Conditional Release and Performance – Detention

Official Title: Performance Monitoring Report 2019-2020, Conditional Release and Performance – Detention
From: Parole Board of Canada

Detention

Tables 133-141

Before an offender’s statutory release date, CSC can refer the case to the Board for a detention review if there are reasonable grounds to believe that the offender is likely to commit an offence causing death or serious harm to another person, a sexual offence involving a child or a serious drug offence before the expiration of the offender’s sentence. If the Board determines that the offender is likely to reoffend, then a detention order is issued, and the offender is detained.

• As of April 12, 2020, 196 offenders were detained (5 fewer than in 2018-19), 38 had a detention order but had not yet reached their statutory release dates (7 more than in 2018-19) and 32 had their one chance statutory release revoked and were subsequently detained (14 more than in 2018-19).
• In 2019-20, the number of referrals for detention increased 32% to 112 (from 85) when compared to 2018-19.
• The detention referral rate (ratio of detention referrals against the total offender
  population entitled to statutory release in a given year) remained stable in 2019-20 (2.5%; +0.5%) compared to the previous year.
• The number of offenders detained following a detention review increased to 105 (+36%) compared to the previous year, while their proportion increased to 94% (+3%). Four offenders (4%) were released on one chance statutory release and three offenders (3%) were released on statutory release following a detention review in 2019-20.
• In 2019-20, the Quebec and Prairie regions reported the highest initial detention rate (100%), while the Atlantic region reported the lowest rate (57%). The national average was 94%.
• In the last five years (between 2015-16 and 2019-20), the detention rate of offenders serving sentences for sexual offences was 96% compared to 94% for offenders serving sentences for violent offences and 92% for offenders serving sentences for non-violent offences.
• Averaged over the last five years, the detention rate for Indigenous offenders was 94% compared to 95% for non-Indigenous offenders.
• Ninety-five (95%) of men offenders referred for detention were detained in the last five years. During this period, only eight women were referred for detention resulting in seven being detained.
• In 2019-20, the Board conducted 48 subsequent annual detention reviews and confirmed detention in 88% of cases, compared to 51 reviews in 2018-19 with a confirmation rate of 92%.
• In the last five years, the Board conducted 461 subsequent annual detention reviews, confirming detention in 88% of cases.

Definition: Offenders entitled to statutory release = number of offenders released from institutions on statutory release + number of offenders detained + number of offenders with detention ordered not past SR date + number of offenders with one chance SR revoked.