B.C. Auditor General report on B.C. prisons

8/10/2019 B.C. Auditor General report on B.C. prisons

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AN AUDIT OF THE ADULT CUSTODY DIVISIONSCORRECTIONAL FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS

www.bcauditor.com

January 2015


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623 Fort Street

Victoria, British Columbia

Canada V8W 1G1

P: 250.419.6100

F: 250.387.1230

www.bcauditor.com

Te Honourable Linda Reid

Speaker o he Legislaive Assembly

Province o Briish Columbia

Parliamen Buildings

Vicoria, Briish Columbia

VV X

Dear Madame Speaker:

I have he honour o ransmi o he Legislaive Assembly o Briish Columbia my repor,An Audi o he

Adul Cusody Divisions Correcional Faciliies and Programs.

We conduced his audi under he auhoriy o secion () o heAudior General Acand in accordance

wih he sandards or assurance engagemens se ou by he Charered Proessional Accounans o Canada

(CPA) in he CPA Handbook - Assurance.

Te purpose o his audi was o deermine wheher he Adul Cusody Division is planning or, and

providing, he aciliies and programs i needs o mee is mission.

My repor conains several recommendaions o assis he Adul Cusody Division in demonsraing is

effeciveness wih he resources ha i has available, in proacively managing is perormance, and in making

decisions ha are ully inormed by evidence.

We wish o acknowledge he dedicaed saff a he Adul Cusody Division or heir cooperaion wih his

audi and or he imporan role ha hey play in our criminal jusice sysem.

Carol Bellringer, FCA

Audior General

Vicoria, Briish Columbia

January


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TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

AUDITOR GENERALS COMMENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS

RESPONSE FROM THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE

DETAILED REPORT

Background

Audi t object ives and scope

Audi t conclusion

Key findings and recommendations Providing safe, secure custody t hrough correctional facilities

Reducing criminal behaviour through programs

Complying with current policy and legislation

APPENDIX A Adul t Custody Division Working Group :Special Population Management Strategies


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Auditor General of British Columbia |January 2015

An Audit of the Adult Custody Divisions Correctional Facilities and Programs

AU D I T O R G E N E R A LS C O M M E N T S

J C have been challenged wihmeeing increasing demands on correcional services. As a resul o concerns raised

abou overcrowding in BC correcional cenres, we carried ou his audi o deermine

wheher he Adul Cusody Division o he Minisry o Jusice is effecively managing

capaciy o ensure sae and secure cusody, and providing programs o reduce re-offending.

Correcional cenres in Briish Columbia are over capaciy, operaing a %

occupancy on average wih individual cenres ranging rom % o %. Prison

overcrowding increases risks o boh inmaes and saff, and conribues o rising

ension and he poenial or conflics. Alhough he Adul Cusody Division regularly

inspecs, assesses risks, and moniors and reviews criical incidens, i canno adequaely

demonsrae wheher operaing is prisons a hese levels provides or sae cusody.

In his audi, we also ound ha inmaes are no geting imely access o programs

ha can reduce heir risk o re-offending once hey are released. Our repor,

Eec iveness o Communiy Correcions, had similar findings regarding he provision

and compleion o programming in he Communiy Correcions Division. Re-offending

has a direc cos o axpayers and poses saey risks o communiies.

For he Adul Cusody Division o achieve is mission, i needs o ocus more on

proacively managing o achieve desired resuls. Tis includes mapping ou wha he

Division wans o achieve and how i will ge here, as well as making decisions ha areully inormed by evidence.

Given hese audi findings, we have made several recommendaions o suppor he

Adul Cusody Division in planning or, and providing, he aciliies and programs i

needs o mee is mission.

Many acors conribue o cusody pressures, criminal behaviour and re-offending;

his audi only examined one par o he criminal jusice sysem. Improving oucomes

requires sraegies and approaches ha consider he broader criminal jusice sysem.

We wish o acknowledge he dedicaed saff we me hroughou his audi and he

imporan role hey play in our criminal jusice sysem. Teir cooperaion wih hisaudi is appreciaed.

Carol Bellringer, FCA

Audior General

Vicoria, BC

January

C B,FCAAudior General

AUDIT TEAMMalcolm Gason

Assisan Audior General

Peer Nagai

Direcor

Laura Pierce

Manager

racey Janes

Audior
http://www.bcauditor.com/pubs/2011/report10/bc-community-corrections-cccphttp://www.bcauditor.com/pubs/2011/report10/bc-community-corrections-cccp


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E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y

C he imprisonmen oindividuals who have been conviced o a crime, or who are being held awaiing a rial,

senencing or review. In Canada, correcional cusody is a shared responsibiliy beween

ederal and provincial/erriorial governmens.

Te Governmen o Briish Columbia is responsible or he cusody o aduls over

years o age who are serving a provincial jail senence o up o wo years less a day, being

held while awaiing rial or senencing, or being held pending an immigraion review.

Jus under , inmaes were admited ino BCs nine correcional cenres in /,

wih an average daily inmae coun o ,. Approximaely hal were senenced

offenders, and hal were inmaes awaiing rial or senencing.

Te Adul Cusody Division, wihin he BC Minisry o Jusice, is responsible or

providing in-cusody correcional supervision or all adul inmaes. Te Divisions

mission is o provide safe and secure custody of inmates and deliver programs that

promote public safety and reduce criminal behaviour.Providing sae and secure

cusody ulfills cour judgemens and reducing criminal behaviour increases public

saey. Reducing re-offending can also reduce he social and economic coss associaed

wih crime, and he direc coss o incarceraing individuals.

We carried ou his audi o deermine wheher he Adul Cusody Division is planning

or, and providing, heaciliies andprogramsi needs o mee is mission.

Overall, we ound ha he Divisions lack o atenion o perormance managemen,

evidence-based decision making, and offender programming increase he risk o inmae,

saff and public saey. More atenion o hese areas would increase he likelihood ha

he Division direcs ime and money ino programs and aciliies ha are effecive.

Correctional facilities

In , BC was experiencing one o he highes raes o double-bunking among

Canadian provinces, wih he average occupancy rae across all cenres a %.

Overcrowding can increase ension and risks o conflic beween inmaes and saff,

make separaing incompaible inmae populaions more challenging, and reduce

opporuniies or rehabiliaive programming.

Over he las seven years, reasury Board has approved approximaely $ million in

capial expansion projecs ha, when compleed, will add over new cells, increasing

bed space by % since . Tis is relieving some o he overcrowding pressures.

Due o hese capaciy expansions and a recen drop in inmae numbers, he Divisions

aciliies were operaing a % occupancy on average a he ime o he audi, wih

individual cenres ranging rom % o %. Tese figures are based on available


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E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y

living unis in correcional cenres. We observed ha during he period o our audi

he Division had a number o unis closed or budgeary reasons, which affecs

available capaciy.

