity to propose a plan for the inmate’s release to, and integration into, the Aboriginal community.
Security Classification
Each offender is reviewed initially on admission and then periodically throughout their sentence and is classified as a maximum, medium or minimum security risk and normally placed in an institution of the same classification. The security risk level is based on an assessment of factors related to public safety, escape risk and institutional adjustment.
Security Intelligence Network
A series of applications intended to respond to the needs for storing, sharing, and analyzing security intelligence information and to make this information more accessible through a secured electronic network.
Warrant Expiry Date
The date the sentence imposed by the courts officially ends.

 

34  See Glossary at the end of this report for more information on CCRA section 81 and 84 provisions.

35 Includes 58 institutions as well as Community Correctional Centres, displayed in italic. For names and location of Parole Offices, District Offices, Regional Headquarters and National Headquarters, go to: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/organi/region-eng.shtml

36 Includes the Special Handling Unit.

 

4.5 Further Information

Correctional Service of Canada Internet site: www.csc-scc.gc.ca

CSC Contacts:

Bill Staubi
Director General
Performance Management
340 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0P9
Telephone: (613) 992-8723
Facsimile: (613) 995-5064
Email: StaubiBH@csc-scc.gc.ca

Lynn Garrow
Assistant Commissioner
Performance Assurance
340 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0P9
Telephone: (613) 996-1710
Facsimile: (613) 943-9292
Email: GarrowLY@ csc-scc.gc.ca



Table 2: Evaluations (Fiscal years 2008 - 2011)


Name of Evaluation Plan Type Status Expected Completion Date Electronic Link to Report*
Year 2008 - 2009
Canada / New Brunswick Correctional Services Co-ordination Agreement (CSCA) MOU In progress FY 2008 - 09  
Employment Continuum Internal funding In progress FY 2008 - 09  
Correctional Programs Strategy Internal funding In progress FY 2008 - 09  
Integrated Police / Parole Initiative Treasury Board Submission Planned FY 2009 - 10  
Section 81 Healing Lodges in the Management and Reintegration of Aboriginal Offenders MOU Planned FY 2009 - 10  
Effective Corrections Initiatives:
  1. Pathways Healing Units
  2. Aboriginal Community Development Officers
  3. Community Employment Centres
  4. Community Maintenance Program
  5. Residential Alternatives
Treasury Board Submission Planned FY 2009 - 10  
Community Mental Health Treasury Board Submission Planned FY 2009 - 10  
LifeLine Internal funding Planned FY 2008 - 09  
         
         
Year 2009 - 2010
Exchange of Service Agreements (British Columbia, Yukon, Ontario) MOU Planned FY 2009 - 10  
Horizontal Evaluation of the National Victim Services Program Treasury Board Submission Planned FY 2009 - 10  
Managing Aggressive Behaviour in the Institution (Pilot) Internal funding Planned FY 2009 - 10  
ICIS (Kent) Internal funding Planned FY 2009 - 10  
Grant and Contribution Programs Treasury Board Submission Planned FY 2009 - 10  
         
         
Year 2010 - 2011
*The Evaluation Branch is presently in the process of consultation in preparation for the new multi-year Evaluation Plan, including projects for the fiscal year 2010-11.  All projects currently in the multi-year plan will be reviewed as part of the annual consultative process.  The Evaluation Branch’s annual risk-based planning process could result in changes to evaluations currently planned for fiscal years 2008-09 and 2009-10.  Following approval of the new multi-year Evaluation Plan by the Evaluation Committee, it will be published on the CSC website.



Table 4: Green Procurement

1. How is your department planning to meet the objectives of the Policy on Green Procurement?
As established in CSC’s SDS 2007-2010, target 6.1.2 commits to the development and publication by March 2010 of an internal policy on green procurement.  CSC’s green procurement policy will be in line with the applicable objectives set out in TBS’s Policy on Green Procurement.  Drafting of CSC’s green procurement policy is scheduled for 2008-2009 so that it can be published by March 2010.  It is expected that the related training will occur in 2008 and 2009.

2. Has your department established green procurement targets?
Check box Yes    Check box No   Check mark In progress
Following a national workshop in May 2007 with all the regional environmental officers, green procurement items were identified in order to set out a prioritized list for green procurement targets. 

