What are they? Correctional Service Canada gives the STG label to inmates who are believed to be part of an offender group, gang, association, or organization with 3+ members. This includes street gangs, prison gangs, outlaw motorcycle gangs, traditional organized crime, Aboriginal gangs, white supremacy groups, subversive groups, terrorist organizations, and hate groups. How does an inmate get labelled with an STG affiliation? A CSC Security...
Federal inmates may be permitted to attend a funeral outside of prison. Inmates need to apply for a temporary absence to do so, either an escorted temporary absence (ETA) or an unescorted temporary absence (UTA). On an ETA, inmates are accompanied by Correctional Service Canada staff and/or law enforcement. Temporary absences can be granted for compassionate reasons, including to attend a funeral. The funeral must be for a member of the inmate's...
Offenders serving sentences in federal institutions are eligible for “escorted temporary absences” (ETAs). What are ETAs? ETAs are one of three forms of temporary absence available to inmates (the others are unescorted temporary absences and work release). On ETAs, inmates are allowed to leave the institution (alone or as part of a group) accompanied by correctional staff. ETAs can be granted for medical, administrative, community service,...
According to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, contraband includes:
(a) an intoxicant,
(b) a weapon or a component thereof, ammunition for a weapon, and anything that is designed to kill, injure or disable a person or that is altered so as to be capable of killing, injuring or disabling a person, when possessed without prior authorization,
(c) an explosive or a bomb or a...
Overview In Mercredi v Saskatoon Provincial Correctional Centre, 2019 SKCA 8, the Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan granted an appeal brought by a provincial inmate after his habeas corpus application was dismissed by the Queen's Bench of Saskatchewan. The appellant, an inmate at the Saskatoon provincial Correctional Centre, was assigned a low-security rating. He was placed in different living units in accordance with security assessments...
Private family visits (PFVs) take place inside prisons, but in separate structures. They allow inmates to spend time (up to 72 hours every two month) with visitors in private. However, only visitors who fall into one of the following categories are eligible for private family visits: Immediate family; Those the offender has a "close personal relationship" with Both of these categories have very specific definitions.
Immediate family: in respect...
When offenders have issues with Correctional Service Canada staff members and decisions, they can go through the offender complaint and grievance process. Below are a few things to know: Inmates on parole may also file a complaint or grievance. The system doesn't just apply to those still in prison. The inmate complaint and grievance process has three levels. First, there is a written complaint to the supervisor of the staff member at issue....
Inmates seeking to get records from the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) can make requests under the Access to Information Act. Below are a few points relevant to federal inmates making requests under the act: Any information the government controls can be requested. Requests do not need to be limited to paper documents; information in any medium or form can be requested. This includes videotapes, audio recordings, emails, pictures, etc. An...
Overview In Canada (Attorney General) v Fabrikant, 2019 FCA 198, Stratas JA declared the respondent, Mr. Fabrikant, to be a vexatious litigant. Stratas JA discontinued his ongoing proceedings and barred him from bringing new proceedings without leave of the Court. Mr. Fabrikant is a federal inmate, who has commenced numerous court proceedings during his incarceration. Two other courts had already found Mr. Fabrikant to be vexatious. Mr....
On June 26, 2019, the British Columbia Court of Appeal confirmed that the administrative segregation provisions of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, S.C. 1992, c. 20, ss 31-37 are unconstitutional. The Court of Appeal upheld the trial judge's finding that the provisions violate section 7 of the Charter and should be struck down. The Court of Appeal agreed that the provisions violate section 7 because they allows for indefinite and...
