At a GlanceFollow-up Audit on Corrections in Nunavut—Department of Justice
Why we did this audit
- Providing programs and supports to inmates in a safe and secure environment helps promote their healing and reintegration into their communities.
- Rehabilitation programs and mental health services are intended to address the underlying factors that led inmates to be incarcerated, and to reduce their likelihood of reoffending. These programs and services can also improve overall inmate well‑being and help prepare them for successful reintegration into the community after being released.
- Without adequate capacity in facilities, inmates may not be housed according to their assigned security ratings, or overcrowding may occur, both of which can put staff and inmates at risk of harm. Overcrowding can present even more risk during emergencies and events, such as the COVID‑19 pandemic.
- Without proper compliance with directives for cell searches, fire drills and evacuations, and fire inspections, the safety and security of inmates and staff is at risk.
Our findings
- The Department of Justice did not provide the case management services needed to help rehabilitate inmates.
- Progress was made in addressing a lack of capacity.
- The department continued to face high staff‑vacancy rates and could not determine whether its staff were provided with adequate training.
Key facts and figures
- According to Statistics Canada, Nunavut had the highest adult incarceration rate (the average number of adults in custody per day for every 100,000 individuals in the adult population) among the provinces and territories in the 2018–19 fiscal year.
- Rehabilitative programming at the 4 adult secure custody facilities was being delivered primarily in English and not in Inuktitut, the mother tongue of most inmates.
- The overall staffing vacancy rate for the department was 28% as of 31 March 2020.
Our recommendations
- The Department of Justice should complete and implement case management standards and a case management manual and related guidance for staff. It should also make case management training mandatory for Corrections Division staff who do case management and ensure this training is provided to staff.
- The Department of Justice should provide the resources needed to plan and consistently deliver rehabilitation programming to inmates, and it should provide training to staff who deliver the programming.
This audit contributed to Canada’s actions in relation to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 16, which is, “Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels”.
Visit our Sustainable Development page to learn more about sustainable development and the Office of the Auditor General of CanadaOAG.
Related information
| Entities | Department of Justice (Nunavut) |
|---|---|
| Completion date | 11 June 2021 |
| Tabling date | 9 September 2021 |
| Related audits | Reports to Legislative Assembly of Nunavut |