Conditional Release Openness and Accountability

Official Title: Performance Monitoring Report 2017-2018, Conditional Release Openness and Accountability
From: Parole Board of Canada

Conditional Release Openness and Accountability

Tables 166-171

The Parole Board of Canada is responsible under the CCRA for the provision of information to victims of crime and assistance to those who wish to observe PBC hearings or to gain access to the decision registry. Effectiveness in these areas of service and support is a crucial part of the Board’s efforts to be accountable to the public and to build credibility and understanding of the conditional release program.

On June 13, 2012, Bill C-10 entrenched in law the right of victims to present a statement at parole hearings, previously a matter of PBC policy. It also broadened the definition of a victim in the CCRA and expanded the type of information that was available to them.

On April 23, 2015, Bill C-32, the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights, created and strengthened a set of rights for victims (rights to protection, participation, restitution and access to information). In relation to conditional release, victims received a wider access to information about the offender who harmed them, a right to obtain a copy of the PBC release decision and a right to require the Board, upon receipt of a victim statement, to impose any condition on an offender that is reasonable and necessary to protect the victim or provide reasons why they did not do so. In addition, a victim has now a right to listen to an audio recording of the day or full parole hearing if they are unable to observe the hearing. 

On April 23, 2015, Bill C-479 (An Act to Bring Fairness for the Victims of Violent Offenders) created a provision requiring the Board to provide a victim the opportunity to observe a hearing by any other reasonable means when they are not permitted to attend.

Increased public awareness and various campaigns in previous years promoting victim’s rights may have contributed to increases in the number of PBC contacts with victims.

In reviewing the information within this section, it should be noted that some significant changes within regional numbers are a result of the Board’s efforts to improve information services for victims and the public and to streamline its data collection methods. One of the most recent changes was the implementation of the Victims Portal in 2016, an online interface for victims to communicate and receive information from the Board. Since its inception, 635 victims have registered to receive information from the PBC via the Victims Portal.

Information Services for Victims

Figure 39. PBC Contacts with Victims

PBC  Contacts with Victims
Text equivalent of Figure 39 – PBC  Contacts with Victims 
  Atlantic Quebec Ontario Prairie Pacific
2008/09 2,854 3,446 4,719 3,700 5,320
2009/10 2,792 3,417 4,618 4,295 7,059
2010/11 3,014 3,778 5,496 4,381 5,814
2011/12 3,180 3,615 4,346 3,570 6,738
2012/13 2,882 3,765 6,154 3,482 6,192
2013/14 2,807 3,959 6,625 3,584 5,348
2014/15 3,479 4,152 9,469 4,048 6,043
2015/16 3,279 3,919 11,206 4,804 6,563
2016/17 2,396 3,837 15,727 4,875 5,951
2017/18 2,250 5,536 15,448 4,971 5,165
  • In 2017/18, PBC reported 33,370 contacts with victims, an increase of 2% from the previous year. The numbers increased in the Quebec and Prairie regions and decreased in the Atlantic, Ontario and Pacific regions.
  • On March 31, 2018, the number of victims who were registered to receive information from the PBC and CSC was 7,960, an increase of 3% (from 7,732 in 2016/17).

Observers at PBC Hearings

Figure 40. Observers at PBC Hearings

Observers at PBC Hearings
Text equivalent of Figure 40 – Observers at PBC Hearings 
  Atlantic Quebec Ontario Prairie Pacific
2008/09 101 305 941 297 260
2009/10 107 365 1142 376 244
2010/11 198 333 1,303 232 245
2011/12 248 640 1,112 480 311
2012/13 442 897 1,240 658 287
2013/14 414 1,039 1,507 502 552
2014/15 407 1,263 1,062 757 684
2015/16 495 1188 1156 880 573
2016/17 522 1145 1700 813 462
2017/18 547 965 1,596 1182 702
  • In 2017/18, the number of observers at PBC hearings increased to 4,992 (+8%) compared to the previous year; the number of hearings with observers increased to 2,075 (+9%). The number of observers increased in the Atlantic, Prairie and Pacific regions and decreased in the other regions.
  • In the last five years (2013/14 to 2017/18), 22,113 observers have attended 9,066 PBC hearings. This suggests that (on average) the Board managed the attendance of 85 members of the public at its hearings weekly.

Victims Speaking at PBC Hearings

Since July 1, 2001, victims of crime have been permitted to read prepared statements at PBC parole hearings. On June 13, 2012, the right of victims to present a statement at parole hearings was entrenched in law.

Figure 41 – Victims Presentations at PBC Hearings

Victims Presentations at PBC Hearings
Text equivalent for Figure 41 – Victims  Presentations at PBC Hearings 
  In person In person-remotely Pre-recorded
2008/09 181 4 7
2009/10 210 9 12
2010/11 211 7 19
2011/12 195 9 19
2012/13 229 15 10
2013/14 242 13 9
2014/15 203 24 4
2015/16 216 13 15
2016/17 212 30 2
2017/18 280 42 6
  • In 2017/18, victims made 328 presentations at 181 hearings. By comparison, victims made 244 presentations at 149 hearings the previous year.
  • The majority of presentations were done in person (85%) followed by presentations via video conferencing (13%) and pre-recorded presentations (audiotape or videotape/DVD) (2%).
  • The major offence of victimization for victims making presentations in 2017/18 was most likely to have been murder (31%), sexual assault (18%) and manslaughter (17%).  

