Guidelines 711-4: Correctional Interventions and Services in Structured Intervention Units

Number: 711-4

In effect: 2025-06-09

• Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA), sections 3, 3.1, 4, 5(b), 15.1, 26, 76, 77, 79, 80, 83 and 87
• Corrections and Conditional Release Regulations (CCRR), sections 97(3) and 102

To ensure Structured Intervention Unit (SIU) inmates and inmates subject to restricted movement receive appropriate correctional interventions and services that are delivered and managed with integrity

Applies to all staff and contractors responsible for the management and delivery of correctional interventions and services in SIUs and for inmates subject to restricted movement

Contents

• Responsibilities
• Enquiries
• Annex A Cross-References and Definitions

Responsibilities

1. The Regional Administrator, Assessment and Interventions, will oversee the delivery of correctional interventions and services made available to inmates in SIUs, including monitoring and ensuring procedures are in place to support their delivery.
2. The Assistant Warden, Interventions, will ensure:
   1. a variety of correctional interventions and services are made available to inmates in SIUs, including correctional programs, education programs, the Behavioural Skills Coaching Intervention , support from Behavioural Interventionists, chaplaincy services, social programs and community supports
   2. staff delivering correctional interventions and services in an SIU adhere to the procedures outlined in the Structured Intervention Units (SIU): Procedures for Correctional Interventions and Services in SIU – Men’s Institutions, and
   3. correctional interventions and services are made available to inmates subject to restricted movement, when operationally feasible.
3. The SIU Manager or the Manager, Intensive Intervention Strategy, will:
   1. ensure that all staff encourage inmates to engage in correctional interventions and services, including cultural and leisure activities, religious and spiritual practices , and family and community support contacts, until they are physically transferred out of an SIU
   2. ensure that the needs of an inmate, including their health, are considered in determining the correctional interventions and services in which the inmate will participate while in an SIU or subject to restricted movement
   3. chair the SIU Correctional Intervention Board or the Correctional Intervention Board at a women’s institution, and
   4. ensure that staff deliver correctional interventions and services to SIU inmates, and document their interactions.
4. The SIU Correctional Intervention Board or the Correctional Intervention Board at a women’s institution will:
   1. review and approve referrals to correctional interventions
   2. review and determine pay levels for SIU inmates, pursuant to Commissioner’s Directive (CD) 730: Offender Program Assignments and Inmate Payments, and
   3. consult with the appropriate staff members and discuss inmates’ progress and performance in correctional interventions.
5. The SIU Parole Officer, or an institutional Parole Officer at a women’s institution, in consultation with the Case Management Team , will:
   1. assess the SIU inmate’s case to determine the most appropriate correctional interventions required to address their specific needs while in an SIU, and
   2. manage referrals to correctional interventions and services.
6. The SIU Correctional Programs Officer (CPO) or Indigenous Correctional Programs Officer (ICPO), or a CPO or an ICPO at a women’s institution, will deliver correctional interventions and program sessions, as outlined in the correctional program manuals.
7. The SIU Teacher, or a Teacher at a women’s institution, will facilitate education programs to the inmate in accordance with the provincial curriculum and the inmate’s educational assessments, needs and objectives.
8. The Behavioural Skills Coach at a men’s institution will deliver the Behavioural Skills Coaching Intervention, as outlined in the intervention manuals.
9. The SIU Social Programs Officer, or a Social Programs Officer at a women’s institution, will:
   1. deliver SIU Social Program activities at a men’s institution as outlined in the SIU Social Program manual, and
   2. coordinate activities with community supports, including the provision of orientation and training to CSC registered volunteers, pursuant to CD 024: Management of Correctional Service of Canada Volunteers.
10. The Elder, Spiritual Advisor or Elder Helper will provide cultural support in the delivery of Indigenous correctional programs and interventions in SIUs, pursuant to CD 726: Correctional Programs, Guidelines (GL) 726-1: National Correctional Program Standards and CD 702: Indigenous Offenders.
11. The SIU Chaplain or a Chaplain at a women’s institution will offer religious and spiritual guidance, counselling and support to SIU inmates and provide opportunities for SIU inmates to participate in religious rites and rituals, as requested, pursuant to CD 750: Chaplaincy Services .

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 023: Citizen Advisory Committees
• CD 024: Management of Correctional Service of Canada Volunteers
• CD 228: Information Management
• CD 700: Correctional Interventions
• CD 701: Information Sharing
• CD 702: Indigenous Offenders
• CD 705-6: Correctional Planning and Criminal Profile
• CD 711: Structured Intervention Units
• GL 711-1: Transfer of Inmates to a Structured Intervention Unit
• 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 711-5: Health Services in Structured Intervention Units
• GL 711-6: Referrals to and Information Sharing with Independent External Decision Makers
• CD 720: Education Programs and Services for Inmates
• GL 720-1: Guidelines for Education Programs
• CD 726: Correctional Programs
• GL 726-1: National Correctional Program Standards
• GL 726-2: National Correctional Program Referral Guidelines
• GL 726-3: National Correctional Program Management Guidelines
• CD 730: Offender Program Assignments and Inmate Payments
• CD 750: Chaplaincy Services
• GL 750-1: Inmate Religious Accommodations
• CD 760: Social Programs and Leisure Activities
• CD 767: Ethnocultural Offenders: Services and Interventions
• Structured Intervention Units (SIU): Procedures for Correctional Interventions and Services in SIU – Men’s Institutions

Definitions

Behavioural Skills Coaching Intervention: an individualized and behaviour-focused intervention designed to assist inmates in developing skills to support their return to the mainstream inmate population at the earliest possible time, and to prevent a return to an SIU.

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.

Community supports: community organizations and volunteers that provide programs, interventions, and services to support the provision of opportunities for time out of cell and interaction with others.

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’s Helpers, Teachers, Chaplains, and Spiritual Advisors.

Correctional interventions: for the purpose of the SIU policy suite, activities and interventions related to correctional programs, educational programs, the Behavioural Skills Coaching Intervention, support from Behavioural Interventionists at women’s institutions, and social programs that support the return of SIU inmates to a mainstream inmate population at the earliest possible time, while maintaining continuity in meeting the objectives of their Correctional Plan.

Elder Helper: an individual other than an offender designated to assist offenders to benefit from traditional healing and contemporary treatment interventions by supporting the work of the Elders or Spiritual Advisors and the multidisciplinary team.

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.

Religious and spiritual practices: include religious rites and spiritual rituals as prescribed by a recognized faith group. Normally, inmates practice to the same level as what is available in the community. These practices can also include individual religious or spiritual observances and practices based on freedom of conscience as upheld by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

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

SIU Social Program: a program aimed to support the reintegration of SIU offenders into the mainstream population at the earliest possible time through an individualized approach that includes skills-based modules and activities focused on alleviating feelings of stress, anxiety and isolation.

Structured Intervention Unit Correctional Intervention Board: at men’s institutions, a multidisciplinary intervention team comprised of members of the case management and multidisciplinary teams, as applicable, and chaired by the SIU Manager, that approves interventions and contributes to recommendations or decisions.