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Date: November 25, 2024 Mon
Time: 8:25 pm
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Results for inmates (canada)
6 results foundAuthor: Motiuk, Laurence L. Title: Prison Careers of Federal Offenders With Criminal Organization Offences: A Follow-up Summary: There continues to be limited research on Canadian legislation that places people convicted for organized crime offences into prison. To date, there is one study profiling federal offenders convicted for organized crime offences. The present study follows a sample of federally incarcerated offenders who were convicted of organized crime offences during their stay in federal custody. The first study found federal offenders with criminal organization offences to be serving medium to long-term sentences for a new category of crimes coupled with other offences, mainly drug offences and in some instances serious violent crimes. These offenders also presented a group with prior criminal records, strong attachments to family and criminal groups. It was also noteworthy that offenders with criminal organization offences demonstrated more lifestyle stability (be married, employed and healthy) than their correctional counterparts. These characteristics suggested a group who at time of admission were likely to present themselves as good “risks” from a traditional corrections perspective. This follow-up of prison careers found that federal offenders with criminal organization offences were not significantly more likely than their matched correctional counterparts to be involved in security-related incidents, be placed involuntarily or voluntarily in segregation, or be transferred upward in security level. However, these observations may be an artifact of their being placed at relatively higher security levels than their matched counterparts. Similarly, the finding that this group did not participate in programming to the same extent as their matched counterparts may be due to the fact that they do not present as broad an array of criminogenic factors. This is deemed to be consistent with their general lifestyle stability apart from organized crime affiliation. Federal offenders with criminal organization offences were found to be significantly more likely than their matched counterparts to be released later in their sentence. The added time served in custody might explain why a higher percentage of them were granted escorted temporary absences and they were significantly more likely to be granted an unescorted temporary absence. Again, the aforementioned may be due to longer periods of stay in prison relative to their matched counterparts. It would seem for federal offenders with criminal organization offences that their prison experiences were remarkably uneventful. A longitudinal post-release follow-up is required before such a conclusion can be drawn about their correctional careers. Details: Ottawa: Research Branch, Correctional Service of Canada, 2009. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rsrch/briefs/b42/b42-eng.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Canada URL: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rsrch/briefs/b42/b42-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 118803 Keywords: Inmates (Canada)Organized Crime (Canada)Prisoners (Canada) |
Author: Canada. Parliament. House of Commons. Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security Title: Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Addiction in the Federal Correctional System Summary: Correctional institutions in Canada, like those in many countries, including Norway and England, accommodate large numbers of inmates suffering from mental disorders and drug and alcohol addiction. In Canada, some 80% of offenders serving prison sentences of two years or more have problems with drugs and/or alcohol. Approximately one in ten male inmates (12%), and one in five female inmates (21%), suffer from serious mental disorders upon admission to a federal correctional institution. This is not a recent development. Research has clearly shown that the correctional community, here as in elsewhere, is in poorer health overall than the population at large. The House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (hereafter the Committee) is concerned however about the scope of this phenomenon within Canada’s federal correctional system, and the lack of resources to enable Correctional Service Canada (CSC), which is responsible for the custody of offenders sentenced to two years or more, to meet the growing mental health and addiction needs of federal offenders. This report contains the Committee’s observations and recommendations based on its review of the policies, practices and programs adopted by CSC to provide treatment and support for federal offenders affected by mental disorders or addiction. The review highlighted the urgent need for an expansion of CSC’s capacity to meet the growing needs of these offenders. The situation demands decisive federal government action; the Committee believes this should include the immediate allocation of additional financial resources to CSC for this purpose. The CSC should in turn give priority to improving how it deals with mental health disorders and addiction issues. This is a public safety issue because offenders who fail to receive appropriate treatment while in custody are more likely to reoffend after release, thus threatening the security of all Canadians. That said, the Committee agrees with those who have testified before it that as far as possible, people suffering from mental disorders and addictions should not end up in detention because of these problems or the lack of community ressources. Correctional institutions should not be serving as hospitals by default. In general, prison is not suited to caring for people affected by such problems. Indeed, mental health experts agree that