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Conditional Release and Performance – Statutory Release

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

Statutory Release

Tables 115-132

All federal offenders serving determinate sentences are entitled to statutory release after serving two-thirds of their sentences, unless it is determined that they are 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 their sentence. Offenders with indeterminate or life sentences are not entitled to statutory release. If an offender is not ordered detained by the PBC, the PBC has no authority to make a decision to not allow an offender to be released on statutory release. In these cases, the PBC’s authority is limited to imposing special conditions as well as making post-release decisions.

Figure 31. Proportion of Federal Releases on Statutory Release Compared to the Incarcerated Population Entitled to Statutory Release
Text equivalent of Figure 31. Proportion of Federal Releases on Statutory Release Compared to the Incarcerated Population Entitled to Statutory Release
  Incarcerated population Releases on statutory release Releases on statutory release in percentage
2019/20 9,815 4,309 44%
2018/19 9,740 4,133 42%
2017/18 9,924 4,376 44%
2016/17 10,565 4,864 46%
2015/16 10,800 5,269 49%
  • The proportion of releases of offenders on statutory release compared to the number of incarcerated offenders entitled to statutory release increased in 2019-20 for the first time in the last five years (to 44%; +2%).
  • The Prairie region reported the highest proportion (54%) of federal releases on statutory release compared to the number of incarcerated offenders entitled to statutory release in 2019-20, while the Ontario region reported the lowest proportion (35%).
  • The proportion of releases on statutory release compared to the number of incarcerated offenders entitled to statutory release increased for offenders serving sentences for sexual offences (from 30% in 2018-19 to 31% in 2019-20) and for offenders serving sentences for non-violent offences (from 42% in 2018-19 to 46% in 2019-20), while it remained stable for offenders serving sentences for violent offences (46%).
  • The proportion was higher for Indigenous offenders (55%) than for non-Indigenous offenders (39%) in 2019-20.
  • Women offenders reported a higher proportion of federal releases on statutory release compared to their incarcerated population entitled to statutory release in 2019-20 than men offenders (46% vs 44%).
  • The number of residency conditions imposed on statutory release increased (from 1,889 in 2018-19 to 1,905 in 2019-20). The number increased in the pre-release category (from 1,851 to 1,867) and remained the same in the post‑release category (38).

Outcome of Statutory Release Supervision Periods

  • In 2019-20, the successful completion rate of statutory release remained stable (65.9%; +0.8%) compared to 2018-19.
  • In 2019-20, the successful completion rate of statutory release increased for offenders serving sentences for sexual offences (to 84.3%; +4.0%), and remained stable for offenders serving sentences for violent offences (60.4%; +0.6%) and offenders serving sentences for non-violent offences (68.5%; +0.3%).
  • Over the last five years (between 2015-16 and 2019-20), Indigenous offenders reported a lower successful completion rate of statutory release (56.0%) than non-Indigenous offenders (69.5%).
  • Women offenders were more likely to successfully complete their statutory releases in the last five years (69.7%) than men offenders (65.0%).
  • In 2019-20, the successful completion rate increased in the Atlantic (to 65.6%; +4.3%), Prairie (to 58.3%; 1.1%) and Pacific (to 68.2%; +3.6%) regions and decreased in the Quebec (to 71.5%; -1.0%) and Ontario (to 72.3%; -1.1%) regions.
Figure 32. Revocation with Violent Offence Rates of Statutory Release Supervision Periods
Text equivalent of Figure 32. Revocation with Violent Offence Rates of Statutory Release Supervision Periods
  Sexual Violent Non-Violent
2015/16 0.7% 2.8% 0.4%
2016/17 1.7% 2.6% 0.2%
2017/18 0.6% 2.5% 0.3%
2018/19 0.7% 2.6% 0.4%
2019/20 0.2% 2.0% 0.1%
  • Offenders serving sentences for violent offences had the highest revocation with a violent offence rate in each of the last five years. They accounted for 87% of all revocations with violent offence on statutory release in the last five years.
  • Over the last five years, Indigenous offenders had a higher revocation with violent offence rate on statutory release than non-Indigenous offenders (1.8% vs 1.3%).
  • Men offenders were more likely to be revoked with a violent offence on statutory release in the last five years than women offenders (1.5% vs 0.5%).
  • Over the last five years, the revocation with violent offence rate was above the national average of 1.5% in the Quebec (2.1%) region and below the national average in the Ontario (1.0%) and Prairie (1.3%) regions. The rate was the same as the national average in the Atlantic and Pacific regions.

