COVID-19 vaccines in prison and informed consent
- Kate Mitchell
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In federal prisons, treatment is not to be provided or continued unless the prisoner gives informed consent. Prisoners have the right to refuse treatment or withdraw from treatment at any time. To qualify as informed consent, the prisoner has to…
Does provincial parole by exception exist?
- Kate Mitchell
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Provincial prisoners typically need to serve one-third of their sentence before they are eligible for parole. However, parole can be granted “at any time where, in the opinion of the Board, compelling or exceptional circumstances exist that warrant the inmate’s…
How often are federal prisoners’ security classifications reviewed?
- Kate Mitchell
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Each federal prisoner receives a security classification at intake, which is determined in the months after sentencing while the prisoner is in the assessment phase. A prisoner is rated as either minimum, medium, or maximum security. Once a prisoner has been…
Do prisoners in provincial jails receive security classifications?
- Kate Mitchell
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In the federal correctional system, each prisoner receives a security classification (minimum, medium, or maximum). Legislation and regulations set out how security classifications are assigned, and the exact criteria is set out in the Commissioner’s Directives. The criteria that are used to…
What items are federal prisoners allowed to have?
- Kate Mitchell
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The property that a prisoner is allowed to have in their cell depends on the prisoner’s gender and security level. The National Lists of Personal Property for Men/Women Inmates sets out which items prisoners are allowed to have in their cells,…
Are provincial prisoners released immediately when granted parole?
- Kate Mitchell
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Provincial prisoners who are granted parole by the Ontario Parole Board are generally not released immediately. A parole hearing may be held prior to the prisoner’s parole eligibility date. If the prisoner is granted parole, then the Ontario Parole Board…
What information does the Ontario Parole Board consider?
- Kate Mitchell
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The Ontario Parole Board is required to consider all relevant information that is reliable and persuasive. The Board can receive information from a range of sources, including correctional staff, the prisoner seeking parole (including the prisoner’s friends and family), victims,…
Can provincial prisoners be required to complete substance testing?
- Kate Mitchell
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Prisoners in provincial correctional facilities may receive a demand to complete substance testing (to test for evidence of alcohol or other substances). However, demands can only be made in certain circumstances: If the director or superintendent of the provincial correctional…
Where do youth serve custodial sentences?
- Kate Mitchell
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If a young person receives a youth sentence, then they will generally serve it in a youth correctional facility. Once the youth turns 18 years old, then an application can be brought by the provincial director to authorize the transfer…
4 Things to know about transferring federal prisoners for court attendance
- Kate Mitchell
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Prisoners in federal penitentiaries may be required to attend court for a variety of reasons. A prisoner may face new charges while imprisoned, be called as a witness, need to attend a family or civil proceeding, etc. In some cases, prisoners…