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

• 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

• 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

• 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

Table 167. Observers at Hearings

Table 168. Hearings with Observers

Table 169. Victims Speaking at Hearings

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

Table 171. Decisions Sent from the Decision Registry