Over the last ten years (between 2010-11 and 2019-20), the successful completion rate of statutory release for offenders who had a day and/or full parole supervision period prior to a statutory release supervision period on the same sentence was on average 15% higher than the rate for offenders who had no prior parole supervision period (74% v. 59%).

This finding is applicable, although to a different extent, to all offence types, Indigenous/Non-Indigenous and genders.

The possible explanation for this is two-fold:

  1. Offenders that had a day or full parole supervision period prior to statutory release had been assessed by the Board as not presenting an undue risk, which is why they were granted a release on parole.
  2. So even when their parole was revoked, these offenders had benefited from their time in the community (i.e. programs and support in the community) and were thus more likely to successfully complete statutory release.

The difference between offenders serving sentences on statutory release who had a prior day and/or full parole supervision period on the same sentence and those who did not is also significant for the revocation with violent offence rates. Over the last ten years (between 2010-11 and 2019-20), the rate of violent reoffending of statutory release for offenders who had a prior day and/or full parole supervision period prior to a statutory release supervision period on the same sentence was 1.0% compared to 2.1% for those offenders who did not have a prior day and/or full parole supervision period.

Figure 33. Successful Completion Rates of Statutory Release Supervision Periods With and Without a Prior Day and/or Full Parole on the Same Sentence
Text equivalent of Figure 33. Successful Completion Rates of Statutory Release Supervision Periods With and Without a Prior Day and/or Full Parole on the Same Sentence
  Without a prior day and/or full parole With a prior day and/or full parole
2010/11 58% 71%
2011/12 57% 73%
2012/13 56% 70%
2013/14 58% 71%
2014/15 59% 75%
2015/16 59% 76%
2016/17 63% 77%
2017/18 62% 77%
2018/19 61% 7676%
2019/20 61% 69%
Table 115. Statutory Release Decisions
Year Pre-Release Post-Release Total
Change Condition Other Change Condition Revoked Susp./Rev. Cancelled Other
2015-16 6,239 48 552 2,198 202 75 9,314
2016-17 5,641 56 604 1,860 353 65 8,579
2017-18 5,205 62 519 1,752 304 61 7,903
2018-19 5,470 47 528 1,764 358 47 8,214
2019-20 5,388 67 526 1,781 327 57 8,146

Note: 'Other' includes the decisions of adjournment, no action, panel hearing ordered, postponement and termination.