We ound he Division was unable o demonsrae ha i has he righ amoun or ype

o aciliies needed o provide sae, secure cusody. Te Division does assess he saey

and securiy o is aciliies by engaging in regular inspecions, risk assessmens andmonioring, as well as criical inciden reviews. However, he Division has no:

deined perormance expec aions or saey, securiy and occupancy, or

assessed is curren perormance;

demonsraed ha i has analy zed he increasing number o inmae saey and

securiy i ncidens o ideniy how dierences in acil iy operaion, design or

occupancy aec saey and securiy;

analyzed he characerisics o he inmae populaion o ully in orm shor and

long-erm decisions regarding aciliies; or

ul ly assessed he eeciveness o sraegies used o manage capaciy, such as

housing senenced and non-senenced inmaes ogeher and regularly movi nginmaes beween cenres o relieve pressures.

We also ound ha he Division was meeing some, bu no all, o is legislaed

requiremens and policy expecaions or accommodaing inmaes. In our sample o

inmae files, we ound ha % o inmaes received imely access o living space ha is

suied or heir populaion designaion (e.g., general populaion, proecive cusody)

and securiy classificaion (open, medium, secure). However, we ound ha he

Division did no consisenly house non-senenced inmaes separaely rom senenced

inmaes, as oulined in he Correcions Ac Regulaion.

Offender programs

Te Division offers core programs or senenced inmaes (offenders) ha are specifically

designed o reduce re-offending, by argeing issues ha conribue o a criminal

liesyle and influence inmaes paterns o hinking and behaviour.

For he sample o offender files we examined, we ound ha he Division in mos cases

did no mee legislaion or policy expecaions o provide offenders wih imely access

o core programs. Te Division recommended core programs ha aligned wih case

managemen plans in only % o he files ha we examined. In oal, only % o

sampled offenders ully or parially compleed hose core programs.

We also ound he Division has no ensured ha he programs offered are effecive. I

has no ramework in place o drive he planning, implemenaion and evaluaion o

offender programs. I has no deermined wheher i has he righ number and ype o

programs in place o reduce criminal behaviour. Evaluaions conduced by he Division

o dae have shown ha only one o he five core programs offered reduces re-offending.

Furhermore, he Division has no analyzed he inmae populaion o ideniy curren

and uure program needs so ha i can direc resources a higher risk/needs cases.


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S U M M A R Y O F R E C O M M E N D AT I O N S

We recommend that the Adult Custody Division of the Ministryof Justice:

1 develop and implemen a complee perormance managemen ramework o goals, objecives, sraegies,perormance measures and arges o achieve sae and secure cusody, and reduce criminal behaviour.Tis would include defining appropriae occupancy levels or correcional cenres.

2 periodically assess rends in saey and securiy wihin and across correcional cenres o undersandhow differences in operaion, design or occupancy conribue o incidens and use he resuls o reduce

he risk o reoccurrences.

3 develop and implemen an approach o orecasing aciliy space and program needs ha accouns orhe complexiy o he inmae populaion, such as changes in populaion groups or shifs in populaion

rends.

4 ensure ha decisions regarding aciliy space and programs ully reflec key characerisics o he inmaepopulaion (such as securiy designaion, populaion classificaion, legal saus, ec.).

5 periodically assess he effeciveness o all programs inended o reduce re-offending and use he resulso ideniy and implemen improvemens in programming.

6 implemen a qualiy assurance sysem across correcional cenres o monior and coninuously improvehe classificaion and case managemen o inmaes.

7 examine he impac o housing senenced and non-senenced inmaes ogeher and implemen anappropriae approach or meeing he requiremens o he Correcions Ac Regulaion.

8 review he case managemen process o ideniy and address he barriers o offenders geting imely

access o he programs hey need o reduce criminal behaviour. Tis would include evaluaing andimproving he reliabiliy o he risk/needs assessmen used o ideniy programs or offenders.


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R E S P O N S E F R O M T H E M I N I S T R Y O F J U S T I C E

A in he field o correcions, we coninuallyseek ways o improve he delivery o our programs and services or he ciizens o Briish

Columbia. For his reason, BC Correcions appreciaes he work o he Office o he

Audior General in heir Perormance Audi o he Adul Cusody Divisions aciliies

and programs. Te resuling recommendaions provide an opporuniy or us o build

on our bes pracices and mee our vision, mandae and goals ha ocus on reducing

reoffending, proecing communiies and providing sae and secure cusody o inmaes.

We would like o hank all o our dedicaed correcional proessionals who work on

he ron lines / in our cenres o mee hese goals and o provide public saey o

communiies hroughou he province. We would also like o exend a special hank you

o he many saff who worked diligenly o ensure he audiors received he inormaion

and assisance required o conduc his audi.

BC Correcions acceps here are areas ha can be improved upon, paricularly

wih respec o perormance managemen, qualiy assurance and he delivery o

programming. A he same ime, we are pleased ha he Audior General recognized a

number o areas where we are succeeding. Te Audior General acknowledged ha we

place he highes imporance on he saey and securiy componen o our mission and

ha we regularly monior, assess and ollow up on saey and securiy issues. Tey also

acceped ha we have been successul in reducing capaciy pressures hrough our capial

expansion projecs ha have added significan capaciy hroughou he province.

Te minisry and BC Correcions accep he Audior Generals findings and are aking

acion o address he issues idenified by he audi, as oulined below in our responses o

he recommendaions.

RECOMMENDATION 1:Develop and implemen a complee perormance managemen

amework o goals, objecives, sraegies, perormance measures and arges o achieve sae

and secure cusody, and reduce criminal behaviour. Tis would include defining appropriae

capaciy levels or correcional cenres.

Te Adul Cusody Division will implemen a perormance managemen

ramework o add measures and arges o our sraegic plans and projec objeciveso achieve sae and secure cusody, and reduce criminal behavior.

RECOMMENDATION 2:Periodically assess rends in saey and securiy wihin and across

correcional cenres o undersand how differences in operaion, design or capaciy conribue

o incidens and use he resuls o reduce he risk o reoccurrence.

Trough he regular assessmen o saey and securiy incidens, BC Correcions

will look or rends and indicaors ha poin o acors ha conribue o saey

incidens occurring and use he resuls o reduce he risk o reoccurrence.


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R E S P O N S E F R O M T H E M I N I S T R Y O F J U S T I C E

RECOMMENDATION 3:Develop and implemen an approach o orecasing aciliy space

and program needs ha accouns or he complexiy o he inmae populaion, such as changes

in populaion groups or shifs in populaion rends.

RECOMMENDATION 4:Ensure ha decisions regarding aciliy space and programs ully

reflec key characerisics o he inmae populaion (such as securiy designaion, populaion

classificaion, legal saus, ec.).

In response o recommendaions and , BC Correcions will coninue o refine

our orecasing echniques or aciliy space and program needs. We will explore

wha acors could orecas shifs in he complexiy o he inmae populaion. And

where such acors can be esablished, we will use ha orecas inormaion o

inorm decisions regarding aciliy space and program needs.

RECOMMENDATION 5:Periodically assess he effeciveness o all programs inended

o reduce re-offending and use he resuls o ideniy and implemen improvemens in

programming.

BC Correcions will coninue o assess he effeciveness o all core programs whichare inended o reduce reoffending and use he resuls o ideniy and implemen

improvemens in programming, as we have done in previous evaluaions.

RECOMMENDATION 6:Implemen a qualiy assurance sysem across correcional cenres

o monior and coninuously improve he classificaion and case managemen o inmaes.

