OFFICE OF THE CORRECTIONAL INVESTIGATOR
DEPARTMENTAL PERFORMANCE REPORT

For the
period ending
March 31, 2003

Wayne Easter
Solicitor General of Canada

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section I: Message

1.1 Correctional Investigator's Message

Section II: Agency Performance

2.1 Mandate

2.2 Mission Statement

2.3 Business Line and Resources

2.4 Organizational Chart

2.5 Societal and Operational Contexts

2.6 OCI Logic Model

2.7 Implementation of the OCI Corporate Strategic Plan

2.8 Performance Accomplishments

Annex A: Financial Performance Overview

Financial Table 1

Financial Table 2

Financial Table 3

Annex B: Other Information

i) Contacts for further Information

ii) Agency Website

iii) Agency E-Mail Address

iv) Legislation and Associated Regulations Administered

v) Statutory Annual Reports and Other Agency Reports

 

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Section I: Message

1.1 Correctional Investigator's Message

I am mandated as an Ombudsman for Federal Corrections. I firmly believe that the responsible oversight of correctional operations is a service that Canadians value greatly. The strategic outcome that they legitimately expect is that their correctional system will be fair, equitable, humane, reasonable and effective. It is our focus in all that we do, to ensure that this happens is indeed our "raison d'être".

This past year has been an exceptionally productive and challenging one for the Office of the Correctional Investigator (OCI). We have now achieved full implementation of the Corporate Strategic Plan we had adopted in January 2002. This achievement reflects the OCI's steadfast adherence to the new management framework "Results for Canadians". It is also consistent with the OCI's long-standing commitment to excellence in service delivery, professional and ethical corporate behavior, reliable and meaningful reporting and responsible spending.

Implementing the Plan has significantly transformed all aspects of our operations. It has improved the quality and the value of the services we provide to Canadians, notably to Aboriginal Offenders and Federally Sentenced Women. We remain concerned with the high number of issues brought to our attention by or on behalf of the offender population, and will continue to favor a pro-active, holistic and systemic approach.

In the months ahead, the Office will continue to explore new strategic directions, actively seeking to assist in improving the correctional treatment afforded Young Offenders and Elderly Offenders. We confidently expect that we will further ameliorate our performance vis-à-vis our strategic outcome, achieving the results Canadians deserve and rightfully expect.

Canadians increasingly recognize that the communities in which they live are ultimately safer and better protected when offender concerns are addressed fairly, humanely and responsibly. In the role of Ombudsman, the Office fully intends to contribute in assuring Canadians that this is indeed what happens in our federal correctional system.

 

R.L. Stewart
Correctional Investigator

 

Section II: Agency Performance

2.1 Mandate

The Office of the Correctional Investigator was established in 1973 pursuant to Part II of the Inquiries Act. With the proclamation in November 1992 of Part III of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, this is now the enabling legislation. The mandate of the Correctional Investigator, as defined by this legislation, is to function as an Ombudsman for federal offenders. The Correctional Investigator is independent of the Correctional Service of Canada and may initiate an investigation on receipt of a complaint by or on behalf of an offender, at the request of the Minister or on his own initiative. The Correctional Investigator is required by legislation to report annually through the Solicitor General to both Houses of Parliament.

2.2 Mission Statement

The Office of the Correctional Investigator is committed to maintaining an accessible independent avenue of redress for offender complaints and to provide timely recommendations to the Commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada and the Solicitor General which address the areas of concern raised on complaint.

2.3 Business Line and Resources

The Office of the Correctional Investigator (OCI) has one Business Line which, as detailed in Section 167 of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA), is to conduct investigations into the problems of offenders related to decisions, recommendations, acts or omissions of the Commissioner of Corrections or any person under the control and management of, or performing service for or on behalf of the Commissioner of Corrections that affects offenders either individually or as a group.

Section 19 of the CCRA also implicitly requires that it reviews all investigations performed by the Correctional Service of Canada following the death or serious bodily injury to an inmate. The OCI is also engaged in similar monitoring of interventions by Institutional Emergency Response Teams (IERT's), in keeping with the recommendations of the Arbour Commission.

The Office of the Correctional Investigator is headed by the Correctional Investigator who reports to Parliament through the Solicitor General. The Agency's resources provide for 27 full-time equivalents, 12 of which make up the investigative staff. The total resources are $3,193,000 for the fiscal year 2002-2003

2.4 Organization Chart

Represented below is the OCI's Organization Chart, as envisioned in the Corporate Strategic Plan it formally adopted on January 15, 2002.