3. Describe the green procurement targets that have been set by your department and indicate the associated benefits anticipated.
Based on internal consultations conducted in 2007-2008 with all CSC’s regions, and as a starting point, the targeted priority areas and associated benefits are as follows:


Targeted Products Anticipated Benefits
Low-lead ammunition (9 mm) Avoid soil contamination by lead on firing ranges
Phosphate-free detergents Reduce phosphate contamination of water courses
Two sided printers Significantly reduce paper consumption and costs
Compact fluorescents Reduce electrical consumption and related costs
Ethanol 85 (E85) for Vehicle Fleet (Prairie Region) Reduce gasoline consumption and related GHG emissions in targeted vehicles
Hybrid Cars Reduce gasoline consumption and related GHG emissions in targeted vehicles
Air-cooled A/C systems instead of water-cooled A/C systems Significantly reduce water consumption



Table 6 : Internal Audits

CSC’s Internal Audit Plan for 2007-08 to 2009-10 has been approved by its Audit Committee in May 2007 and is subject to an annual review and update as needed.

The following table provides a list of all internal audit engagements initiated and completed in 2007-08;  those currently in progress and expected to be completed in early 2008-09; and the engagements listed for 2008-09 as per the multi-year plan mentioned above.  Note that the list for 2008-09 may change in the context of the annual update expected to take place in the coming months. Once the list has been reviewed and approved by the Audit Committee, it will be posted on the website, along with completed audit reports  at the following address: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/pa/adt-toc-eng.shtml.


Name of Internal Audit
Status1 Expected
Completion Date2
      
Audit of Physical Health care Delivery to Inmates In progress April 2008
Audit of Assistance to Employees  
In progress
January 2008
Health Information Management Module Annual Review Completed and available at: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/pa/adt-himm-378-1-233/himm378-1-233-eng.shtml Not Applicable
Audit of Financial Planning and Monitoring In progress April 2008
Audit of Logical Access Controls In progress April 2008
Review of Change Management Practices In progress April 2008
Audit of Healing Lodges In progress May 2008
Audit of Case Management Planned 2008-09
Audit of the Safeguarding of Offenders and Staff Records Planned 2008-09
Audit of the Administration of Prescription Drug Planned 2008-09
Audit of Mental Health Activities (Community Level) Planned 2008-09
Audit of Exchange of Services Agreements Planned 2008-09
Audit of Offenders Complaints and Grievance System Planned 2008-09
Audit of CSC Performance Management Framework Planned 2008-09
Audit of Accommodation and Infrastructure Planning (CSC’s Long-term Capital Plan) Planned 2008-09
Audit of Management Information Systems Disaster Recovery Plan Planned 2008-09

1 Status as of January 2008
2 The expected completion date refers to the date when the draft audit report (and the draft management action plan) is expected to be presented to the Audit Committee.


Table 9: Revolving Funds


Statement of Operations
($ millions) Forecast
Spending
2007-2008
Planned
Spending
2008-2009
Planned
Spending
2009-2010
Planned
Spending
2010-2011
Revenues
CORCAN Revenues 77.5 83.7 85.4 85.4
Other Revenues 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Respendable Revenue 77.5 83.7 85.4 85.4
 
Expenses        
Salaries & employee benefits 31.8 33.8 35.2 36.4
Depreciation 1.5 1.8 1.9 2.0
Repairs & maintenance 1.2 2.6 2.6 2.6
Admin & support services 8.1 9.5 9.5 9.5
Utilities, materials & supplies 34.9 36.0 36.2 34.9
Total Expenses 77.5 83.7 85.4 85.4
         
Surplus (deficit) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Table 9: Revolving Funds



Projected Use of Authority

($ millions)
Forecast
Spending
2007-2008
Planned
Spending
2008-2009
Planned
Spending
2009-2010
Planned
Spending
2010-2011
Authority *        
Authority - April 1 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0
Adjustment to the Revolving Fund Authority 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Sub-Total Authority - March 31 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0
         
Drawdown        
Balance - April 1 10.5 9.7 8.8 7.4
Projected surplus (drawdown) (0.8) (0.9) (1.4) (1.0)
Sub-Total Drawdown - March 31 9.7 8.8 7.4 6.4
         
Projected Balance at March 31 14.7 13.8 12.4 11.4

*Five million dollars is the maximum amount that may be drawn down at any time from the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

