SIU Authorizations: April 1st to September 30th, 2022 (Quarterly Report Q1 & Q2)
Research Highlights: SIU authorizations were most common in the Prairie and Quebec regions. Overall, SIU authorizations under 34.1 A (security) slightly outnumbered SIU authorizations under 34.1 B (safety).
Background
Structured Intervention Units (SIUs) were incorporated into the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) on November 30th, 2019. Such units are intended to provide intervention-focused accommodations to offenders who cannot be safely managed in the mainstream offender population. Since implementation, several improvements have been made to the SIU record management system (the SIU-LTE Application) so as to contribute to accurate and detailed reporting.
The current report examines trends in SIU authorizations between April 1st and September 30th, 2022 (two fiscal quarters). The report represents the first in a quarterly series highlighting trends in SIUs.
Publication
RIB-23-13
2023
Research in Brief - PDF
SIU Authorizations: April 1st to September 30th, 2022 (Quarterly Report Q1 & Q2)
Overview of Authorizations
Between April 1st and September 30th, 2022, there was a total of 874 authorizations to an SIU. The average monthly authorization count was 146, representing approximately 1.2% of the in-custody population. Monthly counts included a low of 117 in May, and a high of 201 in August (See Table 1). By comparison, there were 1,437 authorizations in FY 21/22 (monthly average = 120) and 2,262 authorizations in FY 20/21 (monthly average = 189).
Authorizations were most common in the Quebec region (27%) and the Prairie region (26%), and least common in the Pacific region (11%).
| Date | Atlantic | Quebec | Ontario | Prairie | Pacific | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April | 17 | 51 | 13 | 36 | 16 | 133 |
| May | 21 | 35 | 11 | 35 | 15 | 117 |
| June | 22 | 37 | 31 | 28 | 16 | 134 |
| July | 23 | 45 | 17 | 35 | 12 | 132 |
| Aug. | 38 | 38 | 52 | 44 | 29 | 201 |
| Sept. | 18 | 33 | 48 | 48 | 10 | 157 |
| Total | 139 | 239 | 172 | 226 | 98 | 874 |
Authorization Reason
In the current reporting period, 51% of authorizations were justified under 34.1 A (security) of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA), while 46% were justified under 34.1 B (safety). Authorizations justified under 34.1 C (investigation) were uncommon (i.e., accounting for 3% of cases).
There was regional variation with respect to trends in reason (e.g., 34.1 A authorizations were most common in Quebec; See Table 2).
| Number | Atlantic | Quebec | Ontario | Prairie | Pacific | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34.1 A | 60 | 157 | 64 | 110 | 55 | 446 |
| 34.1 B | 64 | 82 | 97 | 112 | 43 | 398 |
| 34.1 C | 15 | - | 11 | 4 | - | 30 |
| Total | 139 | 239 | 172 | 226 | 98 | 874 |
Discussion
SIU authorization counts fluctuate by month and are shaped by regional variation. Ongoing monitoring and reporting of SIU trends promotes a cumulative knowledge base to inform operational practices.
Prepared by: The Special Projects and Data Management (SPDM) Team of the CSC Research Branch