Interim Policy bulletin 650

On June 21, 2019, Bill C-83, An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act and another Act, received Royal Assent. The amendments to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (the Act) are now in effect, and the corresponding changes to policy are addressed in this bulletin. The Act eliminates the use of administrative and disciplinary segregation and introduces Structured Intervention Units (SIU) for inmates who cannot be safely managed in the mainstream inmate population.

In order to align with the amendments to the Act, the segregation period item was removed and time spent in a Structured Intervention Unit (SIU) was added.

The reliability and validity of the adjusted SRS/SRSW was examined and was determined to be reliable. Copies of the relevant research reports are available below:

• R-431 The Adjustment of the Security Reclassification Scale for Women (SRSW): Elimination of Administrative Segregation (September 2019)
• R-432 The Adjustment of the Security Reclassification Scale (SRS): Elimination of the Administrative Segregation Item (September 2019)

Copies of the adjusted SRS/SRSW are attached to this bulletin.

A review of an inmate’s security classification will continue to be completed prior to providing a recommendation for decision (e.g., transfer, temporary absence, work release, or parole). In the case of transfers, this review does not apply to a transfer to an SIU.

Include the following statement: “The inmate has been advised of the steps to have access to the Security Reclassification Scale Version 2 (SRS-2) and the Security Reclassification Scale for Women Version 2 (SRSW-2). For inmates who are unable to have access to Interim Policy Bulletin Issue 650 – Review of Inmate Security Classification, staff must provide the inmate with a hard copy.

The institutional adjustment assessment will continue to identify whether administrative interventions were required in the inmate’s case, such as transfers, including to SIUs. References to historical periods of disciplinary or administrative segregation will still be considered for up to two years.

These policy changes were developed by the Correctional Operations and Programs Sector and the Policy Sector, in consultation with the Health Services Sector, the Indigenous Initiatives Directorate, and the Women Offender Sector.

These changes will affect staff members involved in completing any aspects of security reclassification assessments and decision-makers.

Roles and responsibilities are detailed in the policy documents.

Commissioner,

Original signed by:
Anne Kelly

The Security Reclassification Scale Version 2 (SRS-2) is only applicable to men offenders. Once the security reclassification data has been saved, it cannot be modified.

In some cases, the score of zero has a rating of 0.5, this is due to regression analysis weighting.

Instructions (automatically calculated, cannot be modified by the user, and mandatory)

During the review period, institutional disciplinary offences that result in a conviction for a serious offence are counted (i.e., all “institutional charges” where “offence date” is within the review period and the “court finding” is convicted and the “offence category” is serious).

Instructions (automatically calculated, cannot be modified by the user, and mandatory)

During the review period, institutional disciplinary offences that result in a conviction for a minor offence are counted (i.e., all “institutional charges” where of “offence date” is within the review period and the “court finding” is convicted and the “offence category” is minor).

Instructions (manually entered by the user and mandatory)

During the review period, the user will refer to the offender’s electronic file to determine the number of recorded incidents that the offender has been involved in during the review process. These incidents may be recorded in casework records or preventive security information.

Instructions (automatically calculated, can be modified by the user, and mandatory)

The user will report the most recent pay grade assigned to the offender on the date of the security reclassification review.

Instructions (manually entered by the user and mandatory)

The user will report any referral or anticipated referral for detention.

Instructions (manually entered by the user and mandatory)

The user assesses the offender’s progress in completing programs designed to address contributing risk and progress in reducing risk.

Instructions (manually entered by the user and mandatory)

The user assesses the offender’s motivation in programs and other interventions designated to address contributing factors identified in the Correctional Plan. The level of offender motivation assesses how actively the offender participates in programs and other interventions.

Instructions (manually entered by the user and mandatory)

The user assesses the extent to which the use of drugs and/or alcohol continues to interfere with offender stability and/or influence contributing risk.

Instructions (automatically calculated, cannot be modified by the user, and mandatory)

The application reports the number of separate, successful ETAs that have taken place during the review period (Number of TA permits where the “absence type” is ETA and the “completion code” is On Time or Extension and the “depart. date/time” is greater than the start date of the review period).

Instructions (automatically calculated, cannot be modified by the user, and mandatory)

The application reports the number of separate, successful UTA/work releases that have taken place during the review period (Number of TA permits where the “absence type” is UTA or Work Release and the “completion code” is On Time or Extension and the “depart. date/time” is: a) beginning prior to the start date of the review period and still in effect during that period; b) beginning prior to the start date of the review period and ended within the review period; c) beginning within the review period and still in effect during that period; or d) beginning within the review period and ended within that period).

Instructions (automatically calculated, cannot be modified by the user, and mandatory)

The application calculates the offender’s age using his/her birthdate.

Instructions (manually entered by the user and mandatory)

The user will identify if there are any psychological concerns.

Instructions (automatically calculated or manually entered by the user if there is no CRS score, and mandatory)

The application reports the Escape History Score from the most recent locked CRS.

