Transcript lessons learned

Correctional Service of
Canada
Overview of CSC, Offender
Profile and Substance Abuse
Issues
Presentation to Caribbean CICAD members
St. Lucia
November, 2004
Topics
Context:
• Crime statistics in Canada
• Overview of corrections in Canada
• The role, mission and structure of the Correctional
Service of Canada
• Substance Abuse and Offenders – Scope of the problem
• Comparisons with the general Canadian population
The Correctional Service of Canada’s Drug Strategy Response:
-Prevention
-Demand Reduction
-Supply Reduction
-Harm Reduction
-Research/Monitoring/Evaluation
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Crime Statistics in Canada
• 31,825,416 Canadians in 2004
• 10.6% have criminal records
• Of those who are given prison
sentences:
96% receive a provincial sentence
4% receive a federal sentence
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Correctional Service of Canada
Legislative Framework
• Constitution
• Charter of Rights
• Criminal Code (sentencing)
• Corrections and Conditional
Release Act
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Correctional Service of Canada
Mission Statement and Areas of
Responsibility
 CSC’s Mission:
The Correctional Service of Canada, as part of the
criminal justice system and respecting the rule of law,
contributes to the protection of society by actively
encouraging and assisting offenders to become law
abiding citizens, while exercising reasonable, safe,
secure and humane control.
 CSC administers the sentences of offenders given a
sentence of 2 years or more
 The individual provinces in Canada administer the
sentences of offenders imprisoned for less than two
years and the sentences of young offenders (14-17
years of age)
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Federal Corrections (CSC):
Overview
What we do:
• Incarcerate offenders who receive a 2
year sentence or longer following
sentencing
• Assist in the rehabilitation of offenders
and their reintegration into the community
as law-abiding citizens
• Make recommendations to the National
Parole Board (NPB)
• Supervise offenders upon release until
end of their sentence
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Federal Corrections (CSC):
Overview
What we don’t do:
• Lay criminal charges
• Determine guilt or innocence
• Determine length of sentence
• Grant parole of offenders
• Set parole eligibility dates
• Supervise sentences of young
offenders
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Regional Structure
CSC is divided into 5 administrative regions with its National
Headquarters located in the capital, Ottawa. It should be noted
that the size of our country has influenced the development and
management approach we take to administer programs.
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Budget and Employees
2002-03 Budget:
$1.5 billion of which:
 60% for salaries
 30% for operating costs and
maintenance
 10% for capital costs
Number of employees: 16,185
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Correctional Service of Canada
Institutions and Community Corrections
53 federal penitentiaries:
•
•
•
•
•
17 minimum security
18 medium security
7 maximum security
5 regional mental health facilities
1 healing lodge and 5 multi-level facilities
for women offenders
Community:
• 19 district offices which oversee 71 parole
offices
• 175 community-based residential facilities
• 17 Community Correctional Centres
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Correctional Service of Canada
Rated Capacity (April 1, 2003)
MEN: 13,375 beds; currently at 97% OF CAPACITY
WOMEN: 514 beds; currently at 73% OF CAPACITY
Cost of Incarceration:
MEN:
 maximum security: $108,277
 medium security: $71,894
 minimum security: $69,178
WOMEN:
 Regional Facilities : $155,589
Cost of Community Supervision:
 $18, 678 (Men & Women)
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Correctional Service of Canada
Day at a Glance
 On a typical day, there are approximately 12,300 offenders
in institutions and 8,500 people supervised in the
community.
 Federal offenders comprise of 40% of the total incarcerated
population in Canada. The other 60% are incarcerated in
provincial/territorial institutions either under sentence,
remand or temporary detention.
 568 offenders are housed in CSC’s treatment/psychiatric
centres.
 Between 20 to 25 offenders are admitted.
 Between 20 to 25 offenders are released.
 10 offenders reach Warrant Expiry Date.
 5,300 individuals (e.g.. Visitors, staff, volunteers and
contractors) enter and leave CSC’s institutions every day.
