What happens if a parole officer doesn’t complete paperwork before a prisoner’s parole hearing?
- November 6, 2020
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
Parole officers must do case preparation for all prisoners going for parole. This requires the parole officer to complete paperwork for the parole hearing, such as an Assessment for Decision, Correctional Plan, etc. This paperwork is generally ready for the…
5 Things to know about the Parole Board of Canada
- October 30, 2020
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
1. The Parole Board of Canada (“PBC”) is an independent administrative tribunal. The PBC is separate from Correctional Service Canada (“CSC”). CSC is responsible for managing prisoners’ sentences, and CSC makes recommendations to the PBC regarding parole, temporary absences, etc….
What happens if a federal prisoner gets into trouble before being released on parole?
- September 19, 2020
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
The Parole Board of Canada may grant a prisoner parole, but the prisoner may not be released for several days or weeks. Prisoners may need to wait for a bed at a Community Residential Facility to open up, transportation to…
5 Grounds to challenge a decision of the Parole Board of Canada
- August 22, 2020
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
A prisoner can challenge a decision of the Parole Board of Canada by filing an appeal with the Appeal Division. This typically needs to be done within 60 days from when the decision was made. Prisoners can challenge a denial…
What can a prisoner do if denied parole?
- August 15, 2020
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
In the provincial and federal correctional systems, prisoners can appeal if they are denied parole. The appeal needs to be sent to the Parole Board of Canada’s Appeal Division (for federal prisoners) or to the Chair of the Ontario Parole…
Are victims involved in parole hearings?
- August 8, 2020
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
Victims have the option to participate in hearings before the Ontario Parole Board and the Parole Board of Canada. Note that victim is a broad category that refers to any individual who has suffered physical or emotional harm, property damage…
What happens when prisoners breach their parole conditions?
- August 1, 2020
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
Prisoners who are granted parole by the Parole Board of Canada (i.e. prisoners serving sentence of 2 years or more) or the Ontario Parole Board (i.e prisoners serving sentences of less than 2 years) must abide by any conditions imposed…
What is accelerated parole review (“APR”)?
- July 25, 2020
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
Accelerated parole review (“APR”) is a simplified parole review procedure for federal prisoners. It was repealed several years ago, but prisoners may still be eligible if they were sentenced before March 27, 2011. Generally, prisoners have an in-person hearing before…
Who is eligible for parole by exception?
- July 18, 2020
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
Under the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, prisoners can be granted parole “at any time” if certain criteria are met. Parole by exception can be granted if a prisoner: is terminally ill, is likely to suffer serious damage to their…
Is COVID-19 relevant to parole decision-making?
- June 7, 2020
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
Since the pandemic began, we’ve been making the argument that COVID-19 is relevant to parole decision-making. Recent case law has confirmed that the Parole Board of Canada and provincial parole boards are expected to consider the impacts of COVID-19. According…