Structured Intervention Units
Correctional Service Canada (CSC) is responsible for keeping Canadians safe and assisting in rehabilitating offenders so most can eventually return to the community and be contributing, productive members of society.
The health and safety of our employees and those in our care and custody is our top priority. CSC transfers offenders to Structured Intervention Units (SIUs) only when they cannot be safely managed in the mainstream federal prison population because of risks to their own safety or the risk they pose to others.
In 2019, CSC abolished administrative segregation. Since then, SIUs have been implemented at 15 correctional institutions across the country. They help offenders adopt more positive behaviours through targeted interventions and programs.
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Structured Intervention Units Infographic
Text equivalent for Structured Intervention Units Infographic
Structured Intervention Units
Understanding our federal correctional system
Correctional Service Canada (CSC) is responsible for keeping Canadians safe and assisting in rehabilitating offenders so most can eventually return to the community and be contributing, productive members of society.
The health and safety of our employees and those in our care and custody is our top priority. CSC transfers offenders to Structured Intervention Units (SIUs) only when they cannot be safely managed in the mainstream federal prison population because of risks to their own safety or the risk they pose to others.
In 2019, CSC abolished administrative segregation. Since then, SIUs have been implemented at 15 correctional institutions across the country. They help offenders adopt more positive behaviours through targeted interventions and programs.
Learn more about SIUs by visiting: canada.ca/correctional-service
SIUs are meant to:
- be proactive and constructive (such as essential health services and mental health support)
- provide targeted interventions (such as culturally appropriate programming for Indigenous and ethnocultural offenders) to help with their individual rehabilitation needs
- provide transition and safe reintegration back into a mainstream inmate population
Living conditions:
- SIU cells are similar to regular cells: they both have yard access, shower, some personal items
- health care professionals are there to do daily assessments
- health care professionals assess the health of an inmate within 24 hours of entering the SIU and throughout their stay
Time out of cell offered:
- 4 hours minimum each day outside their cell for programs, coaching sessions and other activities
- 2 hours minimum each day of that is meaningful human contact such as: interventions or culturally appropriate programming or engagement with community partners such as volunteers
A typical day:
- work with a parole officer and engage with health care staff
- participate in correctional programs and interventions
- participate in coaching sessions with an Indigenous Elder, Spiritual Advisor or Chaplain
15 sites across Canada
Pacific Region
- Kent Institution
- Fraser Valley Institution for Women
Prairie Region
- Bowden Institution
- Edmonton Institution
- Saskatchewan Penitentiary
- Stony Mountain Institution
- Edmonton Institution for Women
Ontario Region
- Millhaven Institution
- Grand Valley Institution for Women
Quebec Region
- Donnacona Institution
- Port-Cartier Institution
- Regional Reception Centre (Special Handling Unit)
- Joliette Institution for Women
Atlantic Region
- Atlantic Institution
- Nova Institution for Women
3 independent, external bodies for reporting and oversight:
- Independent External Decision-Makers (IEDMs): a diverse group of professionals from administrative law, criminal law, human rights and freedoms, public international law, Indigenous law, criminology and public safety who review cases of individuals in the SIU
- Implementation Advisory Panel (IAP): monitors and assesses the implementation of SIUs and advises the Minister of Public Safety of any issues or concerns
- Office of the Correctional Investigator (OCI): the role of the OCI is to investigate and bring resolution to individual offender complaints
Download
Download and share our infographic
Read
Read our articles to learn more about SIUs:
Meet Kwame Osei: CSC's Fit Life program helps inmates in SIU
Fit Life is a physical fitness program developed by Kwame Osei, a CSC educator with a physical education and coaching background. The program is seeing healthy outcomes with inmates at the Structured Intervention Unit (SIU) at Millhaven Institution, a maximum-security penitentiary near Kingston, Ontario.
Legend: Indigenous mural with the words "honesty", "wisdom" and "courage" painted above a turtle. The mural symbolizes Indigenous culture within the Structured Intervention Unit at Kent Institution.
Finding successful ways to engage inmates in the Kent SIU
When Kent Institution Correctional Officer Alice Zador learned how big of a shift in institutional operations the new Structured Intervention Unit (SIU) was, she immediately volunteered to be part of the team working in it.
Watch
Watch our videos to learn more about SIUs:
Tunde, Correctional Officer
Meet Tunde, a Correctional Officer who works in the Structured Intervention Units (SIUs) at Correctional Service Canada who talks about the human side to his work and the importance of CSC’s programs. Correctional Officers help keep our institutions healthy and safe, and like Tunde, also play an important role in helping to change the lives of individuals within our care.
Kwame Osei, Structured Intervention Unit Teacher
Kwame, a teacher in a structured intervention unit, shares his personal experience working with offenders and how academic and physical education can lead to personal growth and meaningful relationships.
Doree, Dad Hero Program
Doree, a first-time father, shares how he’s trying to become a better dad through the Dad Hero program at CSC which is giving him the tools to help build a foundation for when he returns to the community.
Laws
An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act was the act that introduced Structured Intervention Units. It came into force on November 30, 2019. With its implementation, changes to operations and policies at CSC took effect.
Policy
- CD 711: Structured Intervention Units
- GL 711-1: Structured Intervention Unit (SIU) Transfer Procedures - SIU Sites
- GL 711-2: Structured Intervention Unit (SIU) Transfer Procedures - Non-SIU Sites
Statistics
Related links
- Overview: Structured Intervention Units
- Fact sheet: Employees
- Fact sheet: Offenders
- Fact sheet: Stakeholders
- Structured Intervention Unit Implementation Advisory Panel: 2023 to 2024 Annual Report
- Structured Intervention Unit Implementation Advisory Panel: 2022 to 2023 Annual Report
- Correctional Service of Canada: Responses to the Implementation Advisory Panel’s First Annual Report 2021-2022 on the Implementation of the Structured Intervention Units (October 2022)
- News release: Government of Canada appoints Chair of Renewed Structured Intervention Unit Implementation Advisory Panel - Public Safety Canada (July 2021)
- Media statement: Commissioner of Correctional Service Canada on Structured Intervention Units (July 2021)
- Media statement: Correctional Service of Canada opens Structured Intervention Units and enhances health services for inmates (November 2019)
- Corrections and Conditional Release Act is the law that governs the Correctional Service of Canada
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