Access to Decision Registry

  • In 2017/18, the number of decisions sent from the decision registry increased to 5,039 (+11%) compared to 2016/17. Increases were reported in the Quebec  (+47%), Ontario (+1%) and Pacific (+24%) regions and decreases were reported in the Atlantic  ( 8%) and Prairie (-23%) regions.
  • In the last five years, 31,106 decisions have been sent from the decision registry. When averaged over the last five years, the Board processed the release of 120 decisions a week.

Table 166. Contacts with Victims

Year Atlantic Quebec Ontario Prairies Pacific Canada
# % # % # % # % # % #
2013/14 2,807 13 3,959 18 6,625 30 3,584 16 5,348 24 22,323
2014/15 3,479 13 4,152 15 9,469 35 4,048 15 6,043 22 27,191
2015/16 3,279 11 3,919 13 11,206 38 4,804 16 6,563 22 29,771
2016/17 2,396 7 3,837 12 15,727 48 4,875 15 5,951 18 32,786
2017/18 2,250 7 5,536 17 15,448 46 4,971 15 5,165 15 33,370
5-year total 14,211 10 21,403 15 58,475 40 22,282 15 29,070 20 145,441

Table 167. Observers at Hearings

Year Atlantic Quebec Ontario Prairies Pacific Canada
# % # % # % # % # % #
2013/14 414 10 1,039 26 1,507 38 502 13 552 14 4,014
2014/15 407 10 1,263 30 1,062 25 757 18 684 16 4,173
2015/16 495 12 1,188 28 1,156 27 880 21 573 13 4,292
2016/17 522 11 1,145 25 1,700 37 813 18 462 10 4,642
2017/18 547 11 965 19 1,596 32 1,182 24 702 14 4,992
5-year total 2,385 11 5,600 25 7,021 32 4,134 19 2,973 13 22,113

Table 168. Hearings with Observers

Year Atlantic Quebec Ontario Prairies Pacific Canada
# % # % # % # % # % #
2013/14 135 8 431 27 607 38 233 14 212 13 1,618
2014/15 145 9 573 34 432 25 302 18 249 15 1,701
2015/16 174 10 513 29 410 23 439 25 226 13 1,762
2016/17 199 10 574 30 529 28 428 22 180 9 1,910
2017/18 237 11 475 23 547 26 538 26 278 13 2,075
5-year total 890 10 2,566 28 2,525 28 1,940 21 1,145 13 9,066

Table 169. Victims Speaking at Hearings

Type 08/09 09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16 16/17 17/18
 Hearings with presentations 112 127 137 140 140 142 128 171 149 181
 Presentations 192 231 237 223 254 264 231 244 244 328
     In person 181 210 211 195 229 242 203 216 212 280
     By video conference 4 9 5 7 15 13 24 13 30 42
     By teleconference - - 2 2 - - - - - -
     Audiotape 6 8 14 12 8 7 3 8 2 6
     Videotape or DVD 1 4 5 7 2 2 1 7 - -
 Requested, but did not take place because of: 18 13 10 35 48 30 19 23 8 11
     Offender 13 2 6 15 28 10 11 10 5 2
     Victim 4 10 4 18 20 18 8 13 3 8
     PBC 1 1 - 2 - 1 - - - 1
     CSC - - - - - 1 - - - -

Table 170. Victims Speaking at Hearings by Region in 2017/18         

Type Atlantic Quebec Ontario Prairies Pacific Canada
Hearings with presentations 10 60 43 34 34 181
Presentations 16 60 131 57 64 328
    In person 16 50 97 54 63 280
    By video conference - 8 32 2 - 42
    By teleconference - - - - - -
    Audiotape - 2 2 1 1 6
    Videotape or DVD - - - - - -
Requested, but did not take place because of: 0 4 4 0 3 11
    Offender - 1 - - 1 2
    Victim - 3 3 - 2 8
    PBC - - 1 - - 1
    CSC - - - - - -
Major offence of victimization            
Aggravated assault - - 6 9 1 16
Assault 1 2 6 - - 9
Assault causing bodily harm - 1 4 - - 5
Assault with a weapon - - 4 - - 4
Attempted murder - 2 3 - 2 7
Criminal negligence causing death - - - 1 2 3
Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death 1 - 1 1 - 3
Forcible Confinement - - 2 - - 2
Fraud 1 2 6 - - 9
Impaired driving causing death - - 1 8 - 9
Impaired driving/Impaired driving causing bodily harm - 3 - - - 3
Incest 1 2 - - - 3
Indecent assault - 2 2 - - 4
Manslaughter 6 - 34 12 3 55
Murder - 14 27 10 50 101
Robbery - 2 7 1 - 10
Sexual assault 2 23 19 10 5 59
Sexual exploitation 2 2 4 - - 8
Sexual interference 2 1 3 4 - 10
Spousal abuse - 1 - - - 1
Threats - 1 1 - - 2
Utter threats – death - - 1 - - 1
Other - 2 - 1 1 4

Table 171. Decisions Sent from the Decision Registry

Year Atlantic Quebec Ontario Prairies Pacific Canada
# % # % # % # % # % #
2013/14 882 12 1,667 23 1,768 25 1,206 17 1,669 23 7,192
2014/15 749 11 1,327 20 1,665 24 1,340 20 1,722 25 6,803
2015/16 929 12 1,388 18 2,489 33 1,099 15 1,642 22 7,547
2016/17 522 12 1,072 24 820 18 984 22 1,127 25 4,525
2017/18 480 10 1,579 31 828 16 755 15 1,397 28 5,039
5-year total 3,562 11 7,033 23 7,570 24 5,384 17 7,557 24 31,106

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