Analysis

Background

In April 1999, the Research Branch was requested by the Security Task Force to profile Canada's Federal Correctional Facilities. These Institutional Profiles were created in an attempt to give context not only to some of the issues raised by the Security Task Force but to provide some perspective for the multiple research briefs that will result from the Task Force's initiatives.

The Institutional Profiles include the age of the institution, security level, size of the institution, percentage of double bunking, offender profiles along with a brief description about the institution and, in some instances, the facility's role statement.

Data Sources, Definitions & Data Interpretation

The Operational Planning Branch provided double-bunking figures while information on Rated Capacity was taken from the National Capital, Accommodation and Operations Plan, 1998-99 (NCAOP) which is also produced by this Branch. Offender in counts, average age of offender, average sentence length and the number of lifers, were drawn from the Offender Management System (OMS) database. The Offender Intake Assessment data and Statistical Information on Recidivism scores were drawn from OMS and used by the Research Branch to produce the offender reintegration potential profiles.

a) Rated capacity

A rated capacity is defined as the design capacity that takes into consideration any accommodation changes made over the years less the following: cells permanently used to house segregated inmates; suicide watch (observation); and health care in non-psychiatric centers.

b) Double-bunking

For the purposes of this report, the definition of a double-bunking situation refers to two offenders who are housed in an accommodation that was originally designed for one person. Therefore, the double-bunked offenders do not take into consideration those offenders in shared accommodation status (two offenders housed in a cell designed for two offenders).

c) Reference Period

In count data are a snapshot of the number of inmates in custody on March 31 for each fiscal year over a ten-year period (1989-90 to 1998-99). The remaining data is a snapshot as of March 31, 1999.

d) Symbols

Data not available at the time this report was produced are represented by n/a.

e) Average Sentence Length

Average sentence length excludes inmates who are serving a life sentence.

f) Reintegration Potential

An offender's Reintegration Potential (RP) is based on combinations of ratings as designated by the Custody Rating Scale (CRS), the Statistical Information on Recidivism (SIR) Scale and the static/dynamic risk assessment component of the Offender Intake Assessment (OIA) process. For women offenders the RP process was based on the CRS and static/dynamic risk levels as designated upon intake assessment.

Highlights

• Kingston Penitentiary, in operation since 1835, is the oldest federal correctional facility in Canada. Opened in 1998, Fenbrook Institution is the most recent facility to house federally sentenced male offenders.
• With a rated capacity of 431, Kingston Penitentiary can accommodate the largest maximum-security population of male inmates. Drumheller Institution (529) and Warkworth (523) have the highest rated capacity for medium-security facilities while the Federal Training Centre in the Quebec Region has the highest rated capacity among minimum-security establishments (377).
• Joliette Institution in the Quebec Region has the highest rated capacity (105) for females inmates in medium/ minimum facilities however, the highest number of federally sentenced inmates are incarcerated at Grand Valley Institution in the Ontario Region which has a rated capacity of 72.
• With an inmate population of 192 offenders, Pittsburg Institution has the oldest male offender population with an average age of 45.9 years, whereas Millhaven Institution has the youngest at 30.9 years.
• Port-Cartier Institution has the longest average sentence length with inmates serving a mean of 9.4 years. Riverbend Institution, which has an in count of 116 male offenders, has the shortest average sentence length with a mean of 4.1 years.

Note of Appreciation

This report could not have been produced if it were not for the continued co-operation and goodwill of CSC staff working in the various institutions throughout Canada. The Research Branch gratefully acknowledges all those who contributed to this report.