Table 116. Statutory Release Decisions by Region
Year Atlantic Quebec Ontario Prairies Pacific Canada
Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post
2015-16 614 234 1,490 788 1,321 651 2,114 1,005 748 349 6,287 3,027
2016-17 602 283 1,341 741 1,163 627 1,933 912 658 319 5,697 2,882
2017-18 514 254 1,102 593 1,103 506 1,960 949 588 334 5,267 2,636
2018-19 536 221 1,116 623 1,162 552 2,097 972 606 329 5,517 2,697
2019-20 498 212 1,039 600 1,224 559 2,058 1,002 636 318 5,455 2,691
5-Yr. Avg. 553 241 1,218 669 1,195 579 2,032 968 647 330 5,645 2,787
Table 117. Statutory Release Decisions Following Elder-Assisted Hearings
Year Atlantic Quebec Ontario Prairies Pacific Canada
Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post
2015-16 7 - 3 2 9 1 46 2 14 2 79 7
2016-17 2 1 15 9 10 4 68 13 24 13 119 40
2017-18 8 2 6 8 31 17 74 14 30 27 149 68
2018-19 8 5 10 8 19 11 92 36 19 23 148 83
2019-20 2 2 18 11 21 13 106 46 33 22 180 94
5-Yr. Avg. 5 2 10 8 18 9 77 22 24 17 135 58
Table 118. Proportion of the Incarcerated Population Released on Statutory Release
Year Incarcerated Population Year of SR Releases # of Releases on SR % of Incarcerated Pop. Released on SR
April 1, 2015 10,800 2015-16 5,269 49
April 1, 2016 10,565 2016-17 4,864 46
April 1, 2017 9,924 2017-18 4,376 44
April 1, 2018 9,740 2018-19 4,133 42
April 1, 2019 9,815 2019-20 4,309 44
Table 119. Proportion of the Incarcerated Population Released on Statutory Release by Region (%)
Year Atlantic Quebec Ontario Prairies Pacific
2015-16 46 44 43 57 54
2016-17 51 42 38 53 47
2017-18 46 41 35 53 40
2018-19 44 40 34 52 38
2019-20 42 42 35 54 41
Table 120. Proportion of the Incarcerated Population Released on Statutory Release by Offence Type (%)
Year Sexual Violent Non-Violent
2015-16 31 52 52
2016-17 32 49 48
2017-18 31 48 45
2018-19 30 46 42
2019-20 3 46 46
Table 121. Proportion of the Incarcerated Population Released on Statutory Release by Indigenous and Non-Indigenous (%)
Year Indigenous Non-Indigenous
2015-16 64 44
2016-17 58 42
2017-18 57 39
2018-19 52 39
2019-20 55 39
Table 122. Proportion of the Incarcerated Population Released on Statutory Release by Gender (%)
Year Men Women
2015-16 49 52
2016-17 46 48
2017-18 44 42
2018-19 42 43
2019-20 44 46
Table 123. Residency Conditions on Statutory Release
Year Pre-Release Post-Release Total
Imposed Det. to SR Residency Cancelled Imposed Prolonged Removed
2015-16 2,264 21 6 21 3 101 2,303
2016-17 2,004 8 3 30 8 125 2,047
2017-18 1,772 30 3 27 10 85 1,836
2018-19 1,845 10 4 36 2 95 1,889
2019-20 1,856 12 1 37 1 90 1,905

Note: Total = (pre-release imposed + detention to SR residency - cancelled) + (post-release imposed + prolonged).

Table 124. Residency Conditions on Statutory Release by Region
Year Region Pre-Release Post-Release
Imposed Det. to SR Residency Cancelled Imposed Prolonged Removed
2015-16 Atlantic 225 2 - 1 - 5
Quebec 557 3 2 3 3 35
Ontario 564 5 3 12 - 45
Prairies 516 2 - 1 - 6
Pacific 402 9 1 4 - 10
Canada 2,264 21 6 21 3 101
2016-17 Atlantic 233 1 - 1 - 4
Quebec 504 2 1 10 6 50
Ontario 428 2 - 8 1 46
Prairies 497 2 1 2 - 9
Pacific 342 1 1 9 1 16
Canada 2,004 8 3 30 8 125
2017-18 Atlantic 191 2 - 2 - 7
Quebec 397 6 - 7 10 27
Ontario 382 3 1 6 - 29
Prairies 486 5 1 3 - 13
Pacific 316 14 1 9 - 9
Canada 1,772 30 3 27 10 85
2018-19 Atlantic 187 1 - 2 - 5
Quebec 415 3 1 11 2 27
Ontario 388 3 1 9 - 36
Prairies 550 - 1 2 - 12
Pacific 305 3 1 12 - 15
Canada 1,845 10 4 36 2 95
2019-20 Atlantic 147 4 - 3 - 15
Quebec 408 3 - 9 1 26
Ontario 469 1 1 12 - 29
Prairies 534 - - 5 - 13
Pacific 298 4 - 8 - 7
Canada 1,856 12 1 37 1 90
Table 125. Residency Conditions on Statutory Release Recommended by CSC (%)
Year Atlantic Quebec Ontario Prairies Pacific Canada
2015-16 97 83 85 87 83 86
2016-17 96 88 91 86 82 88
2017-18 94 93 90 92 77 89
2018-19 95 92 95 92 89 92
2019-20 93 92 95 95 89 93
5-Yr. Avg. 95 89 91 90 84 90

Note: This percentage is calculated by dividing the number of residency conditions recommended by CSC which were imposed by the Board by the total number of residency conditions imposed by the Board.

