How long are halfway house waitlists?
- Kate Mitchell
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There are a number of halfway houses across Ontario that offer support for prisoners on day parole. However, even if a prisoner is granted day parole and has the support of a halfway house, it does not mean that the prisoner…
4 Things to know about special diets in provincial jails
- Kate Mitchell
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The provincial jail population is large and diverse, and diet is one of the areas where the Ministry tries to accommodate in some cases. Below are a few things to know about special diets: Special diets are offered for those…
Parole support letters vs character reference letters
- Kate Mitchell
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It can be helpful for prisoners to provide support letters to the Parole Board of Canada or Ontario Parole Board, as the case may be. Support letters can be helpful because they give the Board insight into what the prisoner’s…
Are federal prisoners paid to work?
- Kate Mitchell
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Federal prisoners can generally receive daily payments and allowances while incarcerated. There are four daily payment levels for prisoners who participate in program assignments (school, work, programming, etc.): Payment level A: $6.90 Payment level B: $6.35 Payment level C: $5.80…
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…