Building on he perormance managemen ramework oulined in recommendaion

, he Adul Cusody Division will implemen a case managemen qualiy assurance

sysem o monior classificaion and improve he case managemen o inmaes.

RECOMMENDATION 7:Examine he impac o housing senenced and non-senenced

inmaes ogeher and implemen an appropriae approach or meeing he requiremens o heCorrecions Ac Regulaion.

Te Division will look a ways o examine he impac o housing senenced and

non-senenced inmaes ogeher and ensure our approach mees he requiremens

o he Correcions Ac Regulaion.

RECOMMENDATION 8: Review he case managemen process o ideniy and address he

barriers o offenders geting imely access o programs hey need o reduce criminal behaviour.

Tis would include evaluaing and improving he reliabiliy o he risk/needs assessmen used

o ideniy programs or offenders.

Te Adul Cusody Division will use he perormance managemen ramework andhe case managemen qualiy assurance sysem o ideniy and address barriers o

offenders geting imely access o programming ha reduces criminal behavior.


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D E T A I L E D R E P O R T

BACKGROUND

Correcional cusody reers o he imprisonmen o individuals conviced o a crime,

or held awaiing a rial, senencing, or review. Oher orms o correcional supervision

include condiional senences, parole, and probaion. In Canada, correcional supervision is

a shared responsibiliy beween ederal and provincial/erriorial governmens. Provincial

and erriorial sysems are responsible or adul offenders serving senences o less han

wo years, persons held while awaiing rial or senencing, offenders serving communiy

senences (e.g., probaion or condiional senences), and youh offenders.

In Briish Columbia, he responsibiliy or enorcing cour ordered supervision lieswih BC Correcions, wihin he Minisry o Jusice. Wihin BC Correcions, he Adul

Cusody Division (he Division) oversees aduls who are serving a provincial jail

senence (up o wo years less a day), or are being held while awaiing rial, senencing,

or an immigraion review. Te Communiy Correcions Division is responsible or

supervising offenders living in he communiy (approximaely , individuals are

supervised in he communiy on a given day). Youh cusody services are under he

responsibiliy o he Minisry o Children and Family Developmen.

Te Divisions mission is o provide safe and secure custody of inmates, and deliver

programs that promote public safety and reduce criminal behaviour.Holding inmaes

saely and securely in cusody ulfills cour judgemens and reducing criminal behaviourincreases public saey. Reducing re-offending reduces he social and economic coss

associaed wih crime, as well as he direc coss o incarceraing individuals.

Exhibit 1: BC inmate population profile

Source: BC Correcions

0

750

1,500

2,250

3,000

Immigration detentionSentencedNon-sentenced

2013/142012/132011/122010/112009/102008/09

Average

DailyCount


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Te Division operaes primarily under he Correcions Acand he Correcions Ac

Regulaion. Over , ull- and par-ime saff manage and operae nine correcional

cenres across BC. Governmen figures show ha i cos $ million o operae he

Division in /, or approximaely $ per inmae, per day.

Te Division repored ha jus under , inmaes were admited ino BC

correcional cenres in /, wih an average daily coun o ,. Approximaelyhal were senenced inmaes and hal were awaiing rial or senencing. In /, he

average lengh o say was days or senenced offenders and days or hose awaiing

rial or senencing. Immigraion deainees, held hrough agreemen wih Canada Border

Services Agency under he ederalImmigraion Ac, ypically make up a small percenage

o inmaes held in provincial cusody. Exhibi shows he breakdown o prison

populaions in BC over he las six years.

BC correctional centres

Te Divisions nine correcional aciliies range in age, design, size, and level o securiy.

Te hree securiy levels secure, medium and open are a uncion o aciliy design

and he degree o which inmaes are able o move reely wihin he aciliy. Living

unis wihin aciliies are designaed ino differen populaion groups, such as general

populaion, proecive cusody, and inmaes wih menal healh needs. Tis allows or

specialized orms o supervision or each group. Exhibi oulines curren correcional

cenres in BC, and heir securiy level.

Correctional centreSecurity level

(secure/medium/open)Total #of cells

Alouete Correcional Cenreor Women (ACCW)

All levels 192

Ford Mounain Correcional Cenre(FMCC)

Medium 94

Fraser Regional Correcional Cenre(FRCC)

Secure(2 emporary open unis)

304

Kamloops Regional CorrecionalCenre (KRCC)

Secure(1 emporary open uni)

185

Nanaimo Correcional Cenre(NCC)

Medium 190

Norh Fraser Prerial Cenre(NFPC)

Secure 300

Prince George RegionalCorrecional Cenre (PGRCC)

Secure(2 open unis)

151 male25 emale

Surrey Prerial Services Cenre(SPSC)

Secure 365

Vancouver Island RegionalCorrecional Cenre (VIRCC)

Secure 207

Total number of cells in BC 2,013

Exhibit 2: BC correctional centres and security levels (June 2014)



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Trends in inmate populations

Federal and provincial/erriorial inmae populaions have increased over he pas hree

decades.Exhibi shows some o he increases in inmae couns since /. Facors

ha can impac inmae populaions include:

general populaion growh;

rends in he ype and number o crimes;

shis in policing;

changes in legisla ion and senencing; and

var iaions in legal case processing imes.

According o Saisics Canada, he annual average number o inmaes in BC has

increased by % since /. In ha same ime, BC Saisics repors ha he oal

BC populaion increased by %. Tis growh in he number o inmaes, as well as he

closure o provincial aciliies in , conribued o exensive double-bunking in

cells, almos all o which were designed or single occupancy. In , he Canadian

Parliamenary Budge Officer repored ha BC was experiencing among he highes

raes o double-bunking in Canada, wih he average occupancy o % across is

correcional cenres. Due o aciliy expansions and a recen drop in inmae numbers,

correcional cenres were operaing a % occupancy overall a he ime o he

audi, wih individual cenres ranging rom % o % (see Exhibi ). On average,

his means ha over hal o inmaes were sharing cells. Tese figures are based on he

Exhibit 3: Provincial Adult Custody Services, average inmate counts (in custody) 1978/79 - 2012/13

Source: Saisics Canada

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

10,000 British Columbia

Alberta

Saskatchewan

Manitoba

Ontario

Quebec

1978

-79

1981

-82

1984

-85

1987

-88

1990

-91

1993

-94

1996

-97

1999

-00

2002

-03

2005

-06

2008

-09

2011

-12

2012

-13


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number o available living unis in correcional cenres; some unis were closed o mee

budge arges.

According o BC Correcions and correcions lieraure, prison overcrowding can

adversely affec saff and inmaes. Tis includes:

greaer challenges separaing i ncompaible inmaes;

reduced opporuniies or rehabiliaive, raining, educaional and recreaional

programming;

increased ension and risk o conlic beween inmaes and sa; and

higher raes o illness and suicide among inmaes.

