Commissioner's directive 705-4: Orientation
Authorities
- Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA), sections 3, 3.1, 4, 54-57
Purpose
- To establish standards for an orientation process for offenders admitted/transferred to a penitentiary
Application
Applies to staff responsible for providing orientation to offenders in a penitentiary, Healing Lodge, or Community Correctional Centre (CCC)
Commissioner's Directive
RESPONSIBILITIES AND PROCEDURES
- The Institutional Head/District Director will:
- establish an orientation process to share with offenders the necessary information to assist them in making the most productive use of their time while in a Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) facility
- ensure that the local orientation process is completed within two weeks of an offender’s arrival
- ensure that upon placement or transfer, the offender is provided with information regarding rules and regulations specific to the facility.
- Each offender is expected to participate in the orientation process.
- Staff responsible for orientation will ensure that all offenders are advised of the expected behaviour and potential consequences while in a CSC facility, specifically that they:
- conduct themselves in a manner that demonstrates respect for other persons and property
- obey penitentiary rules, regulations, lawful orders, and comply with the requirement to submit to urinalysis in accordance with section 54 of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, and/or supervision requirements
- participate in programs, activities and/or interventions identified in their Correctional Plans
- meet any court-ordered obligations, including restitution to victims or child support.
- Staff responsible for orientation in all institutions, except CCCs, will also ensure that the process includes information on:
- health care services, including psychological services and mental health services
- suicide awareness and prevention workshop
- inmate rights and responsibilities
- the Mission Statement of CSC
- adaptation to the penitentiary environment
- availability of educational and vocational counselling
- availability of spiritual and ethno-cultural services
- role of Elders/Spiritual Advisors, Indigenous Liaison Officers, Indigenous Community Development Officers, Pathways Units (if relevant) and culturally-relevant programs and services within the Continuum of Care, excluding CCCs
- program opportunities, visits and correspondence, work placement and finance
- the Mother-Child Program where applicable
- security levels of institutions, procedures, operations, and fire safety
- case management process, including policy and procedures on temporary absences, work releases, sections 81 and 84 of the CCRA, conditional release, and function of the Parole Board of Canada (including information regarding Elder/cultural assisted hearings and/or community assisted hearings)
- access to information procedures
- offender grievance process (CD 081 – Offender Complaints and Grievances)
- function of the Office of the Correctional Investigator
- Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
- Corrections and Conditional Release Act
- institutional Inmate Handbook.
- Staff responsible for orientation in a CCC will, upon admission, also provide the offender with information on:
- health care services, including psychological services and mental health services
- suicide awareness and prevention
- offender rights and responsibilities
- the Mission Statement of CSC
- adaptation to the environment
- availability of educational and vocational counselling
- availability of spiritual and ethno-cultural services
- program opportunities, visits and correspondence, and finance
- procedures, operations, and fire safety
- conditional release and function of the Parole Board of Canada (including providing information regarding reviews and/or Elder/Cultural/Community assisted hearings)
- access to information procedures
- offender grievance process (CD 081 – Offender Complaints and Grievances)
- function of the Office of the Correctional Investigator
- Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
- Corrections and Conditional Release Act
- handbook for CCC offenders.
ENQUIRIES
- Strategic Policy Division
National Headquarters
Email: Gen-NHQPolicy-Politi@CSC-SCC.GC.CA
Commissioner,
Original Signed by:
Don Head
ANNEX A
CROSS-REFERENCES
- CD 001 – Mission of the Correctional Service of Canada
- CD 081 – Offender Complaints and Grievances
- CD 083 – Inmate Committees
- CD 084 – Inmates’ Access to Legal Assistance and the Police
- CD 085 – Correspondence and Telephone Communication
- CD 234 – Claims for Staff Personal Effects and Inmate Personal Effects and the Offender Accident Compensation Program
- CD 352 – Inmate Clothing Entitlements
- CD 550 – Inmate Accommodation
- CD 563 – Identification Cards
- CD 566-3 – Inmate Movement
- CD 566-4 – Inmate Counts and Security Patrols
- CD 566-5 – Non-Security Escorts
- CD 566-6 – Security Escorts
- CD 566-7 – Searching of Inmates
- CD 566-8 – Searching of Staff and Visitors
- CD 566-9 – Searching of Cells, Vehicles and Other Areas
- CD 566-10 – Urinalysis Testing
- CD 566-12 – Personal Property of Offenders
- CD 705 – Intake Assessment Process and Correctional Plan Framework
- CD 706 – Classification of Institutions
- CD 710 – Institutional Supervision Framework
- CD 710-2 – Transfer of Inmates
- GL 726-2 – National Correctional Program Referral Guidelines
- CD 768 – Institutional Mother-Child Program
For more information
- Government-wide Forward Regulatory Plans
- The Cabinet Directive on Regulatory
- The Federal regulatory management
- The Canada–United States Regulatory Cooperation Council
To learn about upcoming or ongoing consultations on proposed federal regulations, visit the Canada Gazette and Consulting with Canadians websites.
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