Report 5—Preparing Women Offenders for Release—Correctional Service Canada

At a Glance Report 5—Preparing Women Offenders for Release—Correctional Service Canada

What we examined (see Focus of the audit)

Correctional Service Canada is responsible for the safe and secure custody of women offenders serving sentences of two years or more, and for preparing them for successful reintegration into the community upon release. It must also adopt programs and policies that are responsive to the unique needs of women offenders, including Indigenous women. Of the $110 million spent in the 2016–17 fiscal year on women offenders in custody, about $5.2 million was for correctional programs, and $4.4 million was for mental health services provided within Correctional Service Canada'sCSC’s five regional institutions.

This audit focused on whether Correctional Service Canada assigned and delivered correctional programs, interventions, and mental health services to women offenders in federal custody—including Indigenous women offenders—that responded appropriately to their unique needs and helped them successfully reintegrate into the community.

Why we did this audit

This audit is important because women offenders’ ability to be granted early parole and successfully reintegrate into the community relies on Correctional Service Canada providing them with appropriate, supportive programs. Under the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, Correctional Service Canada is required to provide programs and services that respond to the needs of women offenders.

What we concluded

We concluded that while Correctional Service Canada provided women offenders with correctional programs, it did not do so in a manner that adequately supported their timely and successful reintegration into the community. Correctional Service Canada had not implemented an initial security classification or appropriate program referral tools for women offenders. It had also not assessed the effectiveness of correctional programs in addressing the risk factors related to reoffending, such as substance misuse. As well, Correctional Service Canada had not determined the type or level of resources needed for women offenders with mental health issues and did not have a system in place to monitor their access to treatment. Despite a reduction in the use of segregation over the past three fiscal years, Correctional Service Canada continued to place some women offenders with serious mental illness in segregation.

What we found

Assessing women offenders’ security and rehabilitation requirements

Overall, we found that Correctional Service Canada had not implemented an initial security classification process designed specifically for women offenders. Although Correctional Service Canada had examined options to improve security classification for women offenders, it continued to use the Custody Rating Scale, a tool developed more than 25 years ago based on a sample of male offenders. Correctional Service Canada also used this scale as its primary tool to refer women offenders to correctional programs, a use for which it was not intended. As a result, some women offenders risked being held at inappropriate security levels, and being required to take programs from which they could not benefit.

These findings matter because an offender’s initial security placement and subsequent security-level reviews affect her preparation for parole and successful reintegration into the community. Referral to appropriate correctional programs specifically designed to reduce a woman offender’s risk of reoffending can increase her chance of successfully reintegrating into the community.

  • Corrections staff frequently overrode security classification tools

    Recommendation. Correctional Service Canada should examine ways to improve the initial security classification process to appropriately consider the risk factors for women offenders. Where appropriate, security classification reviews should continue to be used to support an offender’s successful reintegration into the community. The level of overrides of the security reclassification scale should be monitored to ensure the scale is being used as intended.

Delivering correctional programs and interventions

Overall, we found that Correctional Service Canada’s delivery of correctional programs did not allow many women offenders to complete their correctional programs in time for parole. In addition, few offenders were employed in CORCAN establishments (a key employer in Correctional Service Canada facilities) or were granted work releases. We also found that few Indigenous women offenders had access to culturally specific correctional programs or interventions because of limited availability.

These findings matter because timely access to effective correctional programs and employment opportunities can help offenders successfully reintegrate into the community.

  • The length of correctional programs hindered early release

    Recommendation. Correctional Service Canada should examine the effectiveness of its correctional programs for women offenders to ensure that they appropriately address risk factors relevant to reoffending. Correctional Service Canada should also ensure that correctional programs are delivered at the appropriate time, intensity, and duration to support an offender’s preparation for a parole hearing by her first day-parole eligibility date.

  • Indigenous women offenders had uneven access to correctional programs and interventions

    Recommendation. Correctional Service Canada should ensure Indigenous women offenders have sufficient and timely access to correctional programs at each women’s institution, according to each offender’s need and preference. Correctional Service Canada should ensure there is sufficient access to its Pathways Initiatives and Healing Lodges to meet the needs of Indigenous women offenders, and should examine alternative interventions in institutions with small numbers of Indigenous women offenders.

Improving mental health services

Overall, we found that Correctional Service Canada did not track whether the women offenders it identified as needing mental health treatment actually received it. Furthermore, Correctional Service Canada’s mental health teams were not adequately staffed to provide the required mental health services. We also found some instances where women offenders whom Correctional Service Canada had identified as having serious mental illness were placed in segregation cells, and that Correctional Service Canada used cells in its segregation range to monitor offenders at imminent risk of self-injury or suicide.

These findings matter because Correctional Service Canada is required to provide essential health care that is consistent with professionally accepted standards, including mental health care and reasonable access to non-essential mental health care. Furthermore, providing effective and timely interventions to address offenders’ mental health needs is a Correctional Service Canada strategic priority.

  • Despite timely screening, treatment plans were not completed

    Recommendation. Correctional Service Canada should ensure that it appropriately identifies women offenders who need mental health services and assigns them to the appropriate level of care.

    Recommendation. Correctional Service Canada should complete mental health treatment plans on time for the women offenders who need one and should include the information required by Correctional Service Canada guidelines.

  • Some women offenders with serious mental illness were placed in segregation

    Recommendation. Correctional Service Canada should ensure that women offenders with serious mental illness with significant impairment are not placed in segregation. It should improve its oversight of offenders being monitored for self-injury or suicide under enhanced observation, as well as its oversight of offenders identified with serious mental illness with significant impairment. The use of cells on the segregation range to monitor women offenders at risk of self-injury or suicide should be discontinued.

Releasing offenders into the community

Overall, we found that Correctional Service Canada did not prepare women offenders for parole hearings in a timely manner. Only one quarter of offenders released on parole were released when they were first eligible. The majority remained in custody four months after the date when they were first eligible.

This finding matters because time spent in custody past the first parole eligibility date reduces an offender’s time to benefit from a structured and gradual release into the community.

  • Three quarters of offenders remained incarcerated past their parole eligibility

    Recommendation. Correctional Service Canada should ensure that women offenders—particularly those assessed with a low risk of reoffending and who have successfully completed their correctional programs—are prepared for their parole hearings by the earliest parole eligibility date, to support their successful reintegration into the community.

Entity Responses to Recommendations

The audited entity agrees with our recommendations and has responded (see List of Recommendations).

Related Information

Report of the Auditor General of Canada
Type of product Performance audit
Topics
Entities
Completion date 15 September 2017
Tabling date 21 November 2017
Related audits

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