NCJ Number
161102
Journal
Forum on Corrections Research Volume: 8 Issue: 1 Dated: January 1996 Pages: 49-51
Date Published
January 1996
Length
3 pages
Annotation
About 350 inmates are released yearly from Canadian minimum and medium security penitentiaries to participate in work release programs; the average length of a work release is less than 3 months and most of the work involves voluntary or community service rather than paid employment.
Abstract
Inmates are eligible for work release at the same time as they are for unescorted temporary absences, which is generally after serving one-sixth of their sentence. Conditions for work release include the following: the inmate will not present an undue risk to society; the inmate must participate in a structured program of work or community service; the inmate's institutional behavior does not preclude work release; and a structured work release plan has been prepared. The most significant difference in criteria for awarding work release and parole is that work release may be justified at least in part by potential benefits to an employer or some other community organization. In short, the focus of work release is not entirely on the offender's reintegration into society. Even though work release programs in Canada may expand in the future, a primary concern is the potential liability for wrongful acts committed by inmates on work release. Another problem is that the inventory of prospective work release employers is limited and a concerted effort by local correctional authorities is necessary to sustain, cultivate, and promote employment opportunities for inmates in the community. The author notes that work release has been included in Canada's Corrections and Conditional Release Act, and he views this as a constructive step forward. 1 footnote