Structured Intervention Units (CSC)
Issue:
The Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer published a report on Bill C-83 and the cost of Structured Intervention Units.
Proposed Response:
- The Correctional Service of Canada welcomes the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer report on the Cost of Structured Intervention Units.
- The Service is reviewing the report and is committed to continuing to work with the Parliamentary Budget Officer in order to provide transparent information to Parliament and Canadians.
- These units are part of a historic transformation of the federal correctional system that is fundamentally different from the previous model. Administrative segregation ended on November 30, 2019.
- Structured Intervention Units are for inmates who cannot be safely managed in a mainstream prison population. These units provide inmates with targeted interventions and programming to help them adopt more positive behaviours that keep the institution, as a whole, safe and secure.
- The total Structured Intervention Unit population since their inception has been consistently around 1.5% of the total inmate population.
- In 2019, under the Transforming Federal Corrections initiative, and following the Royal Assent of Bill C-83, the Service received funding to support the national transformation of its correctional model.
- The implementation of Structured Intervention Units required infrastructure investments to create these new units, develop the technology to be able to track the inmates’ activities and interactions in units, and ensure bolstered and effective programming.
- The majority of the funding is dedicated to interventions that support rehabilitation, which is the intention of the model.
- Over the past two years, the Service has closely monitored the implementation of Structured Intervention Units across the country and is taking concrete actions in a number of areas, including:
- Enhancements to policies and training;
- Finding solutions to encourage those who refuse time out of cell;
- Monitoring of the quality of health care in Structured Intervention Units;
- Enhancing technology and reporting; and
- Consulting with advisory bodies, external stakeholders and experts to examine our operations, gaps and to implement solutions.
- Funding for the implementation of Bill C-83 also included enhancements of health services for inmates.
- The funding provides additional health professional resources, including psychiatric services to support integrated health care and the early assessment and diagnosis of mental illness. These enhancements help inmates with mental illnesses receive appropriate and timely treatment.
Background:
On November 24, 2021, the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) published a report on the costs of implementing and operating Structured Intervention Units (SIUs).
The report estimates two different cost scenarios based on the number of SIUs in operation (current (15) or increased to 32 SIUs). The first scenario considers the annual cost over 2021-2022 to 2026-2027 if no additional SIUs were to be implemented. The second scenario considers the annual cost over the same period if 32 SIUs were to be implemented. Under both scenarios the PBO estimates each SIU will cost $2.8 million in 2026-2027. Under the first scenario this translates to annual total cost of $42 million for 15 SIUs and, under the second scenario, $91 million for 32 SIUs in 2026-2027. This cost considers the number of additional full-time equivalents required, the number of Independent External Decision Maker (IEDM) positions available, infrastructure costs, and the amount spent on chaplaincy services.
Transforming Federal Corrections (Bill C-83)
On October 16, 2018, the Government of Canada introduced Bill C-83, An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act and another Act. It received Royal Assent on June 21, 2019 and provisions came into force on November 30, 2019 to eliminate administrative and disciplinary segregation and to implement a new correctional interventions model.The reforms in C-83 also strengthen health care governance; better support victims in the criminal justice system; and consider the specific needs of Indigenous offenders.
In the 2018 Fall Economic Statement, the Government announced $448 million over six years, and over $140 million ongoing, to transform federal corrections.
Transforming Federal Corrections (Bill C-83) – Health Care
In support of CSC’s Transforming Federal Corrections initiative and following the Royal Assent of Bill C-83 in 2019, the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) received funding to support the national transformation of its correctional model and to enhance health services for inmates.
Specifically, the new funding will at the end of the seven year ramp-up expand essential health care in targeted areas, increase psychiatric services to support integrated health care and the early assessment and diagnosis of mental illness, expand care in treatment centres, implement 24/7 nursing care at specific sites, and introduce patient advocate services and comprehensive mental health assessments and health monitoring in the new SIUs.
This health care funding of approximately $74 million is targeted as follows:
- Health care staff in Regional Treatment Centres ($22.9 million)
- 24/7 nursing at 10 sites ($7.7 million)
- Patient Advocates at select sites ($2.8 million)
- Professional Practice Leads ($9.9 million)
- Health staff in regular institutions. ($19.8 million)
- Psychiatry ($10.9 million)
SIUs allows CSC to separate inmates who cannot be managed within a mainstream inmate population while continuing to provide these inmates the opportunity to access rehabilitative programming and interventions. On a daily basis, inmates in an SIU:
- Receive offers of interventions and programming specific to the reasons that led to the transfer, and to assist in facilitating their return to mainstream population;
- Have an opportunity to be outside of their cell for at least four hours a day, and have an opportunity to interact with others for at least two hours;
- Receive a visit from the Institutional Head;
- Receive time to shower; and
- Receive daily visits from healthcare professionals who may recommend for health reasons that the inmate’s conditions of confinement be altered or that they not remain in the unit.
SIUs are for inmates who cannot be managed safely within a mainstream inmate population. An inmate could be transferred to an SIU if they are a threat to any person or the security of the institution, their safety is in jeopardy or their placement in the mainstream population would interfere with an investigation, and there is no reasonable alternative.
Inmates in SIUs are provided with opportunities to participate in structured interventions, hobbies, leisure and physical activities, as well as research-based programming to address their specific risks and needs, with the goal of facilitating their reintegration into a mainstream inmate population as soon as possible. It is expected that SIUs will enhance correctional outcomes, as well as assist in reducing the rate of institutional violent incidents, resulting in a safer environment for staff, inmates and visitors.
Visits, engagement with partner agencies, Elders, cultural and spiritual leaders and opportunities for inmate interaction are available in providing opportunities for meaningful human contact. When visits are restricted due to measures related to reducing the spread of COVID-19, alternatives are available, such as video visitation.
On November 25, 2021, there were 158 inmates in an SIU across Canada. This represents roughly 1.5% of the total inmate population.
Independent External Decision Makers
IEDMs provide oversight related to an inmate’s conditions, frequency, and duration of confinement in an SIU and review cases.
As of October 31, 2021, there have been close to 1,811 condition of confinement reviews under section 37.83(1) of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA) that resulted in a determination by IEDMs. In 81% of these cases, it was determined that all reasonable steps were taken to provide inmates with opportunities for time out of cell and interaction with others and encourage them to take advantage of these opportunities.
In the remaining 19%, the IEDMs have made recommendations to CSC. Once the decision from an IEDM is received, CSC has 7 days to act upon it. This external oversight contributes to the continued enhancement and shaping of SIUs.
Structured Intervention Units – Response to External Reports
In response to the independent reports issued by Dr. Anthony Doob, CSC has undertaken a number of initiatives to improve the collection of data and ensuring its compliance with its legislated mandate. For example, since the inception of the SIU and the “Long-Term Evolution (LTE) SIU project”, there have been several new version releases. Most notably is the latest release, which occurred on October 30, 2021. With this release, the LTE-SIU application has the ability to collect information required to align with the legislative requirements, such as:
- The ability to track s.36 (1) of the CCRA (CSC’s minimum requirement: inmates are offered four hours out of cell and two hours of interaction time);
- Language in the application matches the legislation; and
- Additional safeguards through a more robust end of day review requirement.
In addition to data improvements, CSC has created and shared guidelines of best practices with all regions, consulted with SIU sites through frequent town halls, meetings and general communications, and the management of SIUs remain a standing item on CSC’s labour management committees. Finally, CSC continues to seek strategies for managing inmates who refuse to participate in daily activities.
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