the prison environment is harmful to mental health. Moreover, because of the constraints inherent in the prison setting, therapeutic interventions are complicated and expensive. Like its witnesses, the Committee has concluded that CSC alone cannot cope with mental health and addiction problems in prisons. The criminalization and incarceration of those suffering from mental disorders or addictions is part of a broader context in which various players—government and non-government agencies—are active: the healthcare, social services and justice sectors. To avoid imprisoning people inappropriately because of their mental health disorders or addictions, all participants in the system have to work more closely together. Governments will have to establish a comprehensive, integrated and efficient mental health system based on promoting mental health and preventive care, early detection of mental disorders and addictions, access in the community to effective care and treatment and, as appropriate, the reintegration of those affected. The Committee’s study has also shed light on the need for rapid intervention, well before those concerned come into conflict with the law. When a crime is committed, there must be a capacity to assess the mental health of the accused in order to refer him or her to appropriate healthcare and support services and acquaint court officials with the accused’s requirements. The Committee shares the view of most of its witnesses that such an approach is more consistent with the rights of those suffering from mental disorders and addictions and could generate substantial cost savings in the long run. Imprisonment is expensive and generally unsuited to caring for those rendered vulnerable by mental disorders and addiction issues. Details: Ottawa: The Committee, 2010. 97p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 3, 2011 at: http://www.hsjcc.on.ca/Uploads/commons%20report%20on%20offender%20mh%20dec%202010.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Canada URL: http://www.hsjcc.on.ca/Uploads/commons%20report%20on%20offender%20mh%20dec%202010.pdf Shelf Number: 120683 Keywords: Correctional InstitutionsInmates (Canada)Mental Health ServicesMentally Ill OffendersPrisonsRehabilitationSubstance Abuse |
Author: Usher, Amelia Title: Assessment, Intervention and Prevention of Self-Injurious Behaviour in Correctional Environments Summary: Self-injurious behaviour (SIB) is a significant concern for the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) because of the risks it can pose to the safety of staff and offenders within federal correctional institutions. SIB can be defined as any type of direct bodily harm or disfigurement that is deliberately inflicted on oneself that is not considered to be socially acceptable, including cutting, ligature use, burning, hitting, swallowing sharp or indigestible objects, inserting and removing objects, and head banging. To contribute to a safer environment for offenders and staff, CSC must respond to SIB in an effective manner and work towards the reduction and prevention of this behaviour. This literature review was undertaken to determine the best practices for preventing and treating SIB in correctional settings. While it is difficult to predict with certainty which offenders will exhibit SIB while incarcerated, certain factors have been consistently associated with increased risk for SIB. A number of variables such as ethnicity, lower socio-economic background, same-sex attraction, borderline personality disorder, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, impulsivity, dissociation, and history of childhood trauma have been found to correlate with SIB. CSC’s offender population has high rates of many of these factors and therefore likely have an elevated risk for SIB. SIB, and particularly non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), is a troubling and complex behaviour which presents a challenge for effective treatment. A number of risk assessment tools have the potential for early identification of offenders at risk, but currently no instrument has been proven to be empirically valid in correctional settings. Research indicates that certain interventions can reduce the frequency and severity of this behaviour. Therapeutic treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy, and manual assisted cognitive therapy have demonstrated effectiveness for treating SIB in both the community and in correctional settings. Further, certain elements common to these therapies such as creating a positive therapeutic relationship, incident analysis, and cognitive restructuring have been found effective in the literature. These elements can be incorporated into existing correctional programs for improved prevention and treatment of SIB. A number of systemic interventions have also been proposed and are supported in the literature such as suicide awareness training and peer support programs. Correctional staff working closely with self-injuring offenders require additional support in dealing with this behaviour, as it can lead to increased stress and burnout. Evidence in the literature supports increased training for staff and the provision of support services such as critical incident stress debriefing and employee assistance programs. Currently, CSC has implemented a number of policies and initiatives that are in-line with evidence based practices for the treatment and prevention of self-injury. The research examined in this literature review presents a number of options that CSC could continue to develop or adopt to improve current management of SIB. Details: Ottawa: Correctional Service of Canada, Research Branch, 2010. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: No. R-220: Accessed September 3, 2011 at: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rsrch/reports/r220/r220-eng.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Canada URL: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rsrch/reports/r220/r220-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 122630 Keywords: Inmates (Canada)Inmates, Mental HealthInmates, Self-InjuryPrisoners (Canada)Prisons, Mental Health ServicesSelf-Mutilation |
