COVID-19 vaccines in prison and informed consent
- July 25, 2021
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
In federal prisons, treatment is not to be provided or continued unless the prisoner gives informed consent. Prisoners, like all citizens, generally have the right to refuse treatment or withdraw from treatment at any time. To qualify as informed consent,…
9 Conditions federal prisoners on parole and statutory release must abide by
- April 19, 2022
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
Prisoners released on parole or statutory release have to abide by certain conditions. Some conditions are imposed at the discretion of the Parole Board of Canada, but others are standard conditions imposed on all prisoners on parole and statutory release….
How long are halfway house waitlists?
- November 19, 2021
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
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…
Parole support letters vs character reference letters
- May 18, 2022
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
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?
- September 21, 2021
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
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?
- July 12, 2021
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
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…
What items are federal prisoners allowed to have?
- June 25, 2021
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
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,…
Where do youth serve custodial sentences?
- May 28, 2021
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
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
- May 21, 2021
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
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…
5 Things to know about federal prisons and education
- May 14, 2021
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
Correctional Service Canada (“CSC”) recognizes that education is important for rehabilitation and reintegration. Teaching certification and standards are regulated by provinces and territories, so programs may differ between prisons. However, CSC does try to maintain a standard level of service and…