Table 126. Residency Conditions on Statutory Release Concordance with CSC (%)
Year Atlantic Quebec Ontario Prairies Pacific Canada
2015-16 97 100 98 99 98 99
2016-17 98 97 97 99 97 98
2017-18 96 98 94 96 97 96
2018-19 94 98 95 98 96 97
2019-20 94 98 95 97 95 96
5-Yr. Avg. 96 98 96 98 97 97

Note: The concordance rate is calculated by dividing the number of residency conditions imposed by the Board which were recommended by CSC by the number of residency conditions recommended by CSC.

Outcome Rates of Statutory Release Supervision Periods

Table 127. Outcome Rates of Statutory Release
Outcome 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20
# % # % # % # % # %
Successful completions 3,778 62.7 3,776 66.7 3,562 66.1 3,303 65.1 3,372 65.9
Revoked for breach of conditions 1,661 27.6 1,407 24.9 1,291 24.0 1,244 24.5 1,358 26.5
Revoked for non-violent offences 485 8.1 386 6.8 456 8.5 444 8.8 328 6.4
Revoked for violent offences 98 1.6 89 1.6 79 1.5 79 1.6 57 1.1
Total revocations with offence 583 9.7 475 8.4 535 9.9 523 10.3 385 7.5
Total completions 6,022 100 5,658 100 5,388 100 5,070 100 5,115 100