Table 9: Revolving Funds



Statement of Cash Flows

($ millions)
Forecast
Spending
2007-2008
Planned
Spending
2008-2009
Planned
Spending
2009-2010
Planned
Spending
2010-2011
Operating Activities        
Surplus (Deficit) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Add: Items Not Requiring Use of Funds        
Provision for Employee Termination Benefits 1.7 0.5 0.5 0.5
Amortization of fixed assets 1.7 1.8 1.9 2.0
Amortization of deferred charges 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Allowance for doubtful accounts 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Cash surplus (requirement) 3.4 2.3 2.4 2.5
         
Charges in Current Assets and Liabilities        
Deferred Charges 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Accounts Receivable 0.3 0.0 (0.1) 0.0
Inventory (1.0) 0.1 (0.2) 0.0
Accounts Payable (0.2) 0.2 (0.2) 0.0
Payment on charges in provision for Employee Termination Benefits (0.3) (0.4) (0.2) (0.3)
Total Changes (1.2) (0.1) (0.7) (0.3)
         
Net Financial Resources 2.2 2.2 1.7 2.2
         
Investing Activities        
Capital Assets Purchased (3.0) (3.1) (3.1) (3.2)
Net Financial Resources (3.0) (3.1) (3.1) (3.2)
         
         
Net Financial Resources used and Change in the Accumulated Net Charge against the Fund’s Authority Account during the Year (0.8) (0.9) (1.4) (1.0)



Table 10: Services Received Without Charge


($ Millions) 2008-2009
   
Accommodation provided by Public Works and Government Services Canada 11.9
Contributions covering the employers’ share of employees’ insurance premiums and expenditures paid by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (excluding revolving funds) 79.3
Worker’s compensation coverage provided by Social Development Canada 5.2
Salary and associated expenditures of legal services provided the Department of Justice Canada 2.2
Total 2008-2009 Services received without charge 98.6



Table 11: Sources of Respendable and Non-Respendable Revenue



($ Millions)
Forecast
Revenue
2007-2008
Planned
Revenue
2008-2009
Planned
Revenue
2009-2010
Planned
Revenue
2010-2011

CORCAN (Revolving Fund)

77.5

83.7

85.4

85.4
Total respendable revenue 77.5 83.7 85.4 85.4

Non-Respendable revenue
 

($ Millions)
Forecast
Revenue
2007-2008
Planned
Revenue
2008-2009
Planned
Revenue
2009-2010
Planned
Revenue
2010-2011
Custody        
Psychiatric Services - Contracted 1.0 0.5 0.5 0.5
Board & Lodging - Inmates 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.0
Inmate Maintenance Contracted - (Federal - Provincial Agreements)
1.7

2.1

2.1

2.1
Proceeds From Sales 2.3 2.0 2.0 2.0
Refund of Previous Year’s Expenditures 0.9 0.7 0.7 0.7
Other Non-Tax Revenue 0.0 0.6 0.6 0.6
Total Custody 6.5 5.9 5.9 5.9
Correctional Interventions        
Board & Lodging - Inmates 0.0 0.5 0.5 0.5
Inmate Maintenance Contracted - (Federal - Provincial Agreements)
0.0

1.1

1.1

1.1
Refund of Previous Year’s Expenditures 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.2
Other Non-Tax Revenue 0.8 0.1 0.1 0.1
Total Correctional Interventions 0.9 1.9 1.9 1.9
Community Supervision        
Refund of Previous Year’s Expenditures 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.1
Total Community Supervision 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.1
Total Non-Respendable Revenue 7.4 7.9 7.9 7.9
         
Total Respendable and Non-respendable Revenues 84.9 91.6 93.3 93.3



Table 13: Summary of Capital Spending by Program Activity




($ Millions)
Forecast
Spending
2007-2008
Planned
Spending
2008-2009
Planned
Spending
2009-2010
Planned
Spending
2010-2011
         
Program Activity        
         
Custody 148.7 244.9 127.9 127.7
         
Correctional Interventions 17.7 16.2 9.1 7.3
         
Community Supervision 0.6 2.5 0.1 0.1
         
Total 167.0 263.6 137.1 135.1



Table 14: User Fees


Name of User Fee Fee Type Fee-Setting Authority Reason for Planned Introduction of or Amendment to Fee Effective date of planned change Consultation and Review Process Planned
Access to Information Request Regulatory Service (R) - Access to information Act
- CSC ATIP Compliance Manual
N/A Subject to ATI Act N/A N/A