Indigenous specific careers at Correctional Service Canada 

Indigenous liaison officers (ILOs) interpret and communicate Indigenous offender behaviour, treatment needs, and progress to the case management team for inclusion in correctional plans/healing plans to promote the safe release of Indigenous offenders and to reduce the recidivism rate. ILOs work in correctional settings and occasionally need to work overtime hours.

Duties

As an Indigenous liaison officer, you will:

• actively contribute to case management processes and establish a link with offenders to provide information regarding cultural/spiritual programming, activities, and resources
• assist in the identification and assessment of the initial healing components for Indigenous offenders and assist in developing healing plans under the guidance of the Elder and Spiritual Advisor
• plan, develop, facilitate, assess, and evaluate Indigenous-specific interventions, cultural/traditional interventions to meet the needs of Indigenous offenders, including those involved in Pathways
• assist in monitoring Indigenous cultural/spiritual activities and provide feedback to the case management team about the impact on the offender’s risk and needs
• update case management team members on Indigenous offenders’ ongoing work with Elders and Spiritual Advisors
• provide support to Elders and Spiritual Advisors in their work with Indigenous offenders
• participate in institutional multi-disciplinary meetings and correctional intervention boards for the purpose of providing recommendations with respect to the offender’s participation in spiritual/cultural interventions. 

Indigenous community liaison officers (ICLOs) enhance reintegration for Indigenous offenders in the community by identifying the needs and resources available to offenders, particularly for those on statutory release.

Duties

As an Indigenous community liaison officer, you will:

• establish and maintain contacts with Indigenous agencies, organizations, and Elders to ensure continuity of spiritual and cultural interventions upon the offender’s release
• conduct file review of healing components in an offender’s correctional plan to determine the required resources and services upon release
• establish working relationships with offenders to review progress and interventions
• participate in case conferences with the case management team to provide information on resources and services that can support an offender upon release
• support and liaise with institutional and community parole officers regarding releases, pre-releases, and release planning to identify options to support Indigenous offenders being released to the community
• provide cultural and community awareness and supports to offenders accessing Elders, ceremonies, and community gatherings to promote their healing

ICLOs work in the community and occasionally need to work overtime hours.

Indigenous community development officers (ICDOs) apply and implement Section 81 and 84 of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA) by working with Indigenous offenders to return to their communities.

Duties

As an Indigenous community development officer, you will:

• facilitate, coordinate, and support Section 84 release planning in collaboration with case management teams, Indigenous communities, and organizations to develop viable, culturally appropriate release plans for Indigenous offenders as per the Corrections and Conditional Release Act
• assist Indigenous communities and organizations with Section 84 arrangements
• develop release plans in community assessments, assessments for decisions, and community strategies in collaboration with the Indigenous communities and organizations
• support Healing Lodges regarding community reintegration and Section 84 opportunities
• support the creation, planning, intervention, and supervision in the development of the correctional plan ensuring the inclusion of an offender’s Indigenous social history is documented for decision makers.
• support and liaise with institutional and community parole officers regarding release planning, pre-release preparation, and release for Indigenous offenders, in partnership with Indigenous communities and organizations 

Indigenous correctional program officers (ICPOs) deliver Indigenous correctional programs to offenders. These programs are based on an Indigenous worldview and are grounded in culture. Indigenous programs address, in a cultural way, the risk factors that led to criminal behaviour. ICPOs motivate and encourage offenders to change their thinking and behaviours using cultural teachings/interventions as well as cognitive skills so that they can successfully reintegrate into the community. ICPOs work closely with Elders, Spiritual Advisors, and other CSC staff as part of the case management team. They support the Elder/Spiritual Advisor in operational and administrative responsibilities, in conducting ceremonies for programs, and in creating links between program skills/content and the teachings/ceremonies offered by the Elder/Spiritual Advisor.

An ICPO’s schedule varies. Occasionally they may need to work outside regularly scheduled hours.

Duties

As an Indigenous correctional program officer, you will support each offender’s Healing Journey by:

• helping fulfill an offender's correctional plan
• identifying risk factors and personal objectives to help reduce an offender's risk of re-offending
• considering the common but unique Indigenous social history factors of participants and how they impacted risk factors
• supporting offenders in the use of culturally appropriate and/or restorative options to manage their program objectives
• motivating and encouraging offenders in the use of culturally appropriate and/or restorative options as well as teaching the skills they need to reintegrate safely into the community
• preparing for correctional program sessions that include cultural sessions and reviewing an offenders' work
• formally assessing each offender's:
  • ability
  • commitment
  • progress toward their personal objectives
• documenting relevant Indigenous social history and offender performance in Indigenous correctional programs

ICPOs may be required to deliver non-Indigenous correctional programs.

Visit Correctional programming for Indigenous offenders to learn more about Indigenous correctional programs.

Indigenous community engagement coordinators (ICECs) develop, manage and implement the institution’s volunteer strategy for the purpose of enhancing public safety by assisting in the safe reintegration of offenders. An ICEC creates and maintains partnerships with surrounding First Nations, especially those involved in the memorandum of understanding and/or memorandum of agreement at each specific Healing Lodge, local communities and other organizations and communities that might assist with rehabilitation, education, vocational training, and reintegration.

Duties

As an Indigenous community engagement coordinator, you will:

• engage and liaise with local communities to seek out opportunities for work release and community-service escorted temporary absences
• analyse and assess information on offenders’ needs and trends in community corrections
• recruit, screen, interview, train, and sustain the volunteer portfolio including Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC)
• manage and evaluate each volunteer on an annual basis
• work in cooperation with the regional volunteer coordinator or regional project officer, community engagement
• perform administrative responsibilities, such as: preparing funding requests, participating in the selection of CAC members, maintaining records, preparing annual reports of volunteer activities, providing briefings, and recommending options to the institution’s senior managers in relation to volunteer services, activities and related resource requirements

ICECs are required to work off site to conduct duties regularly and their schedule may vary.