An inmate is incarcerated in an institution run either by the federal government or the provincial government. Below is an overview of some of the major differences: Provincial institutions Federal institutions Who goes where?
Adults with sentences of imprisonment of less than 2 years Adults awaiting trial or sentencing Adults under parole supervision (if granted by the Ontario Parole Board) Adults held in immigration detention Adults...
Federal inmates are assigned a PIN and phone card, and they can only make phone calls to those who are approved. Some numbers are automatically on the phone card though (e.g. the police). Federal inmates need to make a request to get somebody added to a call list. The approval process can take up to 15 days, so federal inmates might not be able to call family, friends, or their lawyers for the first few days or weeks of incarceration....
In Dunn c Canada (Procureur général), 2019 CF 403, St-Louis J quashed a decision of the Parole Board of Canada (Appeal Division). The Appeal Division found that Mr. Dunn's refusal to cooperate with police was not a deciding factor in the Board's decision to deny him parole, which St-Louis J held was unreasonable. Background The applicant, Mr. Dunn, was convicted of second-degree murder and received a life sentence with a possibility of...
Federal inmates are eligible for several different types of release: Escorted temporary absences (“ETAs”)
Allow inmates to leave the institution for a set period of time with guards and/or other supervisors for medical, administrative, community service, family contact, parental responsibility, personal development (rehabilitation), or compassionate reasons. Unescorted temporary absences (“UTAs”)
Allow inmates to leave the institution...
Correctional Service of Canada documents use lots of acronyms and terms that can be hard to understand. Below is a list of some of the most common ones: FPS number – finger print serial number (this is an inmate’s unique ID number assigned by CSC) UTA – unescorted temporary absence ETA – escorted temporary absence DPE – day parole eligibility FPE – full parole eligibility SRD – statutory release date WED – warrant expiry date...
On March 28, 2019, the Ontario Court of Appeal released Canadian Civil Liberties Association v Canada, 2019 ONCA 243. The court considered whether administrative segregation, which is used to maintain the safety and security of institutions or conduct investigations, amounts to cruel and unusual punishment. Justice Benotto, writing for the court, held that sections 31-37 of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, SC 1992, c 20 violate...
Federal institutions have lots of rules about visiting inmates. Below are a few of the things you should know before visiting prison: Inmates have a right to visits, but there are limits. For example, visits might be restricted if the inmate is in segregation or if the visitor poses a risk to the institution. In some cases, only non-contact visits may be permitted. Visitors must be approved. An application form needs to be filled out every two...