As will be explained in greater detail below, the OCI has, over the present reporting period, recruited and retained a full complement of employees in all its indeterminate positions. The stability of the OCI workforce has been a critical element for success, not only in the full and timely implementation of the strategic plan, but in further improving the level and quality of services offered by the OCI to Canadians.

EXHIBIT 1 - OCI Organization Chart

 

2.5 Societal and Operational Contexts

The maintaining of an independent and objective review process within a correctional environment where the office has virtually no control over either the number of complaints or the extent of investigations required presents a number of unique challenges. First, the resolution of disputes in an environment traditionally closed to public scrutiny with an understandably high level of mistrust between correctional officials and inmates, requires that the Office not only be, but be seen to be independent of both the Correctional Service and the Ministry. Second, given that the authority of the Office rests with its power of persuasion and public reporting rather than enforceable recommendations, it is imperative that appropriate administrative and political mechanisms be available to ensure that reasonable, fair, timely, equitable and humane action is taken on the findings made by the OCI.

In recent years, changes to the regulatory and legislative environment have forced the OCI to dramatically expand its services. The Arbour Commission of Inquiry (1996) noted that the statutory mandate of the OCI should continue to be supported and facilitated because only the OCI is in the "unique position both to assist in the resolution of individual problems, and to comment publicly on the systemic shortcomings of the Services."

In 1997, the Auditor General noted that one of the factors creating difficulty at that time, was the overall size of the workload. Indeed since that time the OCI has implemented the recommendations of the Auditor General to address those workload issues, including working with the Correctional Service to improve the inmate grievance procedure and to provide an improved policy and procedure manual to investigators. The Auditor General noted as well, however, that the demand for services remains elevated, incessant and that both the overall volume and complexity of issues continues to increase.

In October 1999, the Office signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Correctional Service. The intent of this agreement is to assist both agencies in addressing areas of offender concern in an objective, thorough and timely fashion. Accordingly, the quality and timeliness of actions taken by the Correctional Service in response to the Office's findings and recommendations will remain of paramount importance.

In 2000, the Sub-committee on the Corrections and Conditional Release Act of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, recommended that the budget of the OCI be "increased in order to expand the number of investigators and (to) cover directly related expenses such as office equipment, communications and travel required to conduct investigations".

In addition, the Office met again throughout the year with various national and international associations, actively involved in the fields of corrections and criminal justice, either on an individual basis or at conferences, to review areas of mutual concern. These linkages highlight the value placed by the Office on a collaborative approach to the betterment of corrections consistent with the expectations of Canadians.

The OCI does not foresee any diminution or decline in either the overall demand for services or in the complexity of the issues the OCI is called upon to address. The environment in which the OCI is called upon to provide "Results for Canadians" continues to be extremely challenging and one in which innovative and dedicated service provision is essential to moving ahead.

To respond to these pressures, the OCI identified the following three priority activities in the Corporate Strategic Plan it adopted in January 1992. These are:

1. Increase the capacity for institutional visits to a level that is acceptable to the detained population and the Canadian people.
2. Create specialist positions to address issues of Federally Sentenced Women and Aboriginal Offenders.
3. Increase the ability to review and follow-up on both investigations as per Section 19 of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act and Use of Force Videotapes, as per the recommendations of the Arbour Commission.

Currently still at the exploratory stage and dependent on the availability of additional resources are two other priority activities:

1. Offer specialized services to Young Offenders housed in federal penitentiaries.
2. Offer specialized services to Older Offenders (presently + or - 16% of the federal inmate population and growing).

An overview of the progress made in the implementation of these priorities, inclusive of activities and outcomes, is presented below in Sections 2.7 and 2.8. Further information is also found in this year's Annual Report, which will be posted on our website (www.oci-bec.gc.ca), as soon as it is tabled in Parliament.

2.6 OCI Logic Model

The Logic Model presented below sets out just how the OCI views how it delivers the services necessary to support its mandate and deliver on its commitment to the strategic outcome of responsible, humane, fair and effective corrections.

The logic model identifies the linkages between the activities of the OCI program and the achievement of its outcomes. It clarifies the activities that make up its program and the sequence of outcomes expected to result from these activities.