Instructions (automatically calculated or manually entered by the user if there is no CRS score, and mandatory)

The application reports the Institutional Incidents item from the most recent locked CRS.

Instructions (automatically calculated, cannot be modified by the user, and mandatory)

During the review period, all periods where the offender actually spent time in an SIU will be counted.

OMS calculates the overall score for the SRS and then provides a recommended security level rating (classification). The items are weighted as described above, and summed to produce the following ranges of scores and recommended security level ratings.

Security Reclassification Scale for Women Version 2

The Security Reclassification Scale for Women Version 2 (SRSW-V2) is only applicable to women offenders. Once the security reclassification assessment has been saved, it cannot be modified.

Instructions (manually entered by the user and mandatory)

This item assesses the offender’s motivation in programs designated to address criminogenic factors identified in her correctional plan. The user assesses how actively the offender participates in programs. The assessment is based on knowledge of the offender and on file review.

“Limited motivation” is selected if the offender refuses to participate in programs to address needs outlined in her correctional plan, or if her participation is very sporadic.

“Partial motivation” is to be selected if the offender participates in programming, with adequate attendance. Homework is at least partially (or sometimes) completed, and she sometimes applies lessons.

“Full motivation” is to be selected if the offender is actively participating in her correctional plan, completes homework most of the time, and applies her lessons consistently.

Instructions (manually entered by the user and mandatory)

This item assesses whether the offender has social support through regular positive contact with family members. The assessment is based on knowledge of the offender and file review.

“No, very little positive contact with family” is to be selected if the offender has little to no positive, regular contact from her family.

“Yes, regular positive contact with family” is to be selected if the offender’s family is consistently emotionally supportive and available to her regularly.

Instructions (automatically calculated, cannot be modified by user, and mandatory)

During the review period only count institutional disciplinary offences that resulted in a conviction (not charges) for a serious offence, as per the conviction date on OMS.

Count all the “Institutional charges” where the “offence date” is within the review period, the “court finding” is convicted and the “offence category” is serious.

The actual score is displayed under “Raw number of convictions”.

Instructions (automatically calculated, cannot be modified by user, and mandatory)

The application performs a count of all “institutional incidents” where the “incident date” is for the period under review regardless of severity, the offender’s role, or whether they resulted in a formal conviction.

The actual score is displayed under “Raw number of recorded incidents”.

Instructions (automatically calculated, can be modified by the user, and mandatory)

The application reports, in a drop-down list, the most recent pay grade assigned to the offender on the date of the security review. In the event that there is no pay grade recorded for the offender, the application presents to the user a list of valid pay grades to choose from. If the offender is receiving a rate of pay other than those listed, the user has the option of choosing “Other”.

Instructions (automatically calculated, cannot be modified by the user, and mandatory)

The application tabulates the number of temporary absence permits where the “absence type” is ETA and that the offender has successfully completed with a recorded outcome of “on time” or “extension.” ETAs granted for any reason, during any part of the review period will be considered by the scale. The “depart date” or the “required date” must be greater than the start date. The application will count the total number of separate ETAs, not the number of days released on ETA.

The application provides a breakdown of the raw number of successful ETAs during the review period by reason: family related, personal, medical, administrative, and other.

Instructions (automatically calculated, cannot be modified by the user, and mandatory)

During the review period, all periods where the offender actually spent time in an SIU will be counted.

Instructions (automatic calculated, can be modified by user, and mandatory)

The application automatically checks for any instances of UAL. If an official incident of UAL is found by the application, the field will be populated as “yes”, and the user will be unable to modify. If no official incident of UAL is found by the application, the field will be populated as “no” and the user will have the option of overriding the selection to “yes”.

If the application selects “no”, the user will need to examine the offender’s files to adequately respond to this item. Because not all UAL will result in formal charges, the user is to count any record of escape from lawful custody on the offender’s personal file. If the offender escaped, they must have been UAL. The user is NOT to count escape attempts – only successful escapes.

Also, if the user is certain that the offender has been UAL but there is no official record, indicate “Yes” and specify the details in the Assessment for Decision. For the purposes of the field, the user is not to include failure to appear or breaches of trust. If these are the only indicators, mark “No.”

Instructions (automatically calculated or manually entered by the user if there is no CRS score, and mandatory)

The application will report the “Incident History score” from the most recent “locked” CRS.

If the score is 0, then “none” will be selected

If the score is greater than 0, then “Any prior involvement” will be selected.

If no CRS score is available and this is the offender’s first custodial sentence (including provincial) then “none” will be selected, and the user will be allowed to modify the response. If no score is available on OMS, the user must create a ‘proxy’ Incident History score by using the Custody Rating Scale guidelines contained in Annex B of CD 705-7 – Security Classification and Penitentiary Placement.

OMS calculates the overall score for the SRSW and then provides a recommended security level rating (classification). The items are weighted as described above, and summed to produce the following ranges of scores and recommended security level ratings.