CSC and the Office of the Correctional Investigator

The Office of the Correctional Investigator (OCI) serves as the independent ombudsman for federally sentenced offenders in Canada. It provides impartial oversight of the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) by investigating both individual complaints and broader systemic issues raised within federal correctional institutions.

Through accessible, timely, and fair investigations, the OCI helps ensure that the rights of incarcerated individuals are respected. Its work also supports CSC’s mandate to promote rehabilitation and maintain public safety by identifying areas for improvement across the correctional system.

For more information about the OCI, or to view OCI reports, visit their website:

When the OCI releases a report, CSC carefully reviews the recommendations and provides a formal response. These responses outline the actions CSC has taken - or plans to take - to address areas of mutual concern. CSC continues to implement recommendations from past reports and has made progress in several key areas identified by the OCI.

CSC also responds to thematic and investigative reports produced by the OCI. These reports address specific issues such as health, safety, and systemic concerns in federal corrections.

CSC’s response to OCI report ‘Third Status Update on COVID-19 in Federal Corrections’

Response to the Office of the Correctional Investigator’s Report - COVID-19 status update report (June 2020)

Response to the Office of the Correctional Investigator’s Report - COVID-19 status update report (April 2020)

Response to the Office of the Correctional Investigator's Report - Aging and Dying in Prison: An Investigation into the Experiences of Older Individuals in Federal Custody

Response to the Office of the Correctional Investigator's Report - Fatal Response: An Investigation into the Preventable Death of Matthew Ryan Hines

The Correctional Service of Canada's (CSC) Response to the Correctional Investigator's Report entitled Missed Opportunities: The Experience of Young Adults Incarcerated in Federal Penitentiaries

Response to the Office of the Correctional Investigator's Report In the Dark: An Investigation into Correctional Service of Canada's Information Sharing and Disclosure Practices Following a Death in Custody

Interim Response to the Office of the Correctional Investigator's Report on Information-sharing and Disclosure Practices Following a Death in Custody

Response of the Correctional Service of Canada to the Correctional Investigator's Report a Three Year Review of Federal Inmate Suicides (2011-2014)

Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) Response to the Correctional Investigator's Correspondence dated January 10, 2014 follow-up to the Kent Institution Investigation

Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) Response to the Correctional Investigator's Final Report: An Investigation of the Correctional Service of Canada's Mortality Review Process

CSC's Response to the Office of the Correctional Investigator's Report Spirit Matters: Aboriginal People and the Corrections and Conditional Release Act