COVID-19 and suspension of institutional programming
- April 2, 2020
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Correctional Service Canada has been suspending programming in institutions across the country. Programming is meant to assist with the rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners, and it’s important for lowering prisoners’ risk factors. Providing programming…
COVID-19 and Legal Aid Ontario funding for Temporary Absence Permit applications
- March 31, 2020
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Legal Aid Ontario is now allowing lawyers to apply for funding for clients seeking Temporary Absence Permits (“TAPs”). TAPs enable inmates serving sentences of less than 2 years to be released into the community…
5 Things to know about international transfers and parole eligibility
- March 14, 2020
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
Offenders who are convicted abroad and transferred to Canada under the International Transfer of Offenders Act are eligible for parole. Parole eligibility is calculated differently for offenders who have been transferred. An offender is eligible for day and full parole…
5 Things to know about detention review hearings
- March 7, 2020
- Kate Mitchell
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1. What is a detention review hearing? Offenders serving federal sentences are entitled to be released after serving 2/3 of their sentence, unless the Parole Board of Canada decides to detain an offender until the end of their sentence ….
Supreme Court of Canada to hear solitary confinement cases
- February 16, 2020
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
On February 13, 2020, the Supreme Court of Canada granted leave to appeal two cases challenging the solitary confinement provisions of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act. The leave decisions can be found here and here. <h6><span style=”color: #cf8f11;”>Past performance…
8 Things not allowed in private family visits
- February 8, 2020
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
Each institution has rules on what items are allowed in private family visits (“PFVs”). The correctional officers and managers in the Visits and Correspondence Department have the final call on what items can be brought in. The following are a…
4 Things to know about electronic monitoring of federal inmates
- January 1, 2020
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
1. Correctional Service Canada can require federal inmates to use electronic monitoring devices. Electronic monitoring is to ensure compliance with a special condition that restricts the inmate from leaving or going to a particular geographic area. Electronic monitoring can be…
When are federal inmates entitled to make representations?
- December 26, 2019
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
While Correctional Service Canada has the ultimate say over most decisions affecting inmates, inmates are often entitled to make representations. This means that inmates are statutorily entitled to present arguments to the decision-maker. Even if the decision-maker isn’t convinced by…
5 Things to know about access to legal services in prison
- December 7, 2019
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
Federal inmates have the right to certain legal services, which are set out in section 97 of the Corrections and Conditional Release Regulations. This includes: The right to retain and instruct counsel. This applies when an inmate is arrested, placed…
How do federal inmates get to lower security prisons?
- November 24, 2019
- Kate Mitchell
- No comments
There are three factors that Correctional Service Canada considers when deciding whether to classify an inmate as minimum, medium, or maximum security: Institutional adjustment: this refers to the inmate’s behaviour while incarcerated, and CSC will consider Violent incidents while in…