EXHIBIT 2 - OCI Logic Model

Of legitimate concern to elected officials and Canadians is how the OCI has allocated resources. Set out below are the spending profiles, consistent with the major activities identified in the OCI Logic Model (Exhibit 2 above).

The core business of the OCI is responding to inmate complaints arising from incarceration and anticipating and addressing more systemic issues that arise periodically (e.g. Aboriginal, Federally Sentenced Women, Section 19 and Use of Force). These two activities comprise the core services provided by the OCI and this is recognized in the spending profile below.

In 2001-2002, arising out of the Arbour Report, the recommendations of the Auditor General and the recommendations from the Parliamentary Committee review of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, additional resources were identified to be targeted in response to the systemic issues mentioned above and to relieve against a steadily increasing overall demand for inmate complaint resolution services. This is also reflected in the spending profile below:

 

Exhibit 3
Spending Profile by Activity for fiscal years
2000-2001 to 2002-2003

Individual Inmate Complaint Resolution (i.e. visits, correspondence)

Salary	682	778	800	800
O&M	300	520	560	560
Total	982	1,298	1,360	1,360

OCI Systemic Issues (e.g. Administrative Segregation, Double Bunking)

Salary	125	175	240	2401
O&M	40	40	80	80
Total	165	215	320	320

Mandated Issues (Section 19, CCRA\ Compliance, Use of Force)

Salary	140	200	290	2902
O&M	20	40	47	47
Total	160	240	337	337

Corporate Services (e.g. Executive Director, Correctional Investigator)

Salary	375	375	375	375
O&M	93	232	120	120
Total	468	607	495	495

Specific Policy Leadership (Aboriginal, Federally Sentenced Women)

Salary	145	250	240	175
O&M	27	47	97	45
Total	172	297	337	2203

Total Salary	1,467	1,778	1,945	1,880
Employee Benefits	195	223	344	344
Total O&M	480	879	904	852
Grand Total	2,142	2,880	3,193	3,076

 

2.7 Implementation of the OCI Corporate Strategic Plan

Foreword

The Office of the Correctional Investigator (OCI) has now fully implemented the Corporate Strategic Plan it formally adopted in January 2002. As explained below, the implementation process has resulted in significant change to all aspects of our operations and enhanced the value and the quality of the results provided by the OCI to Canadians. In that spirit, the OCI has also continued to explore new strategic directions.

Strategic Direction I - Modern Human Resource Practices

The focus therein on the overall improvement of OCI's approach to Human Resources (HR), through the implementation of modern human resources practices. The ultimate goal is essentially to ensure that the OCI recruits, retains and generally manages its workforce so that it provides services of optimal quality and value to Canadians. The implementation of the HR-related action commitments in its strategic plan has yielded the following benefits in that regard:

In March 2002, a new Corporate Services management position, that of Coordinator of Corporate Services and Planning, was staffed. The incumbent has assumed the coordination of all HR-related activities from the Directors of Investigations. This reconfiguration of roles and responsibilities has led to a more streamlined HR management process and allowed the Directors of Investigations to concentrate their efforts on the investigative process.

While it experienced slightly longer than expected delays in the staffing process, the OCI now has a full complement of employees in all its indeterminate positions. The stability of the OCI workforce has been a critical element for success not only in the full and timely implementation of the strategic plan, but in further improving the level and quality of services offered by the OCI to Canadians.

Simultaneously, with the formal adoption of its strategic plan in January 2002, the OCI established Management and Policy Committees. Both these committees have proven to be most effective in addressing in a structured fashion on-going and emerging issues in all operational areas covered in the five strategic directions outlined in the Plan, including Human Resources.

In order to ensure that its staff has timely access to the right information when it intervenes for or on behalf of Canadians, the OCI has adopted an Internal Communications Plan. Fifteen (15) new formal position papers on key systemic issues have been developed. These, along with both the agendas and minutes of the OCI's Management and Policy Committee meetings, can now be accessed by all OCI employees, within electronic information banks which have been restructured for greater user friendliness.

The OCI has also developed and implemented an External Communications Plan. Media were successfully assisted in providing broader reporting to Canadians, about the OCI's performance and recommendations, notably through enhanced coverage of its Annual Report.