Note: Total includes completions of statutory release of federal offenders who were subsequently convicted of a new offence and given an indeterminate sentence, as well as those serving determinate sentences for offences of second degree murder. The offenders with determinate sentences serving sentences for murder were transfers from the United States or convictions under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Table 128. Outcome Rates of Statutory Release by Region
Year Region Successful Completion Revoked for Breach of Conditions Revocations with Offence Total Revocations with Offence Total Completions
Non-Violent Violent
# % # % # % # % # % #
2015-16 Atlantic 413 65.8 171 27.2 39 6.2 5 0.8 44 7.0 628
Quebec 911 68.1 301 22.5 88 6.6 37 2.8 125 9.3 1,337
Ontario 926 71.2 311 23.9 50 3.8 13 1.0 63 4.8 1,300
Prairie 1,051 53.4 647 32.8 244 12.4 28 1.4 272 13.8 1,970
Pacific 477 60.6 231 29.4 64 8.1 15 1.9 79 10.0 787
2016-17 Atlantic 394 60.7 201 31.0 44 6.8 10 1.5 54 8.3 649
Quebec 1,014 74.2 261 19.1 66 4.8 25 1.8 91 6.7 1,366
Ontario 874 74.7 241 20.6 40 3.4 15 1.3 55 4.7 1,170
Prairie 1,057 57.7 552 30.1 195 10.6 27 1.5 222 12.1 1,831
Pacific 437 68.1 152 23.7 41 6.4 12 1.9 53 8.3 642
2017-18 Atlantic 345 63.7 140 25.8 47 8.7 10 1.8 57 10.5 542
Quebec 863 71.7 242 20.1 71 5.9 28 2.3 99 8.2 1,204
Ontario 845 76.6 204 18.5 44 4.0 10 0.9 54 4.9 1,103
Prairie 1,095 56.4 562 29.0 263 13.6 20 1.0 283 14.6 1,940
Pacific 414 69.1 143 23.9 31 5.2 11 1.8 42 7.0 599
2018-19 Atlantic 304 61.3 136 27.4 46 9.3 10 2.0 56 11.3 496
Quebec 800 72.5 226 20.5 53 4.8 24 2.2 77 7.0 1,103
Ontario 770 73.5 213 20.3 52 5.1 12 1.1 65 6.2 1,048
Prairie 1,058 57.2 512 27.7 251 13.6 28 1.5 279 15.1 1,849
Pacific 371 64.6 157 27.4 41 7.1 5 0.9 46 8.0 574
2019-20 Atlantic 316 65.6 127 26.3 33 6.8 6 1.2 39 8.1 482
Quebec 752 71.5 239 22.7 45 4.3 16 1.5 61 5.8 1,052
Ontario 813 72.3 268 23.8 34 3.0 9 0.8 43 3.8 1,124
Prairie 1,088 58.3 565 30.3 191 10.2 22 1.2 213 11.4 1,866
Pacific 403 68.2 159 26.9 25 4.2 4 0.7 29 4.9 591
Table 129. Outcome Rates of Statutory Release by Offence Type (%)
Year Offence Type Successful Completion Revoked for Breach of Conditions Revocations with Offence Total Revocations with Offence Total Completions
Non-Violent Violent
# % # % # % # % # % #
2015-16 Sexual 486 80.6 93 15.4 20 3.3 4 0.7 24 4.0 603
Violent 1,698 56.3 983 32.6 249 8.3 84 2.8 333 11.0 3,014
Non-Violent 1,594 66.3 585 24.3 216 9.0 10 0.4 226 9.4 2,405
2016-17 Sexual 423 77.9 106 19.5 5 0.9 9 1.7 14 2.6 543
Violent 1,800 62.6 791 27.5 211 7.3 75 2.6 286 9.9 2,877
Non-Violent 1,553 69.4 510 22.8 170 7.6 5 0.2 175 7.8 2,238
2017-18 Sexual 441 85.0 65 12.5 10 1.9 3 0.6 13 2.5 519
Violent 1,582 59.5 793 28.4 266 9.5 70 2.5 336 12.1 2,788
Non-Violent 1,290 70.3 433 20.8 180 8.6 6 0.3 186 8.9 2,081
2018-19 Sexual 431 80.3 88 16.4 14 2.6 4 0.7 18 3.4 537
Violent 1,582 59.9 747 28.3 245 9.3 68 2.6 313 11.8 2,642
Non-Violent 1,290 68.2 409 21.6 185 9.8 7 0.4 192 10.2 1,891
2019-20 Sexual 440 84.3 70 13.4 11 2.1 1 0.2 12 2.3 522
Violent 1,604 60.4 805 30.3 191 7.2 54 2.0 245 9.2 2,654
Non-Violent 1,328 68.5 483 24.9 126 6.5 2 0.1 128 6.6 1,939
Table 130. Outcome Rates of Statutory Release by Indigenous and Non-Indigenous