Correctional centre

Occupancyrate

Mar. 2011

Occupancyrate

Nov. 2012

Occupancyrate

Jun. 2014

Faciliies or emales

Alouete Correcional Cenreor Women (ACCW)

81% 84% 110%

Prince George RegionalCorrecional Cenre (PGRCC)

108% 80% 112%

Surrey Prerial ServicesCenre (SPSC)

222% N/A* N/A*

Total 119% 83% 110%

Faciliies or malesFord Mounain CorrecionalCenre (FMCC)

105% 103% 107%

Fraser Regional CorrecionalCenre (FRCC)

164% 153% 142%

Kamloops RegionalCorrecional Cenre (KRCC)

179% 146% 154%

Nanaimo CorrecionalCenre (NCC)

96% 96% 161%

Norh Fraser Prerial Cenre 194% 179% 122%

Prince George Regional

Correcional Cenre (PGRCC)

175% 152% 165%

Surrey Prerial ServicesCenre (SPSC)

170% 144% 136%

Vancouver Island RegionalCorrecional Cenre (VIRCC)

157% 147% 177%

Total 161% 146% 143%

Total Overall 157% 138% 140%

Exhibit 4: Selected daily occupancy rates in BC correctional centres

*Noe ha in November 2012, women were no longer housed a Surrey Prerial Services CenreSource: BC Correcions


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o manage hose r isks, BC Correcions and Capial Asse Managemen

Plans proposed o expand cusody capaciy (see Exhibi ). reasury Board

subsequenly approved approximaely $ million in capial expansion projecs ha,

when compleed, will add over new emporary and permanen cells (represening a

% increase over capaciy). Tis includes he recen expansion o he Surrey Pre-

rial Services Cenre and he upcoming build o he Okanagan Correcional Cenre. Temos recen BC Correcions orecasing daa approximaes ha he average daily coun

o inmaes is expeced o increase o , in /. Tis would mean an average

occupancy rae o %, wih % o inmaes double-bunked.

BC Corrections programming

Wihin correcional cenres, he Division offers inmaes a range o programs, as required

by he Correcions Ac Regulaion. Programming covers differen opics, including:

religion, recreaion, educaion and raining, and programs designed o assis inmaes in

reducing he risk hey presen o he communiy.

o reduce he risk o re-offending, he Division offers core programs designed

o influence inmaes paterns o hinking and behaviour ha conribue o a

criminal liesyle.

Core programs currenly available in BC correcional cenres include:

Respecul R elaionships:designed o provide paricipans wih a greaer

undersanding o abusive behaviours and develop sraegies o end he v iolence

in heir lives.

Exhibit 5: BC Corrections 2011 Capital Asset Management Plan implementation steps


An inmate works in the bicycle shopat the Vancouver Island RegionalCorrectional Centre

1,200

1,400

1,600

1,800

2,000

2,200

2,400

2,600

2,800

3,000

3,200

3,400

3,600

19/2018/1917/1816/1715/1614/1513/1412/1311/1210/1109/1008/0907/0806/0705/0604/05

Num

berso

fInmatesan

dCe

lls

3,365

In ter im Ce ll s PGRCCACCW

SPSC - Surrey Pretrial Services Centre

ACCW - Alouette Correctional Centrefor Women

PGRCC - Prince GeorgeRegional Correctional Centre

*Note that forecasts have been revised

since 2011

SPSCExpansion

Okanagan

LowerMainland

2844 cellsNanaimo

TARGET # CELLS for32% inmates double celled

INMATE POPULATION

FORECAST*

CELLS



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Subsance Abuse Managemen Program: designed o reduce subsance abuse

relapse and help oenders develop healhier liesyles.

Violence Prevenion: designed o reduce aggressive behaviour.

Emoions Managemen or Women:designed o help ema le oenders develop

basic sk ill s or managing di icu l emoions in a way ha lead s o healhy,producive oucomes.

Relaionship Skills or Women:designed o each emale oenders how o

become more skilled a developing and mainain ing heal hy relaionships.

Exhibi provides an overview o oher programs offered a BC correcional cenres.

AUDIT OBJECTIVES AND SCOPEWe examined wheher he Adul Cusody Division is:

planning or, and providing, he acil iies i needs o deliver sae and

secure cusody;

planning or, and providing, he programs i nmaes need o reduce criminal

behaviour; and

providing inmaes wih access o aci liies and programs ha are consisen

wih curren policies and legisla ion.

Te firs wo objecives o he audi ocused on he effeciveness o he Division in

meeing is mission, and he hird assessed compliance wih curren policy

and legislaion.

We based our audi expecaions on applicable policy and legislaion, correcional

planning guides, discussions wih Division saff, and he advice o wo subjec mater

Exhibit 6: Non-core programs at BC correctional centres


In addiion o core programs, inmae programming offered a correcional

ceners can include:

Essenial Skills o Success shor classes eaching lie skills, such as how ocomplee a resume

Work and vocaional skills hands-on work experience (fire suppression,

carpenry, kichen)

Educaional programs parnerships wih educaional insiuions help

inmaes achieve diplomas and improve heir educaion

Lieracy skills improving inmaes reading and wriing skills

Guhrie House inensive reamen and counselling (see p. )


16/32




expers. We also reviewed he BC governmens Capial Asse Managemen Framework,

capial planning rameworks, examples rom oher jurisdicions, and similar audis

conduced by oher legislaive audi offices.

We reviewed BC Correcions documens rom o , as well as some earlier

documens o undersand long-erm capaciy pressures and rends. We inerviewed

correcions saff rom headquarers, and a eigh o he nine correcional cenres. Wealso examined a random sample o inmae files, including inake assessmens, living

uni placemen, and program case managemen. Tis work began in Sepember

and concluded in June .

We conduced he audi in accordance wih he sandards or assurance engagemens

se ou by he Charered Proessional Accounans o Canada (CPA) in he CPA

Handbook Assurance.

AUDIT CONCLUSION

We concluded ha he Division:

could no demonsrae ha i was planning or, or providing, he aciliies i

needs o deliver sae and secure cusody;

was nei her plann ing or, nor providing , he programs ha inmaes need o

reduce criminal behaviour; and

provided mos inmaes wih accommodaion, bu no o programs designed o

reduce he risk ha inmaes presen o he communiy, as ouli ned in policy

and legislaion.

KEY FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Providing safe, secure custody through correctionalfacilities

Providing he righ number and mix o correcional aciliies (prisons), along wih oher

correcional ools (saff, echnology, operaional policies), assiss in reducing risk and

meeing inended oucomes or saey and securiy.

o mee he saey and securiy porion o is mission, we expeced o find ha he

Division had:

esablished goals, objecives and perormance measures or sae and

secure cusody;

analyzed is in mae populaion o ideniy he acil iies ha i needs;


17/32




assessed wheher is curren aciliies deliver sae and secure cusody; and

developed, assessed and implemened sraegies o address any gaps beween

he aciliies i has a nd hose i needs.

Overall, he Division could no demonsrae ha i was ideniying and providing he

aciliies i needs o deliver sae and secure cusody.

The Adult Custody Division has not defined what safe andsecure custody means or how it will be achieved

We expeced o find ha he Division had a perormance managemen ramework o

guide is decision making and achieve is mission or sae and secure cusody. Exhibi

oulines he key componens o he planning process ha we expeced o find. Exhibi

provides examples o wha he componens migh look like.