Also achieved are improved and more frequent communications with the OCI's government and non-government stakeholders and this, in large part, due to the OCI's staffing of several key management positions; notably those of Coordinator of Federally Sentenced Women (FSW) Issues and Coordinator of Aboriginal Issues. The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC)'s staffing of its positions of Director General Aboriginal Affairs and Director General Women has also proven to be helpful. These positions are key contact points for our Coordinators and as such, greatly facilitate OCI-CSC communications in these complex and sensitive areas.

Aware of the impact of the departure of critical personnel on the operational effectiveness of a small agency, the OCI has developed and implemented a succession plan.

The OCI has also instituted a formal employee performance review system. OCI managers have now held pre-appraisal meetings with their respective employees. Formal performance appraisal has and will continue to take place, as per the schedule established in accordance with OCI policy. Individual career plans and job specific training are then afforded considerable attention.

In order to better meet the needs of the increasingly diverse Canadian population, all OCI staff have now received basic equity training in a workshop facilitated by S. Neiman and Associates, a well-established consulting firm which offers specialized courses in human rights issues and legislation.

Directly related to its stated aim of recruiting and retaining the best employees, the OCI has developed a formal plan to enhance its recruitment and retention practices. It has reviewed and renewed its staffing and selection process including the use of selection boards and formal criteria for candidates. It has also developed and implemented a formal orientation plan, so that new employees can more quickly integrate its operations and by extension, to begin providing valuable services to Canadians.

Finally, the OCI has very recently held its first formal employee satisfaction survey. Among its key findings was the need to revisit the issue of professional development. An action plan was approved by the OCI Management Committee. It calls for the broad consultation of OCI staff, the adoption and subsequent implementation of a revised Employee Training Plan.

Strategic Direction 2 - Renewal of Internal Business Processes

The focus therein was the re-engineering of the tools, methods and internal practices that constituted the OCI's service delivery model. The ultimate goal pursued and now largely achieved was to optimize the efficiency, effectiveness and economy of the said model, to ensure that the OCI is able to more easily anticipate and respond more adequately to any and all changes in demand for its services.

As mentioned above, the adoption of the Corporate Strategic Plan in January 2002, led to the creation of the OCI Management and Policy Committees. In view of the relatively small size of our Agency, these Committees were then viewed and have since proven to be the best vehicles to manage and foster acceptance and support for change within the OCI.

The OCI has re-designed the front-end of its Contacts Tracking System (CTS), after a review of its information and reporting needs. The new version was extensively field-tested and after further modification, became operational on 29 November 2002. Comments received since then from CTS users confirm that the new version of the software has considerably streamlined the data entry process.

In May 2002, the OCI developed an Integrated Planning Framework, relating priorities, service level metrics and resources to logic model. Implementation of the Planning Framework, which occurred on 1 December 2002, required staff training and modifications to our information system DATIS, to allow for the gathering and reporting of data related to OCI's performance indicators.

Critical on the path to implementation was a strategic planning retreat held in November 2002, where a consensus was reached on the annual investigative priority planning cycle, the top five issues and the methods, strategies and resourcing contemplated for each regionally and nationally and the OCI's approach to performance measurement and corporate accountability.

Noteworthy for our reader is that this priority setting was not designed to be a static process, but a dynamic one, defined and governed by the annual investigative priority planning cycle. Accordingly, priorities that were initially identified have already changed and are likely to change again, as a result of the formal and comprehensive review held on a quarterly basis.

As mentioned above, the OCI has established Management and Policy Committees to address ongoing and as they arise, new issues related to all operational areas encompassed in the five strategic directions of the Plan, including internal business processes. The timely sharing of both the agendas and minutes of these committees with OCI staff has resulted in better internal management through openness and accountability.

In order to ensure that staff have all the right information at the right time, the OCI has significantly modified and improved its Contact Tracking System (CTS), notably as previously mentioned in the streamlining of the data entry process but also in terms of its capacity to generate management information. On November 1, 2002, the OCI integrated CTS and its other electronic information holdings in one system - the Data Access and Tracking Information System (DATIS). All OCI staff received training on DATIS on 15 November 2002 and the new system became operational on 29 November 2002. The comprehensive nature of the information instantly accessible to the investigative staff through DATIS has since proven to be a significant factor in improving the quality and timeliness of the services provided by the OCI to Canadians.