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Offender Profile
(Major Offence Categories)
(Incarcerated Federal Population, December 31, 2002)
Sex Offenders
19%
Homicide
26%
Robbery
34%
Drug Offences
21%
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Correctional Service of Canada
Offender Profile
(Incarcerated Population)
• The average age is 37.5 (45.4% under
35)
• 60% are serving their first penitentiary
sentence
• Average sentence is 4.7 years
• 22% are serving life or indeterminate
sentence
• 16% are Aboriginal (native)
• 6% are Black
• 2% are Asian
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• 56% are single
Offender Profile
 Education Deficits - 70% of offenders test
below grade 8 (CAAT)
 Employment Problems - 75% have unstable
job histories. 69% are unemployed at arrest
 Decision Making Problems - 80% are poor
problem solvers. Many have difficulties
managing money
 Mental Health Problems - 20% have been
hospitalized in a mental health facility. 11%
have a current psychiatric diagnosis
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Offender Substance Abuse
Scope of the Problem
 Close to 80% of inmates have a substance
abuse problem that requires intervention
(alcohol, other drugs or both)
 Strong relationship between substance use
and crime - Over 50% of offenders report
being intoxicated while committing their
current offence
 Relationship increases with severity of the
problem - for those with severe substance
abuse problems 90% of criminal activity
related to alcohol, drugs, or both
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Facts about Substance Abuse in
Canada
 One out of every 10 Canadians aged 15 and over
(approximately 2.6 million people), reported symptoms
consistent with alcohol or illicit drug dependence in the last year
(Statistics Canada, 2003)
 The prevalence rate for substance dependence on alcohol and
illicit drugs is much more common for men (4%) than for
women (2%) (Statistics Canada, 2003)
 Cannabis continues to be the most frequently-used illicit drug
among male and female adults. (Canadian Community Epidemiology
Network on Drug Use, 2002)
 It is estimated that 40-50% of crimes can be attributed to
alcohol and/or illicit drug use. (Canadian Centre on Substance
Abuse, 2002)
 Alcohol dependent individuals are more likely to commit violent
crimes than drug dependent individuals, whereas drug
dependent individuals are more likely to commit gainful crimes 17
(i.e., property crimes). (Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, 2002)
Offender Substance Abuse
• Data from CSC’s urinalysis program
demonstrates that the most
commonly used illicit substances
among offenders are (in order of
preference) are:
THC
Opiates
Benzodiazepines
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Challenges in a Correctional
Environment
 Correctional facilities typically have the
highest concentration of convicted
drug traffickers and serious substance
abuser in society living together
 High volume of daily movement
presents challenges in terms of
preventing the smuggling of
contraband (including drugs)
 Preventing the spread of infectious
diseases in a high-risk population
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Infectious Diseases (2002)
Federal Prisons vs. General
Population in Canada*
HIV
HCV
CSC
Canada
1.9%
(N=248)
24.6
(N=3241)
0.2%
In CSC prisons, the
prevalence of:
HIV is 7 to 10 times higher
Hepatitis C is 30 times
higher than the general
Canadian population
0.8%
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CSC’s Drug Strategy Response
 CSC’s model is based on the “4 pillars” of
the Canada Drug Strategy:
• Prevention
• Reducing supply through enforcement
and control measures
• Reducing demand through
rehabilitation and treatment
• Harm reduction strategies to reduce
the negative consequences associated
with drug use
 Research/Monitoring/Evaluation of all
elements are key
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CSC Drug Strategy Activities
EDUCATION &
PREVENTION
Reception Awareness
Program (infectious
diseases and substance
abuse in prison)
Information pamphlets
(substance abuse and
infectious disease
prevention in prison)
Immunization programs
(Hepatitis A & B)
Voluntary infectious
disease testing
Anonymous infectious
disease testing pilot
program (Saskatechewan
Penitentiary and
Westmorland Institution)
National Peer
Education Counseling
Program*
TREATMENT
INTERDICTION
HARM REDUCTION
Comprehensive
assessment of substance
abuse at reception
Search and Seizure
(institutional entry
points; personal, cell,
and facility searches)
Access to bleach
(for the cleaning of
shared needles)
Internationally
accredited high,
intermediate and low
intensity substance
abuse programs
Specialized substance
abuse programs for
women and aboriginal
offenders
Detection (ion
scanning technology,
drug detection dogs,
random urinalysis
testing)
Intelligence
gathering (security
intelligence)
Methadone
Maintenance
Treatment *
National Peer
Education
Counseling
Program*
Intensive Support Units
Methadone
Maintenance Treatment *
*It should be noted that some activities are repeated in
two categories because they play a dual role (e.g.,
education and harm reduction)
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Questions and Comments
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