Evaluation of Correctional Reintegration Programs: Summary

Correctional programs address risk factors related to offending at intensity levels that match offenders' risk and needs. Participation in correctional programming contributes to reduced reoffending and facilitates the safe and timely reintegration of offenders into the community.

This evaluation covered the period from 2013 to October 2018. Men's and women's correctional programs were evaluated by considering: 1) the continued relevancy and need for correctional programs; 2) the effectiveness of correctional programs (i.e., program access and delivery as well as whether programs are achieving their expected results); and 3) the efficiency of correctional programs. Where possible, analyses were conducted separately for men and women offenders and by correctional program stream (e.g., Indigenous, sex offender).

Evidence was gathered through a review of the literature, analysis of administrative data, interviews with offenders, and surveys with correctional staff.

• The recent implementation of the Integrated Correctional Program Model (ICPM) in the Prairie region resulted in an under-representation of Indigenous offenders in the evaluation sample, affecting the generalizability of the results and limiting the analysis of long-term community outcomes.
• Small samples prevented reliable analysis of effectiveness for some program streams.
• Severity and frequency of substance use after first release to community was not examined.
• The evaluation did not consider the effect of other correctional interventions and support services available to offenders during the reintegration process.
• Cost-effectiveness of correctional programming data obtained during the evaluation may not be generalizable to all correctional program streams and intensity levels.

• There is a continued need for CSC to provide correctional programs to federal offenders. CSC's correctional programs are aligned with the priorities, roles, and responsibilities of CSC and the federal government.
• Two-thirds of offenders interviewed found correctional program content to be engaging and useful, and both offenders and staff recommended revisions for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous programming to enhance communication and relevancy of information.
• Correctional program completion was associated with increased rates of discretionary release for non-Indigenous and Indigenous men relative to those who did not participate in correctional programs despite having a program need (i.e., eligible non-participants).
• For women, program completers tended to be granted discretionary release more often than eligible non-participants, but this was not statistically significant.
• When looking at all correctional program streams combined, men program completers had lower rates of any revocation during their first release than eligible non-participants (23% versus 41%).
• Although not statistically significant, among women offenders, program completers tended to be revoked more often than eligible non-participants (31% versus 21%). However, caution is warranted in interpreting this finding due to small sample sizes.
• Delivering correctional programs to men was determined to be cost-effective. For every offender who received correctional programing, there was a savings of $5,675 in avoided readmission costs. A cost-analysis was not conducted for women's programs due to data requirements not being met (i.e., could not create a valid comparison group).
• There appeared to be an adequate number of trained staff to deliver correctional programs, although information on Elder involvement was not readily available.

1. Continue efforts to enhance the Identification of Needs for Correctional Programming screen and amend policy to make it mandatory.
   CSC will enhance the Identification of Needs for Correctional Programs (INCP) Screen and will revise policy to make completing the INCP Screen mandatory.
2. Clearly articulate guidelines for timely access to correctional programs.
   CSC will review and amend policy to clearly identify the process of prioritizing offenders for access to correctional programs.
3. Examine best practices for timely enrollment and completion of correctional programs.
   CSC will create a working group to enhance communication on correctional program delivery and explore the feasibility of analyzing efficient program delivery best practices.
4. Review correctional program content for men and women offenders and determine if modifications are necessary.
   CSC will launch an interactive feedback collection process for correctional program facilitators, and along with a review of all program content, will inform necessary revisions.
5. Increase the relevance of Indigenous correctional programming for men and women.
   Same as #4 above.
6. Examine the relationship between timing of program delivery and community outcomes.
   CSC will propose to conduct a research project examining the optimal timing of correctional programs for both men and women offenders.
7. Conduct research on the relationship between correctional program participation and community outcomes such as: violent offending, sexual offending, and substance use.
   CSC will propose to conduct studies on program performance for violent and sexual offenders, the effectiveness of programs in reducing violent and sexual reoffending, and the relationship between having a program need for substance abuse and substance use in the community.
8. Examine the use of overrides (i.e., referring someone to programming who did not initially meet referral criteria) to refer women to correctional programming and determine whether modifications to program referral criteria are warranted.
   CSC will examine the reasons for correctional program referral overrides and community outcomes for women who met referral criteria versus those who were overridden.
9. Identify how correctional program officers address the responsivity needs of offenders.
   CSC will propose to conduct a study of how correctional program officers are responding to the responsivity needs of men and women offenders.
10. Examine recording practices of financial resources related to delivering correctional programs and consider strategies to ensure accurate and consistent reporting.
    The process of tracking correctional program expenditures will be reviewed and a modified financial coding manual for correctional programs will be distributed.
11. Examine the content and format of training protocols for correctional program officers.
    CSC will propose to: 1) develop a streamlined Quality Review process; 2) create workshops to further develop the skills of program facilitators; and, 3) review and revise, where necessary, all correctional program initial training.

For the full evaluation report, visit the CSC Evaluation website: https://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/005/009/005009-1002-en.shtml