The OCI has also developed and implemented, after extensive field testing, a Balanced Institutional Scorecard - an evaluation tool to gauge and compare the performance of all institutions on specific systemic issues (areas of concern). The Balanced Scorecard has proven its value in terms of yielding vital information for reporting and planning purposes.

Further efforts have also been undertaken in other administrative areas. The OCI Support Staff following extensive training have now fully assumed the role of Intake Officers, fielding calls for basic information or referrals and thus allowing the investigative staff to focus on the more complex cases. The OCI has also re-engineered its mail systems; integrating its National Correspondence Tracking and Bring Forward System in DATIS. Finally, the OCI has now finalized its new Policy and Procedures Manual.

Strategic Direction 3 - Enhanced Accountability

Stemming from the identified need for the OCI to adopt an integrated approach towards planning and management of operations, the focus was on accountability in this regard, at the corporate level, and on an individual basis, of all OCI staff. The ultimate goal pursued and to a large extent now achieved was the promotion by timely information sharing and various other means, of individual and collective responsibility for the OCI's overall performance.

As mentioned above, the agenda and minutes of both Management and Policy Committee meetings are shared on a timely basis with all OCI staff. Moreover, Directors of Investigations hold monthly meetings with the investigative staff, at which systemic and performance-related issues are thoroughly discussed and debated.

Externally, the OCI has also significantly increased the frequency and quality of its discussions on systemic and performance related issues with its government and non-government stakeholders. Greatly facilitating this improved dialogue has been the staffing by both the OCI and the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) of key management positions, notably with regards to Aboriginal Affairs and Federally Sentenced Women.

Also of great benefit to the OCI has been the implementation of the Integrated Planning Framework and the Institutional Balanced Scorecard. It now has greater ability to gather, at both the institutional and inmate specific levels, all the performance-related information it requires not only to focus its interventions, but also to support the recommendations it makes on behalf of Canadians to improve the federal correctional system.

Indicative of the importance placed on the timely access to the right information is that all performance appraisals completed so far, at both the Director and Investigator level, contain explicit observations relating to the use of OCI specific and CSC electronic information holdings. Moreover, the inclusion of appropriate use of the latter, both as an objective and subject of observations in the subsequent performance appraisal, has now been fully integrated and standardized within the OCI's HR management policies and procedures.

In its revised Corporate Strategic Plan, the OCI has begun to chart the course for two new strategic directions, Young Offenders and Elderly Offenders. The first steps have already been taken in identifying these strategic directions as "areas of concern" within its investigative process. Future progress will be largely dependent on the availability of additional resources.

Finally, the OCI has also instituted a three-year planning cycle. Accordingly, it will now engage in projecting, mostly in the form of performance targets in its areas of concern and specialized services, its operations for a further two planning years beyond its annual investigative priorities setting exercise.

Strategic Direction 4 - Realignment of Service Delivery Model

The focus therein was on the re-engineering of the OCI's organizational structure, in alignment with its new logic model. The ultimate goal pursued and now achieved was to ensure that OCI applies the right resources at the right time to its priority demand areas.

As in the other strategic directions outlined in the Plan, it is the OCI Management Committee which addresses on-going issues and as they arise, new issues related to the realignment of the Service Delivery Model.

At this point in time, the OCI has finalized and implemented the reclassification of all permanent positions in alignment with its logic model. It has also redefined Roles and Responsibilities and this, in a fashion consistent with the latter.

Relieved of routine investigative duties in October 2002, the Coordinator of Aboriginal Issues became able to fully assume his portfolio. Accordingly, the OCI's ability to offer specialized services to the Aboriginal Offender population, at an appropriate level, has significantly improved.

The OCI's Coordinator of Aboriginal Issues is now a member of a special advisory committee on Aboriginal Affairs, on which are also represented all national Aboriginal organizations. He has also held individual meetings with various non-governmental organizations involved in Aboriginal Issues, such as the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), Pauktuutit (Inuit Women's Association) and the Inuit Tairiit Kanatami.

On a more operational level and consistent with the OCI's Logic Model, the Coordinator of Aboriginal Issues has initiated an on-going schedule of meetings with CSC Managers involved in Aboriginal corrections, at the institutional (local), regional and national levels. These meetings have already yielded a number of action commitments on the part of the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC). As examples, let us mention the undertaking to improve the services offered to the Aboriginal offender population in the Ontario and Quebec regions. Also noteworthy is the Service's commitment to proceed with the formal accreditation of the TUPIQ program for Inuit offenders. Finally, the national and regional levels of CSC have undertaken to further improve their communications/coordination of effort in the services and programs they respectively provide to the Aboriginal Offender population.