Author: Axford, Marsha Title: Homicide, Sex, Robbery and Drug Offenders in Federal Corrections: An End-of-2008 Review Summary: One of the challenges confronting all Correctional Services in recent years is the effective management of offender populations. It has long been recognized that the demographic and offence-related characteristics of these populations influence institutional conduct as well as the safe transition of offenders to the community. As the characteristics of offenders and populations change, it creates the need to develop or refine correctional interventions to best respond to the needs and risks of these offenders. For example, an increase in the number of offenders admitted to prison with drug-related offences may indicate the need to develop and offer more addictions or substance-abuse programs. Moreover, an increase in the number of offenders sentenced with violent offences is typically associated with higher levels of institutional misconduct. As a result, it is important to monitor changes in the offender population. This study provides an overview of offenders convicted of homicide, sexual, robbery and drug-related offences on December 31, 2008. Of the 22,445 offenders under the supervision of the Service on that date, 5,540 had been convicted of a homicide offence, 3,154 were sexual offenders, 6,276 had a conviction for robbery, and 6,433 offenders had been convicted of a drug-related offence. In terms of population trends, the number of offenders sentenced on a homicide offence increased by 18% in the ten years prior to December 31, 2008. Part of this increase is because offenders convicted of first- and second-degree murder will remain under correctional supervision for the remainder of their lives. The number of sexual offenders, by contrast, decreased 14% during that same era, and this may be due to a decrease in the number of these offences reported to the police in the past decade (Dauvergne & Turner, 2010). The number of CSC offenders convicted of a robbery offence followed a similar trend, having decreased 8% from 1998 to 2008. However, during the same time period, the number of offenders who had been sentenced on a drug-related offence increased by 18%. Over the past ten years for which data are reported, there were a number of noteworthy changes in the management of these offenders. First, the number of homicide and drug offenders supervised in the community increased by 431 (+25%) and 117 (4%) respectively, while there were fewer offenders from the other groups who had been conditionally released: sex offenders (-268; -22%) and those convicted of robbery (-490; -18%), In addition, more offenders were placed in maximum security units in 2008 compared to 1998. In 2008, homicide (31%) and robbery (29%) offenders were more often housed in maximum security units than drug and sexual offenders (23% each). Last, the proportion of offenders released at their statutory release date (SR) had increased for all offence types, particularly for robbery offenders (50% in 1998 versus 63.1% in 2008). Altogether, there have been some significant changes in the characteristics of the federal offender population. These changes have resulted in a number of operational changes to better manage the risks that these offenders might pose in either institutions or the community. Basing these operational changes on the latest information about the offender population will enable the Service to focus on the safe transition of these offenders to the community. Details: Ottawa: Correctional Service of Canada, 2011. 53p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report 2011 No R-234: Accessed April 16, 2012 at: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rsrch/reports/r234/r234-eng.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Canada URL: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rsrch/reports/r234/r234-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 124982 Keywords: Drug OffendersInmates (Canada)PrisonersRobbersSex OffendersViolent Offenders |
Author: Usher, Amelia Title: Profile and Outcomes of Male Offenders with ADHD Summary: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurobiological disorder characterized by difficulties regulating attention, activity, and impulsivity. Predominantly diagnosed in childhood and adolescence, ADHD is increasingly being recognized as a disorder that continues to affect individuals into adulthood. ADHD is associated with a number of adverse outcomes including aggression, criminality, substance abuse, and low educational attainment, and it is thought to be more prevalent in forensic populations. Currently there is no information on the level of ADHD among federal offenders, and it is hypothesized that high rates of ADHD would present challenges for CSC in terms of offender behaviour management and community reintegration. To study the relationship between ADHD and a number of variables related to correctional outcomes, the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) was administered to a sample of offenders newly admitted to CSC. Over a 14 month period, 497 male offenders completed the ASRS at the Regional Reception Centre in the Pacific region (RRAC). It was determined that 16.5% of offenders met the clinical criteria for ADHD, while a further 25% scored in moderate range for this disorder. A significant relationship was discovered between ADHD and a number of demographic and profile variables. ADHD was found to be associated with unstable job history, presence of a learning disability, lower educational attainment, substance abuse, higher risk and need levels, and other mental health problems. ADHD