Guidelines 711-1: Transfer of Inmates to a Structured Intervention Unit 

Number: 711-1

In effect: 2025-06-09

• Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA), sections 4(c), 4(g), 15.1(2.1), 28, 29, 29.01, 31 to 37.5, 37.6 to 37.9, 37.91, 78, 79.1, 80, 86, 86.1 and 87
• Corrections and Conditional Release Regulations (CCRR), sections 5(1), 6(c), 13.1, 16.1, 19 to 23.07 and 97

To identify responsibilities and establish processes for Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) staff and contractors related to the transfer of inmates to a Structured Intervention Unit (SIU) and ensure inmate procedural safeguards are provided throughout the SIU transfer process.

Applies to all staff and contractors who have responsibilities related to the transfer of an inmate to an SIU.

Responsibilities

1. The Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Correctional Operations, will ensure procedures to transfer an inmate to an SIU as outlined in the SIU Procedures Manuals are followed.
2. The Assistant Warden, Interventions, will:
   1. ensure consultations occur:
      1. with relevant members of the inmate’s Case Management Team and multidisciplinary team or, at women’s institutions, the Interdisciplinary Team, and alternatives to the SIU are considered for each SIU transfer, pursuant to the timeframes as outlined in the SIU Procedures Manuals
      2. on an ongoing basis to identify a reasonable alternative
   2. at women’s institutions, ensure the Interdisciplinary Team reviews cases, in accordance with Commissioner’s Directive (CD) 578: Intensive Intervention Strategy in Women Offender Institutions/Units
   3. ensure all case management requirements relevant to the transfer of an inmate to an SIU are completed and documented as required for the Institutional Head’s consideration in making their decision to approve or not approve an inmate’s SIU transfer
   4. ensure all information related to an SIU transfer is provided to the Institutional Head for consideration in making their decision to approve or not approve an inmate’s SIU transfer.
3. The Assistant Warden, Operations, will:
   1. perform the duties of the Assistant Warden, Interventions, in their absence
   2. ensure the transfer warrant is signed prior to an inmate’s physical transfer to an SIU at a designated institution or to an SIU at another designated institution.
4. The Correctional Manager in charge of the institution will, outside of regular working hours, perform the duties of the Assistant Warden, Interventions, and the Assistant Warden, Operations.
5. Following an SIU Transfer Authorization, the SIU Manager, the Manager, Intensive Intervention Strategy (IIS), or the Manager, Assessment and Interventions, as applicable, will:
   1. provide the inmate with written notice of their SIU Transfer Authorization and the reason(s) for it, in accordance with subsection 34(3) of the CCRA
   2. meet with the inmate prior to the Institutional Head’s decision to provide the inmate with an opportunity to make representations for the Institutional Head’s consideration
   3. ensure any other information that will be considered by the Institutional Head in making their decision to approve or not approve an inmate’s SIU transfer is shared with the inmate before the Institutional Head’s decision is due
   4. at men’s institutions, assign an SIU Parole Officer to each SIU inmate.
6. Following each SIU Transfer Authorization, the SIU Correctional Manager, the Correctional Manager, IIS, or the Correctional Manager in charge of the institution, as applicable, will:
   1. provide the inmate with verbal notification that their SIU transfer was authorized and the reason(s) for it, in accordance with subsection 34(3) of the CCRA
   2. advise the inmate of their right to legal counsel and provide the inmate with an opportunity to retain and instruct counsel, without delay
   3. provide the inmate with their written SIU Procedural Safeguards
   4. ensure:
      1. the Immediate Needs Checklist – Suicide Risk (CSC/SCC 1433e) is completed
      2. opportunities for the inmate to contact and communicate with their legal counsel are provided in a private area outside of their cell
      3. an SIU Threat Risk Assessment (SIU-TRA) is completed
      4. any use of a barrier is supported by an SIU-TRA
      5. the inmate is immediately moved to an SIU cell or to a cell that can accommodate the inmate’s restricted movement status, as applicable, and the inmate’s movement is recorded in the SIU application
      6. the inmate is provided with their personal property once moved to an SIU cell or to a cell that accommodates the inmate’s restricted movement status, as applicable
   5. at men’s institutions, assign a Correctional Officer II to each SIU inmate.
7. At SIU sites, the Correctional Manager in charge of the institution will perform the duties of the SIU Correctional Manager or Correctional Manager, IIS, in their absence.
8. Following an SIU Transfer Authorization, the institutional Parole Officer assigned to an inmate at the time of the authorization will:
   1. explore alternatives to an SIU transfer and make a recommendation to not approve an inmate’s transfer to an SIU when a reasonable alternative is identified prior to the Institutional Head’s transfer decision
   2. complete a review of the inmate’s security level to:
      1. confirm the appropriateness of the inmate’s security classification, and
      2. determine if a transfer to another institution is appropriate
   3. document the results for the Institutional Head’s consideration in making their decision to approve or not approve an inmate’s SIU transfer
   4. initiate a transfer process when a transfer to another institution is assessed as an appropriate alternative to an SIU transfer, in accordance with Guidelines (GL) 711-3: Transfer of Inmates Out of a Structured Intervention Unit
   5. at women’s institutions, complete an initial SIU Correctional Plan Update (SIU-CPU), when required.
9. The SIU Parole Officer will complete an initial SIU-CPU, when required.
10. The Security Intelligence Officer will:
    1. provide consultation comments and relevant input for SIU Transfer Authorizations, as required
    2. review preventive security information that may be considered by the Institutional Head in making their decision to either approve or not approve an inmate’s SIU transfer
    3. in instances where information relevant to the decision to transfer an inmate to an SIU must be withheld from the inmate in accordance with subsection 27(3) of the CCRA, prepare a gist of the information that can be shared with the inmate
    4. at women’s institutions, also provide security-related consultations for each inmate authorized for transfer to an SIU for the purpose of the SIU-TRA.
11. The SIU Security Intelligence Officer will provide security-related consultations for each inmate authorized for transfer to an SIU for the purpose of the SIU-TRA.