In October 2002, the OCI staffed the position of Coordinator of Federally Sentenced Women (FSW) Issues. Accordingly, the OCI's ability to provide specialized services to FSW has significantly improved.

The Coordinator of FSW Issues has since participated in numerous meetings throughout Canada with government and non-government organizations involved with women offenders. As an example, let us mention the OCI's consultations with both the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies and the Canadian Human Rights Commission with regard to a major review by the latter on the treatment of women serving federal terms of incarceration.

On a more operational level and consistent with the OCI's Logic Model, the Coordinator has allowed our agency to better focus its efforts vis-à-vis the female offender population and increase its consistency in addressing the concerns raised by this population.

Finally, the OCI has now reduced the backlog of Use of Force and Section 19 investigation files to manageable proportions. Achievement of this goal was significantly hampered by a very large and steady volume of cases, notably with regard to Use of Force. Helpful has been the adoption of new screening criteria, the establishment of a process with CSC to ensure a timely and consistent process of review, and the dedication, through strictly internal reallocation, of additional resources.

Strategic Direction 5 - Ongoing Performance Measurement Strategy

The focus therein was on the validation of the data to be collected to measure performance, inclusive of the collection process. The ultimate goal pursued and now reached is the assurance that the OCI has a complete and reliable base of information for evaluation and decision-making and is thus able to more easily anticipate and respond more adequately to changes in the demand for its services.

At the conclusion of a careful review and analysis by its investigative staff, the OCI has now determined the nature of the optimal methods of collecting the data it needs to manage its investigative process.

As mentioned above the OCI has, after much trial and error in the field testing of the prototype, integrated and standardized the use of the Institutional Balanced Scorecard in

its performance measurement and evaluation strategies. Noteworthy is that the Scorecard's usefulness in that regard has grown exponentially, as OCI investigators gain experience in using it to identify, evaluate and report on changes over time in the performance of institutions to which they are assigned.

2.8 Performance Accomplishments

The primary function of the Correctional Investigator is to independently investigate and attempt to bring resolution to individual offender complaints. The Office as well has a responsibility to review and make recommendations on the Service's policies and procedures associated with the areas of individual complaint to ensure that systemic areas of concern are identified and appropriately addressed. This year's Annual Report contains observations and specific recommendations in many such areas, including transfers, double bunking, case preparation and access to programming. In so doing the Office aims to assure the Canadian public that the federal correctional system is managed efficiently, equitably and fairly. All complaints received by the Office are reviewed and initial inquiries made to the extent necessary to obtain a clear understanding of the issue in question. After this initial review, in those cases where it is determined that the area of complaint is outside our mandate, the complainant is advised of the appropriate avenue of redress and assisted when necessary in accessing that avenue. For those cases that are within our mandate, the complainant is provided with a detailing of the Service's policies and procedures associated with the area of complaint. Where deemed necessary, an interview is arranged with the offender.

In addition to responding to individual complaints, the Office meets regularly with inmate committees and other offender organizations and makes announced visits bi-annually at each institution during which the investigator will meet with any inmate, or group of inmates, upon request.

From 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003, the Office received 6,988 contacts with or on behalf of offenders, compared to 7,993 contacts during the previous fiscal year. The Office's investigative staff spent 373 days at federal penitentiaries and conducted 2,451 interviews, compared to 2,838 interviews during the previous reporting period.

EXHIBIT 4 - Number of Contacts Received from Offender Population

EXHIBIT 5 - Interviews Conducted with Offenders

 

Above and beyond the cyclical nature of demand for our services, the decrease in the number of contacts with individual offenders can largely be attributed to the OCI's gradual shift to a more systemic approach towards dispute resolution.

Reflective of this shift are the actions taken at the regional and national levels by the Coordinators of Federally Sentenced Women and Aboriginal Issues. Also indicative is the increase in the number of meetings (350 as opposed to 300 last fiscal year) that the OCI has held with various offender organizations within federal institutions, including inmate committees, lifer groups, black inmate associations, native brotherhood and sisterhoods.

In order to comply with the recommendations of the Arbour Commission⁴, the Office reviewed 1,127 Institutional Emergency Response Team (IERT) videotapes and other documentation, related to Use of Force incidents, compared to 1,037 in the previous fiscal year and 546 in 2000-2001.

