NCJ Number
218893
Date Published
2006
Length
0 pages
Annotation
This 2005-2006 Annual Report of Canada's Office of the Correctional Investigator (OCI) addresses key issues identified from the OCI's review of offender complaints against the Correctional Service, as well as ongoing areas of concern initially addressed in previous years.
Abstract
The key issues addressed by the OCI in 2005-2006 were health services, including mental health and needle exchange; the management of women offenders and aboriginal offenders; institutional violence and investigations of inmate injury; inmate grievances, allegations of harassment, and staff misconduct; and case preparation and access to programs. Ongoing areas of concern that have persisted from OCI investigations in previous years include inmate population management, younger offenders, elderly offenders, inmate finances, compassionate temporary absence, the classification of offenders serving life sentences, and inmate access to computers. This OCI annual report concludes that the Correctional Service has shown progress in a limited number of areas since the last annual Report. The range of Aboriginal-specific programs has continued to expand, and new innovative programs have been established. An employment needs survey was completed for both incarcerated women and women on conditional release. Also, more Aboriginal offenders are now using "healing lodges." The Correctional Service approved a new management structure for health services, which may assist in ensuring that health care funding is not diverted to other areas.