We ound ha he Division has goals or responding o a growing inmae populaion

and reducing overcrowding (a componen o saey and securiy). However, i has

no defined wha sae and secure means, how i wil l achieve his hrough goals and

sraegies, or how i wil l measure perormance. Consequenly, he Division lacks an

overall ramework o drive and suppor decision making, and has no means o gauging

and reporing is progress and success.

Exhibit 7: Performance management cycle

Source: Office o he Audior General o Briish Columbia

Objectives(priorities):describe how goalswill be acheived

Strategies:specific steps tomeet objectives

Performancemeasures:indication of whetherobjectives and goalsare being met

Mission:overarching aim ofthe organization Goals:

outline what anorganization isworking towards

Goals:outline what anorganization isworking towards

Exhibit 8: Examples of goals,

objectives and performance measuresfrom other jurisdictions

Goal: Developmen o prison

capaciy... sufficien or a -year

projecion o accommodae all

inmaes in a aciliy appropriae or

heir needs and risks. (Carer Goble

Lee, Correcional Faciliy Needs Assessmen and

Maser Planning)

Objective: Develop, implemen and

evaluae [he number and ype o]

new beds [needed] o appropriaely

house offenders. (Idaho Deparmen o

Correcions Sraegic Plan)

Performance Measure and Target:

Decrease he rae o inmae on

inmae assauls per inmaes

by %. (Colorado Deparmen o Correcions

Sraegic Plan)


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Wihou defining wha mus be measured, i is impossible o gauge effeciveness and

ideniy areas o paricular challenge. racking perormance agains goals and objecives

inorms managemen decisions and highlighs areas or improvemen.

RECOMMENDATION 1: We recommend ha he Adul Cusody Divisiondevelop and implemen a complee perormance managemen amework o goals,

objecives, sraegies, perormance measures and arges o achieve sae and securecusody, and reduce criminal behaviour. Tis would include defining appropriae

occupancy levels or correcional cenres.

The Adult Custody Division regularly assessed the safety andsecurity of correctional centres, but did not analyze trendsover time

We expeced o find ha he Division had assessed wheher is aciliies deliver sae and

secure cusody.

We ound ha while he Division regularly moniors, assesses and ollows up on saey

and securiy issues, i canno say wheher is aciliies are sae and secure, because i has

no defined is expecaions. Neverheless, i has processes ha can ideniy deficiencies

in saey and securiy and conribue o an undersanding o correcional cenres saey

and securiy. For example, he Division responds o saey and securiy issues afer an

inciden occurs hrough inciden reporing, criical inciden reviews and operaional

reviews. Te Division also conducs regular assessmens o aciliies and has esablished

commitees o discuss emerging rends and issues, and o work collaboraively

beween cenres.

Exhibit 9: Safety and security incidents reported at BC correctional centres (2009 - 2012)


0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

2012201120102009VIRCCSPSCPGRCCNFPCNCCKRCCFRCCFMCCACCW

Num

bero

fInci

dents

Correctional Centres

ACCW Alouette CorrectionalCentre for Women

FMCC Ford MountainCorrectional Centre

FRCC Fraser RegionalCorrectional Centre

KRCC Kamloops RegionalCorrectional Centre

NCC NanaimoCorrectional Centre

NFPC North FraserPretrial Centre

PGRCC Prince GeorgeRegional Correctional Centre

SPSC Surrey Pretrial ServicesCentre

VIRCC Vancouver Island RegionalCorrectional Centre


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However, he Division could no demonsrae ha i is analyzing rends over ime or he

differences beween is aciliies (i.e., he number and ype o incidens occurring and

why) o ideniy how differences in operaion, design or occupancy conribue o saey

and securiy incidens. Specifically, he Division has no evaluaed how he curren

occupancy rae o %, or is arge o %, affecs saey.

Figures show ha he number o saey and securiy incidens has increased in all BC

correcional cenres beween and (see Exhibis and ). Te Division old

us ha his reflecs an increase in saff reporing, no necessarily an increase in incidens.

Analyzing his daa could confirm his and provide greaer insigh ino rends.

In , he Division pu in place a sysem o rack saey and securiy incidens,

including: behaviour, criical evens, conraband, injury/illness, securiy, and violence.

aking his work a sep urher by analyzing daa would assis he Division wih

undersanding sae and secure occupancy levels and ideniy barriers o meeing goals

and objecives. racking wha is working and no working wihin correcional cenres

would allow or coninuous improvemen.

RECOMMENDATION 2: We recommend ha he Adul Cusody Divisionperiodically assess rends in saey and securiy wihin and across correcional

cenres o undersand how differences in operaion, design or occupancy conribue o

incidens and use he resuls o reduce he risk o reoccurrences.

Exhibit 10: Rate of safety and security incidents per month (February 2009 - September 2014)


#ofincientsperaveragenum

erofinm

ates

0.00

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

0.25

0.30

Rate of incidents per month across all correctional centres

2014/Aug

2014/May

2014/Feb

2013/Nov

2013/Aug

2013/May

2013/Feb

2012/Nov

2012/Aug

2012/May

2012/Feb

2011/Nov

2011/Aug

2011/May

2011/Feb

2010/Nov

2010/Aug

2010/May

2010/Feb

2009/Nov

2009/Aug

2009/May

2009/Feb


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The Adult Custody Division has not full y determined facilityneeds for inmates

We expeced o find ha he Division idenified, colleced and used inmae daa o make

ully inormed decisions abou he ype and amoun o space i needs now, and in

he uure. Tis would include orecasing uure demand or Division accommodaion

and programs. Furhermore, we expeced o find ha he Division would use ha

inormaion o develop, assess and implemen sraegies o address any gaps in

aciliies capaciy.

We ound ha he Division collecs relevan inormaion on inmaes, bu does no

consisenly use ha inormaion o deermine is shor- and long-erm aciliy needs.

Also, orecasing daa used by he Division o predic uure demand does no accoun

or he complexiy and characerisics o he inmae populaion. We ound ha he

Division has developed sraegies o provide inmaes wih accommodaion, bu i does

no evaluae he relaive meris o hose sraegies. Tis would involve assessing he

risks and benefis o sraegies, such as housing senenced and non-senenced inmaes

ogeher, and regularly moving inmaes beween cenres o relieve pressures.

Undersanding needs and implemening sraegies o address gaps can reduce capaciy

pressures and miigae saey and securiy risks. Tis is especially imporan when

planning or correcional aciliies, which ake considerable ime and money o build.

Projecing he demand o he long-erm prison populaion al lows jurisdicions o plan

or anicipaed changes and make inormed invesmen decisions.

We ound ha he Divisions capial invesmen recommendaions o he amoun o

uure space required were inormed by acual and projeced populaion growh. Te

Division used orecass o esimae he amounto space i needs (i.e., wheher o build a

new aciliy); however, i did no use inmae daa o projec hetype

o space necessary.I did no accoun or he complexiy or characerisics o he inmae populaion, such

as changes in populaion groups (e.g., menal healh needs, legal saus) or shifs in

populaion rends (e.g., average lengh o say or inmaes, admissions rae). Despie

flucuaions and cyclical rends in he inmae populaion, he Division has no idenified

key drivers o hose rends o help undersand sysem pressures, generae orecasing

scenarios, and improve planning or he uure.