Enquiries

12. Strategic Policy Division
    National Headquarters
    Email: Gen-NHQPolicy-Politi@CSC-SCC.gc.ca

Assistant Commissioner,
Correctional Operations and Programs
Jay Pyke 

Annex A: Cross-references and definitions

Cross-references

• CD 001: Mission, Values and Ethics Framework of the Correctional Service of Canada
• CD 081: Offender Complaints and Grievances
• CD 084: Inmates’ Access to Legal Assistance and the Police
• CD 100: Gender Diverse Offenders
• CD 228: Information Management
• CD 550: Inmate Accommodation
• CD 566-12: Personal Property Of Offenders
• CD 568-2: Recording and Sharing of Security Information and Intelligence
• CD 568-7: Incompatible Offenders
• CD 578: Intensive Intervention Strategy in Women Offender Institutions/Units
• CD 580: Discipline of Inmates
• CD 701: Information Sharing
• CD 702: Indigenous Offenders
• CD 705-3: Immediate Needs Identification and Admission Interviews
• CD 710-1: Progress Against the Correctional Plan
• CD 710-2: Transfer of Inmates
• GL 710-2-2: Inter-Regional Transfers by Air
• GL 710-2-3: Inmate Transfer Processes
• CD 710-6: Review of Inmate Security Classification
• CD 711: Structured Intervention Units
• GL 711-2: Management of Structured Intervention Unit Inmates and Inmates Subject to Restricted Movement
• GL 711-3: Transfer of Inmates Out of a Structured Intervention Unit
• GL 711-4: Correctional Interventions and Services in Structured Intervention Units
• GL 711-5: Health Services in Structured Intervention Units
• GL 711-6: Referals to and Information Sharing with Independent External Decision Makers
• CD 784: Victim Engagement
• CD 800: Health Services
• CD 843: Interventions to Preserve Life and Prevent Serious Bodily Harm
• Indigenous Social History Tool
• Mental Health Guidelines
• Offender Records System user’s guide
• Structured Intervention Unit Procedures Manual – Men’s Non- SIU Sites
• Structured Intervention Unit Procedures Manual – Men’s SIU Sites
• Structured Intervention Unit Procedures Manual – Women’s Sites
• Structured Intervention Units (SIU): Procedures for Correctional Interventions and Services in SIU – Men’s Institutions

Definitions

Barrier: any physical barrier, such as bars, security glass, cell doors, door hatches or screens that would mediate or interpose an opportunity to interact through human contact, in accordance with subsection 32(2) of the CCRA.

Case Management Team: for the purpose of the SIU policy suite, the individuals involved in managing the case of an inmate who has been authorized for transfer to an SIU, which includes, as applicable, the Manager, Assessment and Interventions; the SIU Manager; the Manager, Intensive Intervention Strategy; the institutional Parole Officer; the SIU Parole Officer; a Security Intelligence Officer; the SIU Security Intelligence Officer; the Correctional Officer II; the Primary Worker; and the inmate.

Contractors: for the purpose of the SIU policy suite, people under contract with CSC to provide specific interventions and services to SIU inmates, including Elders, Elder Helpers, Teachers, Chaplains, and Spiritual Advisors.

Inmate subject to restricted movement: any inmate who is authorized for transfer to an SIU and placed on restricted movement status pending their physical movement to an SIU.

Interdisciplinary Team: a multidisciplinary intervention team at women’s institutions chaired by the Correctional Manager, Intensive Intervention Strategy. Members may include, as applicable: registered health professionals (including Occupational Therapists and Social Workers), Parole Officers, Primary Workers, Behavioural Interventionists, Elders or Spiritual Advisors, Indigenous Liaison Officers and ad hoc members as required.

Multidisciplinary team: for the purpose of the SIU policy suite, at men’s institutions, CSC staff and contractors from a variety of disciplines, working with and providing services to an inmate who has been authorized for transfer to an SIU, which may include, but is not limited to, a Correctional Programs Officer or Indigenous Correctional Programs Officer, Manager, Programs, Chief of Education, Teacher, Behavioural Skills Coach, Elder or Spiritual Advisor, Religious or Spiritual Practitioner, Indigenous Liaison Officer, and Social Programs Officer. This includes CSC staff and contractors assigned exclusively to an SIU to deliver correctional interventions and services to SIU inmates.

Reasonable alternative: an actionable alternative that has been identified after completion of a thorough assessment of the inmate's individual profile, risk factors, culturally appropriate and restorative options, institutional adjustment, and programming, and in consideration of any comments made by the inmate regarding the proposed alternative.

Regular working hours: the hours in a working day between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. 

SIU application: application used by CSC staff and applicable contractors to document SIU decisions, the daily activities, interactions with inmates and other information related to an inmate’s confinement in an SIU or while subject to restricted movement.

SIU inmate: any inmate authorized or approved for transfer to an SIU and who is physically residing in an SIU.

SIU site: an institution with an SIU, as designated by the Commissioner.

Without delay: “without delay” means immediately, unless there are compelling circumstances preventing immediate action and, in those circumstances, the delay cannot be more than 24 hours.