was also found to predict institutional misconduct; offenders with the highest levels of ADHD were 2.5 times more likely to receive an institutional charge than offenders without these symptoms. Additionally, offenders with high levels of ADHD fared poorly on release to the community. Within six months of release, they were more likely to have returned to custody than offenders with no symptoms of ADHD. The current study improves our understanding of the impact of ADHD in forensic populations. The rate of the disorder found in this study was considerably higher than prevalence rates cited in the general population, but in line with estimates from other correctional jurisdictions. Results indicate that high levels of ADHD can present challenges for CSC in terms of offender institutional management and transition into the community. A secondary purpose of this study was to evaluate the ASRS as a screening tool for ADHD in offenders. Findings indicate that the ASRS is a brief measure that can easily be administered at intake to identify offenders who may need additional services or adapted interventions because of this disorder. Details: Ottawa: Correctional Service of Canada, 2010. 53p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report 2010 Nº R-226: Accessed April 16, 2012 at: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rsrch/reports/r226/r226-eng.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Canada URL: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rsrch/reports/r226/r226-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 124985 Keywords: Attention Deficit Disorder, InmatesInmates (Canada)Male Inmates, Learning DisabilitiesMale Offenders |
Author: Canada. Office of the Correctional Investigator Title: A Three Year Review of Federal Inmate Suicides (2011-2014) Summary: Sadly, we have come to expect about ten suicide deaths each year in federal penitentiaries. Though the number of prison suicides fluctuates annually and has generally been declining, the rate has remained relatively stable in recent years and is still approximately seven times higher than in the general population. In the 20-year period from 1994-95 to 2013-14, a total of 211 federal inmates have taken their own life. Suicide is the leading cause of un-natural death among federal inmates, accounting for about 20% of all deaths in custody in any given year. While there is no fail-safe method to predict suicide in a prison setting, there is an obligation on the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) to preserve life in custody. A comprehensive suicide awareness and prevention program increases the likelihood of identifying and safely managing suicidal inmates. This report, part of the Office's continuing focus on prevention of deaths in custody, consists of a comprehensive review of all completed acts of suicide (n=30) that occurred in federal penitentiaries in the three year period between April 2011 and March 2014. The Office was prompted to undertake this review in light of a number of concerning developments that, when considered together, suggest that progress has stalled in CSC's efforts to prevent and publicly account for deaths in custody: 1. Persistent concern about the disproportionate number of prison suicides that continue to occur in segregation cells under conditions of close monitoring and supervision. Policy prohibits segregation placements for the purpose of managing suicide risk. Notwithstanding, the Service continues the dangerous practice of long-term segregation of mentally disordered inmates at elevated risk of suicide and/or self-injurious behaviour. 2. Critical findings and recommendations emanating from recently concluded high profile provincial fatality inquiries and inquests into deaths involving federally sentenced inmates. 3. CSC has stopped producing its Annual Inmate Suicide Report, an initiative that dates back to 1992. (The last report covered prison suicides that occurred in FY 2010-11). 4. In February 2009, as part of its follow-up to the Office's reports on deaths in custody, the CSC committed to sharing quarterly summaries highlighting pertinent issues and statistical information on deaths in custody (other than deaths by natural causes). The first of six quarterly bulletins (Deaths in Custody - Highlights and Significant Findings) was received by this Office in September 2009, with the last bulletin issued in March 2011 covering 17 deaths that occurred between October and December 2010. 5. As a policy streamlining measure, as of April 2014 the Service is no longer conducting suicide risk screening of first-time federal inmates awaiting transfer from provincial remand to federal custody. 6. As it agreed to do, the Service has still not yet posted on its external website its response to the findings and recommendations of The Final Report of the (Second) Independent Review Committee (November 2012). Appointed by the Commissioner, this external review body, part of CSC's response to the Office's 2007 Deaths in Custody study, examined 25 non-natural deaths in custody (6 suicides, 4 overdoses, 5 homicides, 9 deaths by unknown causes and 1 death by deadly force) that occurred in federal facilities between April 2010 and March 2011. 7. Finally, despite documents that remain in draft and incomplete form, CSC has not yet produced a performance monitoring and reporting framework that would serve to publicly account for its progress in preventing deaths in custody. Details: Ottawa: Office of the Correctional Investigator, 2014. 59p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 30, 2014 at: http://www.oci-bec.gc.ca/cnt/rpt/pdf/oth-aut/oth-aut20140910-eng.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Canada URL: http://www.oci-bec.gc.ca/cnt/rpt/pdf/oth-aut/oth-aut20140910-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 133835 Keywords: Deaths in CustodyInmate DeathsInmate SuicidesInmates (Canada) |