In some siuaions, he Divisions decisions werebased on an assessmen o he daa i

collecs. For example, we ound ha he Divisions decisions o change he designaion

o living unis were generally based on an assessmen o he curren inmae populaion.

Also, he Division has done some preliminary work o ideniy he needs o high risk

populaions hrough he Special Populaions Working Group (see Exhibi ) o inorm

uure decision making.

In oher siuaions, he Division explained ha decisions were ofen made based on

shor-erm needs, wha is possible in he momen, judgemen and oher consideraions.

For example, recen aciliy design is inenionally sandardized, based on he Divisions

judgemen ha a generic aciliy, buil o he highes securiy level, will allow he

greaes flexibiliy or housing all inmaes a he lowes cos. We also observed ha


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he Division has closed some living unis in recen years o achieve argeed budge

reducions. Te Division inormed us ha uni closures were based on experience o

wha he Division can saely handle, and moniored or saey implicaions.

We acknowledge he imporance o using experience and judgemen o inorm

decisions, bu he closure o unis can limi opions or housing complex inmaes, and

runs couner o he Divisions goal o reducing overcrowding. Furher, by no connecing

new aciliy design o analysis o inmae characerisics and evidence o wha works, he

Division could no demonsrae how imporan elemens, such as he abiliy o separae

incompaible populaion groups, have been inegraed ino design decisions or new

aciliies, such as he Okanagan Correcional Cenre.

Given he imporance and risk associaed wih decisions regarding correcional aciliyusage and design, a more complee analysis o inmae populaion needs and he

implicaions o he sraegies pursued was warraned.

RECOMMENDATION 3: We recommend ha he Adul Cusody Divisiondevelop and implemen an approach o orecasing aciliy space and program

needs ha accouns or he complexiy o he inmae populaion, such as changes in

populaion groups or shifs in populaion rends.

RECOMMENDATION 4: We recommend ha he Adul Cusody Divisionensure ha decisions regarding aciliy space and programs ully reflec key

characerisics o he inmae populaion (such as securiy designaion, populaion

classificaion, legal saus, ec.).

Reducing criminal behaviour through programs

In addiion o providing sae and secure cusody, he mission o he Division is o

deliver programs ha promoe public saey and reduce criminal behaviour.

Programs can reduce re-offending by helping inmaes address heir criminal endencies

and undersand riggers or heir behaviour.

Exhibit 11: Special Populations Working Group


Some inmaes presen specific saey and securiy challenges. In , he

Division convened he Special Populaions Working Group o discuss

challenges associaed wih hese populaions and develop province-wide

sraegies o manage hem.

Te Working Group considered he needs o hese populaions, including:

causal acors, he impac o gang-affiliaed inmaes, and rends.

In January , he Working Group issued a number o findings and

recommendaions, including recommendaions o miigae risks hrough

curren aciliy use and uure aciliy design. Te recommendaions have no

ye been implemened. (See Appendix A or a lis o recommendaions.)


22/32




We examined wheher he Division idenifies and provides programs ha reduce

criminal behaviour. We expeced o find ha he Division had:

esablished goals, objecives and perormance measures ha suppor

is mission;

analyzed is in mae populaion o ideniy he programs in maes need;

assessed wheher is curren programs reduce criminal behaviour; and

developed, assessed and implemened sraegies o address any gaps beween

he programs i has a nd hose i needs.

Overall, we ound ha he Adul Cusody Division does no ideniy and provide he

programs inmaes need o reduce criminal behavior.

Providing he programs needed o reduce criminal behaviour o offenders is no he

Divisions prioriy. Insead, he Division old us ha i places highes imporance on

he saey and securiy wihin aciliies. We agree ha saey and securiy should ake

precedence in imes o crisis, bu noe ha he Division needs o also offer effecive

offender programming i i wishes o reduce criminal behaviour.

The Adult Custody Division has not defined how it will reducecriminal behaviour through offender programs

We expeced o find ha he Division had a ramework o goals, objecives and

perormance measures o drive he planning, implemenaion and evaluaion o offender

programs and achieve is mission. We ound ha he Division does no have such a

ramework. Wihou a map o wha he Division wans o accomplish, i is impossible o

gauge success and ideniy challenges.

Te Division had engaged in deailed program planning hrough he firs Advancing

Offender Programs iniiaive ( ), esablishing deailed goals, objecives

and sraegies. However, hose goals and objecives are no longer in effec. Goals and

objecives oulined or he second ieraion o he iniiaive remain in draf orm, and he

Division has no esablished perormance measures.

In he absence o clear sraegic and operaional direcion, he Division risks

misdirecing is programming effors and resources. Wihou perormance measures

in place, he Division has no means o gauging and reporing is success or ideniying

opporuniies or improvemen.

Tis is addressed by Recommendaion , ha he Division develop and implemen acomplee perormance managemen ramework o relevan goals, objecives, sraegies,

perormance measures and arges.


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Only one of the core programs offered by the AdultCustody Division has proven to be effective at reducingcriminal behaviour

We expeced o find ha he Division evaluaed he effeciveness o is core programs,

o allow or coninuous improvemen. We ound ha he Division has no ully assessed

wheher he number or ype o core programs i provides reduces criminal behaviour.Undersanding wheher programs are effecive, and direcing resources accordingly, will

help he Division o ge he mos value rom is resources.

Te Division has evaluaed hree o is five core programs (Respecul Relaionships,

Subsance Abuse Managemen, and he Violence Prevenion Program), and only he

Violence Prevenion Program was ound o reduce re-offending; offenders paricipaing

in he Respecul Relaionships program re-offended more han hose in he comparison

group. Despie hese resuls, he Division coninues o offer all five core programs.

Te Division also provides inmaes wih a number o programs ouside o core

programming. Tis includes work, educaion and vocaional raining. Te Division

recenly evaluaed wo specialized programs wih encouraging resuls. One o heprograms, he Guhrie Terapeuic Communiy, showed ha inmaes who compleed

he program re-offended significanly less han oher inmaes (see Exhibi ).

RECOMMENDATION 5: We recommend ha he Adul Cusody Divisionperiodically assess he effeciveness o all programs inended o reduce re-offending and

use he resuls o ideniy and implemen improvemens in programming.

The Adult Custody Division has not adequately identified theprogram needs of offenders or fully implemented strategies toimprove outcomes

Te Divisions policy is ha programs and services should correspond o offenders

needs and pas criminal conduc, and resources should be aimed a higher risk/needs

cases. Tereore, we expeced o find ha he Division idenified, colleced and used

inmae daa o deermine he ype and number o programs i needs now and in he

uure. Furhermore, we expeced o find ha he Division would use ha inormaion

o develop effecive sraegies o address gaps beween he programs i offers and hose

i needs.

We ound ha he Division has no analyzed is inmae populaion o ideniy he

programs i should offer o reduce criminal behaviour. We ound ha he Division had

idenified sraegies o improve programming, bu no all o hem were implemened,

including: a review o capaciy; developmen o a risk/needs assessmen; and,developmen o a qualiy assurance sysem.