Year Ind./ N-Ind. Successful Completion Revoked for Breach of Conditions Revocations with Offence Total Revocations with Offence Total Completions
Non-Violent Violent
# % # % # % # % # % #
2015-16 Ind. 979 52.6 633 34.0 212 11.4 36 1.9 248 13.3 1,860
N-Ind. 2,799 67.3 1,028 24.7 273 6.6 62 1.5 335 8.0 4,162
2016-17 Ind. 984 58.1 509 30.0 171 10.1 31 1.8 202 11.9 1,695
N-Ind. 2,792 70.5 898 22.7 215 5.4 58 1.5 273 6.9 3,963
2017-18 Ind. 941 55.3 508 29.8 221 13.0 33 1.9 254 14.9 1,703
N-Ind. 2,621 71.1 783 21.2 235 6.4 46 1.2 281 7.6 3,685
2018-19 Ind. 933 57.6 450 27.8 208 12.8 30 1.9 238 14.7 1,621
N-Ind. 2,370 68.7 794 23.0 236 6.8 49 1.4 285 8.3 3,449
2019-20 Ind. 972 57.1 523 30.7 182 10.7 24 1.4 206 12.1 1,701
N-Ind. 2,400 70.3 835 24.5 146 4.3 33 1.0 179 5.2 3,414
Table 131. Outcome Rates of Statutory Release by Gender
Year Gender Successful Completion Revoked for Breach of Conditions Revocations with Offence Total Revocations with Offence Total Completions
Non-Violent Violent
# % # % # % # % # % #
2015-16 Men 3,543 62.4 1,577 27.8 460 8.1 95 1.7 555 9.8 5,675
Women 235 67.7 84 24.2 25 7.2 3 0.9 28 8.1 347
2016-17 Men 3,524 66.5 1,325 25.0 365 6.9 85 1.6 450 8.5 5,299
Women 252 70.2 82 22.8 21 5.8 4 1.1 25 7.0 359
2017-18 Men 3,327 65.8 1,210 23.9 441 8.7 79 1.6 520 10.3 5,057
Women 235 71.0 81 24.5 15 4.5 0 0.0 15 4.5 331
2018-19 Men 3,099 64.8 1,182 24.7 421 8.8 78 1.6 499 10.4 4,780
Women 204 70.3 62 21.4 23 7.9 1 0.3 24 8.3 290
2019-20 Men 3,140 65.7 1,280 26.8 304 6.4 56 1.2 360 7.5 4,780
Women 232 69.3 78 23.3 24 7.2 1 0.3 25 7.5 335
Table 132. Outcome Rates of Statutory Release With and Without Prior Day and/or Full Parole Supervision Periods on the Same Sentence
Year/Type Successful Completions Revoked for Breach of Conditions Revocations With Offence Total Revocations with Offence Total Compl.
Non-Violent Violent
# % # % # % # % # % #
2015-16
Without DP/FP 2,718 58.8 1,409 30.5 412 8.9 87 1.9 499 10.8 4,626
With DP/FP 1,060 75.9 252 18.1 73 5.2 11 0.8 84 6.0 1,396
Prior DP 927 75.4 230 18.7 65 5.3 8 0.7 73 5.9 1,230
Prior FP 13 76.5 2 11.8   0.0 2 11.8 2 11.8 17
Prior DP&FP 120 80.5 20 13.4 8 5.4 1 0.7 9 6.0 149
2016-17
Without DP/FP 2,726 63.5 1,168 27.2 322 7.5 77 1.8 399 9.3 4,293
With DP/FP 1,050 76.9 239 17.5 64 4.7 12 0.9 76 5.6 1,365
Prior DP 940 76.7 219 17.9 58 4.7 9 0.7 67 5.5 1,226
Prior FP 13 86.7 1 6.7 1 6.7   0.0 1 6.7 15
Prior DP&FP 97 78.2 19 15.3 5 4.0 3 2.4 8 6.5 124
2017-18
Without DP/FP 2,481 62.2 1,052 26.4 383 9.6 73 1.8 456 11.4 3,989
With DP/FP 1,081 77.3 239 17.1 73 5.2 6 0.4 79 5.6 1,399
Prior DP 954 76.1 229 18.3 68 5.4 3 0.2 71 5.7 1,254
Prior FP 9 81.8 1 9.1 1 9.1   0.0 1 9.1 11
Prior DP&FP 118 88.1 9 6.7 4 3.0 3 2.2 7 5.2 134
2018-19
Without DP/FP 2,176 60.5 990 27.5 364 10.1 66 1.8 430 12.0 3,596
With DP/FP 1,127 76.5 254 17.2 80 5.4 13 0.9 93 6.3 1,474
Prior DP 992 74.9 240 18.1 80 6.0 12 0.9 92 6.9 1,324
Prior FP 9 100.0   0.0   0.0   0.0 0 0.0 9
Prior DP&FP 126 89.4 14 9.9   0.0 1 0.7 1 0.7 141
2019-20
Without DP/FP 2,120 61.3 1,021 29.5 266 7.7 52 1.5 318 9.2 3,459
With DP/FP 1,252 75.6 337 20.4 62 3.7 5 0.3 67 4.0 1,656
Prior DP 1,098 74.2 316 21.4 60 4.1 5 0.3 65 4.4 1,479
Prior FP 25 83.3 5 16.7   0.0   0.0 0 0.0 30
Prior DP&FP 129 87.8 16 10.9 2 1.4   0.0 2 1.4 147

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