Throughout the current reporting year, the OCI observed that, consistent with its Logic Model, its recommendations contributed in varying degrees to improvements in CSC's policies, procedures and practices with regard to the use of force.

Noteworthy in this respect are CSC's efforts to consistently gather the version of inmates involved in Use of Force incidents, initiatives taken to modify modes of IERT intervention in some regional mental health units and the clarification, through the issue of a CSC Security Bulletin in December 2003, of the requirements in terms of post-spontaneous incident videotaping.

For the benefit of our readers who may be less familiar with the field of corrections, the objective of the OCI's recommendations is to ensure that the use of force against inmates is not abusive or excessive and that it is well documented, when it must occur, so that the entire process is open and transparent. This objective is not only consistent with the strategic outcome outlined in the OCI's Logic Model, but also with the expectations of Canadians regarding the treatment of inmates.

In view of the corrective actions taken by CSC, the OCI, which has streamlined its review process, will continue to focus its efforts on Use of Force incidents which occur in institutions/regions that present significant difficulties of compliance at the legal, procedural or policy levels.

During the course of the current reporting period, the OCI has also reviewed 120 Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) investigation reports pursuant to Section 19 of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA).

The OCI remains concerned with the timeliness of these investigations, which must be conducted following the death or serious injury to an inmate. It is also concerned by timeliness of the provision by CSC of a draft or final investigation report to the OCI, as per the CCRA. Discussions between OCI and CSC on these issues are ongoing. The OCI's objective will be, in keeping with the outcomes outlined in its Logic Model, to ensure that any shortcoming in the safe and secure custodial environment Canadians legitimately expect their penitentiaries to be, is promptly investigated and rectified.

In the course of its investigative and review efforts, the OCI has, in accordance with its Logic Model, engaged the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) in an on-going dialogue regarding the recommendations it made in its 2001-2002 Annual Report and new issues that emerged during the current reporting period.

As a result, the Correctional Service has, as outlined above, undertaken to proceed with corrective actions in a number of areas, notably aboriginal corrections, Section 19 investigations, transfers and elderly offenders. The impact of these actions should be coherent with the intermediate outcomes identified by the OCI in its Logic Model, contributing towards a more responsible, humane, fair and effective correctional system for the greater benefit of all Canadians.

In the final analysis, the Office's activities and outcomes are consistent with its Logic Model and legislative mandate. While exercising due regard for economy, efficiency and effectiveness, the Office has increased its contribution to the safe, fair, humane and equitable treatment of offenders under federal jurisdiction.

In providing a viable and credible outlet for the tensions and pressures that inevitably develop within penitentiaries, the Office contributes to the reduction of costly disturbances and other acts of violence. The Office also contributes to the safety of all communities by helping to ensure that federal offenders who are released have not only been dealt with fairly and humanely but have also been provided with appropriate assistance in their bid to become law abiding citizens.

 

Annex A
Financial Performance Overview

Financial Table 1
Summary of Voted Appropriations

 

Financial Table 2
Comparison of Total Planned Spending to Actual Spending

 

Financial Table 3
Historical Comparison of Total Planned Spending to Actual Spending

 

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Annex B
Other Information

i) Contacts for Further Information

 

ii) Agency Website

www.oci-bec.gc.ca

iii) Agency E-Mail Address

org@oci-bec.gc.ca

iv) Legislation and Associated Regulations Administered

Corrections and Conditional Release Act, Part III. (R.S.C., 1992, Ch. 20).

v) Statutory Annual Reports and Other Agency Reports.

Annual Report of the Correctional Investigator.

Notes

¹ Variance of + 65K over 2001-2002 reflects the OCI's gradual transition to a systemic approach to problem resolution (see sections 2.7 and 2.8 below for more information).

² Variance of + 90K over 2001-2002 reflects the internal reallocation of funds to deal with the backlog of cases and the further increase in the number of new cases submitted by CSC (see sections 2.7 and 2.8 for more information).

³ Actual cost of activity was lower than expected given delays in staffing position of FSW Coordinator and relieving the Coordinator, Aboriginal Issues, of routine investigative duties (see section 2.7 for more information).

⁴ The Honourable Louise Arbour, Commission of Inquiry into Certain Events at the Prison for Women, 1996.