Te Division lacks province-wide, long-erm planning o assess programming needs and

requiremens. Te Division has no analysed rends in offenders risks and needs, and is

orecass do no predic he ype o offenders expeced o come ino cusody. Wihou

an undersanding o offenders needs, he Division risks no providing he programs

bes suied or reducing criminal behaviour.

Exhibit 12: Guthrie TherapeuticCommunity an example of programsuccess

Te Guhrie Terapeuic Communiy

is an addicions reamen program

designed o help moivaed inmaes

change esablished paterns o negaive

houghs, eelings and behaviours

ha lead o drug use and criminal

behaviours.Te Communiy uses

peer ineracion in an inensive

communiy environmen. Eachindividual is responsible or

paricipaing in, and conribuing

o, all aciviies o daily lie wihin

he communiy and are expeced o

demonsrae change in hemselves,

and encourage i in heir peers.

Te program was developed by

he BC Correcions Branch in

parnership wih he John Howard

Sociey a he Nanaimo CorrecionalCenre in and was he firs o is

kind in Canada.



24/32




o mee immediae needs, he Division recommends programs or individual

offenders based on criminal background, charges and risk areas. Some shor-erm

decisions around wheher o run a specific program are based on an assessmen o

he curren populaion in a correcional cenre. However, wihou an improved risk/

needs assessmen, a ool or reliably ideniying offenders risks and needs, he Division

lacks cerainy ha inmaes are properly assessed. As a resul, he Division is unable o

deermine wheher i is delivering he r igh number and mix o programs o argeed

(higher risk) offenders o improve oucomes. Tis is in conras o he approach aken

by he Communiy Correcions Division, as idenified hrough a previous audi (see

Exhibi ).

Research emphasizes he imporance o connecing offenders risk and needs wih he

programs hey receive. argeing offenders a higher risk or re-offending and ocusing

on known riggers o criminal behaviour, as well as delivering programs by well-qualified

saff, resuls in he greaes impac.

Tese findings are addressed by previous recommendaions: he Division should

amend is approach o orecasing o accoun or he complexiy o he inmae

populaion (Recommendaion ), and ensure ha decisions regarding programs are

ully inormed by analysis o relevan characerisics o he curren inmae populaion

(Recommendaion ).

Complying with current policy and legislation

In addiion o examining he Divisions overall effeciveness in providing aciliies and

programs o achieve is mission, we looked a wheher he Division provided inmaes wih

aciliies and programs consisen wih expecaions esablished by policy and legislaion.

We esed compliance wih legislaion and policy by randomly sampling inmae files

rom , spli ino wo ess o files each. We compared he Divisions recommended

placemen and programming or each inmae wih wha inmaes received, and wheher i

was received in a imely manner. We did no assess wheher saff made correc decisions

regarding inmae classificaion and recommendaions or programming.

Exhibit 13: Assessing risks and needs of offenders in Community Corrections

Source: Office o he Audior General o Briish Columbia, Repor, Effeciveness o BCCommuniy Correcions

Communiy Correcions and Adul Cusody differ in a number o ways.

One such way is he assessmen o risks and needs. When a senenced

offender is admited o a Communiy Correcions office in BC, probaion

officers complee a comprehensive assessmen o risks and needs hrough aCommuniy Risk Needs Assessmen.

Tese assessmens accuraely predic uure re-offending, which means he

Communiy Correcions Division can ully ideniy and address he offenders

risks and needs.


25/32


26/32




We ound ha he Division compleed inmae assessmens in all cases where one

was required, and ha inmaes were housed wihin hours as per heir populaion

designaion and securiy classificaion % o he ime.

Maching inmaes o heir appropriae securiy level and populaion designaion reduces

he risk o sel-harm, harm o ohers, or securiy breaches. One o he hree basic

principles o inmae case managemen, in he Adul Cusody Division policy manual, isha he level o securiy, conrol and supervision ha offenders receive should correspond o

heir risk level.

Incorrec maching mos requenly occurred or inmaes wih complex needs such as

menal healh needs, inmaes classified o lower levels o securiy, and in circumsances

where space was unavailable or a paricular populaion designaion.

Our sample included seven inmaes wih menal healh needs, o which only one

was held in a correcional cenre ha had a designaed menal healh needs uni. Te

Division old us ha, in heir experience, no all inmaes wih menal healh needs

require accommodaion in he designaed uni, and ha higher uncioning individuals

are well-suied o remain on a regular general populaion or proecive cusody uni.

While his may be he case, we noed ha he Division has no mechanism or assessing

he suiabiliy o an inmae wih menal healh needs or a regular uni, or policy

guidelines or housing inmaes wih menal healh needs. Some saff in he Division old

us ha placing inmaes wih menal healh needs on regular unis pus hem a a higher

saey risk because hey are more vulnerable. Exhibi provides a snapsho o he

inmae populaion wih menal healh needs.

In our sample, % o inmaes were held on unis where he securiy level exceeded heir

classificaion. All o hese inmaes were held on secure unis, despie being classified

o open or medium securiy. Te Division old us ha such inmaes can neverheless

paricipae in programs and derive benefis ha correspond wih heir lower securiy

classificaion. However, his is inconsisen wih he inen o he Divisions inmae

classificaion sysem o assign each inmae o he lowes level o securiy ha each

case permis.

Implemening a qualiy assurance sysem across correcional cenres o monior and

improve he classificaion o inmaes (Recommendaion )as well as enhancing he

orecasing and analysis o he inmae populaion (Recommendaions and )would

help he Division o mee he accommodaion needs o all inmaes.

Exhibit 15: Inmates with mental health needs


Te Division esimaes ha % o inmaes admited ino he correcions

sysem are diagnosed wih a subsance use and/or menal illness. Ohers may

have a menal illness bu have no been diagnosed. Inmaes wih menal healh

needs vary in he severiy o menal illness and heir abiliy o work

wih ohers.


27/32




The Adult Custody Division is not consistently separatinginmates by their legal status

We expeced o find ha senenced and non-senenced inmaes would be separaed

wihin correcional cenres. Non-senenced inmaes, including hose awaiing rial or

senencing and immigraion inmaes, are deemed innocen unil proven guily. Te

Correcions Ac Regulaionsipulaes ha where circumsances allow, inmaes who areno senenced should be separaed rom hose who are senenced (see Exhibi ).

Division saff old us ha effors are made o separae senenced and non-senenced

inmaes, and i operaes wo aciliies wih his inen he Norh Fraser Prerial Cenre

and Surrey Prerial Services Cenre. However, all o he non-senenced inmaes in our

sample (which included individuals held a five correcional cenres) were held in

living unis consising o mixed senenced and non-senenced populaions.

Te curren pracice inroduces risk ha innocen individuals will be exposed o

conviced offenders and be influenced by heir criminaliy. Anecdoally, some Division

saff indicaed ha mixing inmae populaions may be limiing or senenced inmaes,who migh have ewer opporuniies o paricipae in programs argeed a senenced

inmaes. Oher Division saff said here are no problems associaed wih his pracice.

Te Division has no assessed he implicaions o housing senenced and non-senenced

inmaes ogeher.

RECOMMENDATION 7:We recommend ha he Adul Cusody Divisionexamine he impac o housing senenced and non-senenced inmaes ogeher and

implemen an appropriae approach or meeing he requiremens o he Correcions

Ac Regulaion.

Source: Correcions Ac Regulaion

Te Correcion Ac Regulaionoulines a number o rules, requiremens and

services or inmaes held in provincial cusody.

Secion o he regulaion, which conains direcion or inmaes who are no

senenced, saes:

Te person in charge mus ensure ha an inmae who is no senencedor who

is deained under he Immigraion Ac (Canada) or he Immigraion and Reugee

Proecion Ac (Canada), is, where circumsances allow, housed separaely om

inmaes who are senenced.

Exhibit 16: Corrections Act Regulation


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The Adult Custody Division is not meeting its policyexpectations for offender programming

We expeced o find ha he Division provided imely access o programs designed

o assis inmaes reduce he risk hey presen o he communiy, in accordance wih

legislaive and policy requiremens (Exhibi oulines Division case managemen

policies). Tis would include:

compleing case managemen plans ha ideniy programs o address

oenders needs wihin hree weeks o adm ission (or hose senenced o

days or more);

reerring oenders o programs according o heir case managemen plan; and

ensuring oenders aend he programs oulined in heir case managemen plans.

Resuls rom our sample showed ha he Division does no consisenly provide

offenders wih imely access o he required core programs. Less han hal o he files

sampled (%) had a compleed case managemen plan, as sipulaed by policy. As a

consequence, only % o he files sampled conained core program recommendaionsha aligned wih a case managemen plan.

We ound ha inmaes wihou an inmae needs assessmen and/or a case managemen

plan, as well as low-risk inmaes, were reerred o core programs. Reerring low-risk

inmaes o core programs couners Division policy, and may diver resources rom

where hey are mos needed. Addiionally, his could resul in more harm han good

or individuals. Some correcional research has ound ha providing cogniive-

behavioural programming o low-risk offenders may acually increase heir likelihood

o re-offending.

Exhibit 17: Identifying and addressing inmate needs through case management


For offenders senenced o days or more, he Division idenifies acors ha conribue o an offenders criminal conduc

and develops a case managemen plan o manage he offender during heir senence. Division policy sipulaes ha a case

managemen plan o address criminal endencies be developed in consulaion wih he offender wihin hree weeks o he

sar o heir senence. Te process sars wih an inmae needs assessmen, which raes offenders according o heir level o

need (no difficuly, some difficulies, severe difficulies) in en pre-defined caegories (e.g., behavioral and emoional sabiliy,

drug usage, atiude).

Te case managemen plan hen idenifies how he offender will address hose needs hrough he correcional cenres

programs and aciviies. Case managers are responsible or ensuring ha he offender is enrolled in core programs and

aciviies ha mos closely correspond o heir needs and are mos likely o affec behavioural change. Division policy

specifies ha in he case o waiing liss or programs or counselling, higher risk/needs offenders ake prioriy.

Offenders with a sentenceof 90+ days Inmate needs assessment Case management plan Core program referral

Core program attendanceand completion


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Finally, we ound ha offenders do no consisenly atend and complee he core

programs idenified in heir case managemen plans. Less han hal o he core programs

recommended were atended and compleed (seeExhibi ).

Exhibit 18: Offender case management (based on a sample of BC offenders)

66Offenders

with a sentenceof 90+ days

30Offenders with

completedcase management plans

18Offenders who were

recommended to coreprograms

10Offenders who fully

or partially completedrecommended core

programs

Source: Office o he Audior General o Briish Columbia


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We idenified a number o poenial causes or why case managemen is alling shor o

policy expecaions, some o which all wihin he Divisions conrol and some ouside

o i. Tose causes include:

oender challenges (e.g., reusal o par icipae, ransers, behavioural

challenges);

inconsisen approaches a correcional cenres;

insuicien sa raining or misinerpreaion o policy;

available core programs do no mach inmaes needs;

programs are no oered when needed;

insuicien planning; and

lack o qualiy assurance.

Failing o provide offenders wih imely access o core programs may be inconravenion o he Correcions Ac Regulaion, which saes ha as ar as pracicable, he

person in charge mus esablish programs designed o assis inmaes oreduce he risk hey

presen o he communiy.No providing programs where appropriae also represens a

los opporuniy o reduce boh he risk o public saey, and uure coss associaed wih

re-offending.

RECOMMENDATION 8: We recommend ha he Adul Cusody Divisionreview he case managemen process o ideniy and address he barriers o offenders

geting imely access o he programs hey need o reduce criminal behaviour. Tis

would include evaluaing and improving he reliabiliy o he risk/needs assessmen

used o ideniy programs or offenders.


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APPENDIX A ADULT CUSTODY DIVISION WORKING GROUP:SPECIAL POPULATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

In January , he Adul Cusody Division esablished a Working Group, composed

o nine saff members represening all correcional cenres. Te Working Group

developed findings and recommendaions o ideniy and address challenges around

special populaions. Special populaions reers o classificaions and sub-classificaions

o inmaes ha require proecion rom one anoher or oher inmaes. A he reques o

he Division, we have omited some o he Working Groups recommendaions where

disclosure may compromise securiy.

Recommendations of the Working Group

he Adul Cusody Division should consider developing a provincially

sandardized inelligence gahering and record keeping mechanism ha is used

o rack and monior inmaes who have, or are likely o, engage in aciviies ha

jeopardize he managemen, operaion or sec uri y o he correciona l cenre.

Correcional cenres should consider opions o saely house inmaes o

dieren classiicaions on he same living uni by limiing or resricing heir

access o one anoher.

Correcional cenres wih open and medium in maes should consider

implemening liv ing unis/areas ha are inegraed righ ino he livi ng unis

and do no have a speciic populaion designaion. argeed programming

o address inmaes criminogenic needs wih he goal o reducing recidivism

should be a consideraion in hese living un is/areas.

he Adul Cusody Division should consider developing more employmen

opporuniies or inmaes i n correcional cenres ha provide increased

opporuniies o each hem new skills, a nd provide opporuniies or hem o

earn addiional ear n money.

Correcional cenres should consider implemening living unis/areas ha

house inmaes whose primary ocus is o address heir criminogenic needs

wih he goal o reducing recidivism hrough argeed programming.

he Adul Cusody Division should consider expanding he curren Inmaes

wih Menal Healh Needs rai ning o i nclude al l correcional sa ha work s

wih I nmaes w ih Menal Healh Needs.

In uure jai l designs, he Adul Cusody Division should ake ino

consideraion design elemens ha are lexible and can be adaped o miigae

curren and uure challenges in housing inmaes.

As resources permi , he Adul Cusody Division should consider opening he

closed living unis o provide addiional capaciy or he indicaed argeedpopulaion as a sraegy o assis in managing special populaions.


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Location

For Sree

Vicoria, Briish ColumbiaCanada VW G

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Tis repor and ohers are available a our websie, which also conains urher inormaion abou

he Office.

Reproducing:

Inormaion presened here is he inellecual propery o he Audior General o Briish Columbia and is

copyrigh proeced in righ o he Crown. We invie readers o reproduce any maerial, asking only ha

hey credi our Office wih auhorship when any inormaion resuls or recommendaions are used

Documents

B.C. Auditor General report on B.C. prisons