Commissioner's Directive

Control of Entry to and Exit from Institutions

PURPOSE

  • To provide direction for entry to, movement within, and exit from institutions of authorized persons and items

APPLICATION

  • Applies to all staff members, visitors and inmates entering, moving within and exiting institutions, excluding Community Correctional Centres

RESPONSIBILITIES

  1. The Institutional Head will:
    1. designate entry and exit areas for staff, visitors, inmates, vehicles and items
    2. designate secure areas where searches may occur pursuant to CD 566-7 - Searching of Offenders and CD 566-8 - Searching of Staff and Visitors
    3. ensure a notice is displayed at all entry points stating all persons, items and vehicles are subject to search pursuant to section 62 of the CCRA and that individuals refusing to be searched will not be permitted entry to the institution
    4. ensure there is a process in place to authorize visitors to enter the institution
    5. ensure a list of authorized items allowed into the institution is posted at each entry pursuant to Annex B
    6. ensure a process is maintained for the issuing of Visitor Identification Cards
    7. ensure a process is in place to adequately record the entry and exit of electronic devices by staff and official visitors
    8. authorize, in exceptional circumstances only, the entry of personally-owned electronic devices such as smartphones/cellular phones/pagers and/or tablet type devices by individuals not listed in Annex B.
  2. The Deputy Warden will:
    1. establish Post Orders on the control of entry to and exit from the institution with respect to the physical layout and operational requirements of the site
    2. establish a quality assurance, control, and monitoring protocol for control of entry and exit procedures.
  3. The Assistant Warden, Operations/Manager, Operations, will ensure:
    1. a process is in place to authorize and record the entry and exit of all individuals, including the entry and exit times
    2. the identification requirements for staff, inmates and visitors are adhered to
    3. procedures are implemented to supervise and direct the entry to, movement within and exit from the institution
    4. searching equipment is available and functioning
    5. a Correctional Manager or other excluded manager is present at the principal entrance, a minimum of at least one major movement of staff in and out of the institution in order to monitor searching
    6. staff assigned are fully trained on the search tools and the use of the equipment
    7. electronic devices authorized entry and use in the institutions are adequately registered using the Electronic Item Registry and Authorization (CSC/SCC 1467) and signed in and out of the institution using the Register for Official Visitors (CSC/SCC 0541) or Register for Staff (CSC/SCC 0541-01)
    8. appropriate measures are taken if an electronic device is misplaced in the institution.
  4. The Correctional Manager assigned to the principal entrance will complete the Threat Risk Assessments as required, and authorize entry of official visitors and volunteers.
  5. The Principal Entrance and Service Entrance Officers will ensure that:
    1. all staff, visitors and inmates have appropriate identification and are authorized to enter and exit the institution
    2. all staff entering and exiting the institution register electronically or through a written register by completing the Register for Staff (CSC/SCC 0541-01)
    3. all official visitors entering and exiting the institution will complete the Register for Official Visitors (CSC/SCC 0541)
    4. all visitors and staff entering and exiting the institution are subject to a non-intrusive search
    5. official visitors are issued a Visitor Identification Card (a yellow card indicates unescorted movement within the institution and a red card indicates escorted movement)
    6. only items listed in Annex B are authorized to enter the institution
    7. all staff and visitors are advised to:
      1. remove outer clothing such as coats, duty belts and jackets and place them in the X­ray machine
      2. remove all metal from their person for inspection before proceeding through the metal detector. If the metal detector indicates on the person, a secondary search using a hand held scanner is to be conducted to isolate and locate the metal (e.g. the metal detector could indicate on a belt buckle, on shoes or boots)
    8. all personal property is searched pursuant to CD 566‑8 - Searching of Staff and Visitors
    9. any authorized item being brought into the institution is searched manually or by technical means (e.g. X-ray). Any required security examination of Indigenous medicine bundles, religious and spiritual articles or other sacred objects will be accomplished by having the owner manipulate them for visual inspection by the examining officer. In the owner's absence, an Elder or an Elder's representative (who is not an inmate) or a religious representative will inspect or manipulate the contents for inspection
    10. entry is denied to any person:
      1. transporting unauthorized items or contraband
      2. suspected to be under the influence of an intoxicant, or
      3. refusing to be searched or to follow institutional search procedures
    11. visitors will submit to a frisk search where there are reasonable grounds to suspect that the visitor is carrying an unauthorized item, contraband or any evidence relating to an offence
    12. in all instances where a visit is denied or unauthorized items or contraband are found or suspected, the Correctional Manager Desk is notified immediately and a Statement/ Observation Report is completed prior to departure.
  6. The Service Entrance Officer will:
    1. conduct a visual and physical search of all vehicles and items entering and exiting the facility
    2. use search tools as necessary to complete the physical search of vehicles and items
    3. ensure the cargo being transported by the vehicle is pre-authorized.
  7. Staff seeking entry into the institution outside scheduled working hours will:
    1. state the purpose of their visit
    2. seek approval of the officer in charge to enter and complete the Register for Staff (CSC/SCC 0541-01) upon arrival and departure
    3. be subjected to the search procedures defined in this policy.
  8. Staff remaining in the institution after their regular hours will advise the Correctional Manager, Operational Desk.
  9. Staff will be responsible for the control and safeguard of their personal belongings brought into the institution and will report the loss thereof immediately to their supervisor.
  10. Staff removing institutional property, hobby craft or custom work must have a signed Authority for Removal of Material from Premises (CSC/SCC 1026).
  11. Visitors will:
    1. have prior authorization to enter (with the exception of members of the House of Commons, the Senate, Judges of a Court in Canada and representatives of the Office of the Correctional Investigator)
    2. state the purpose of their visit
    3. place unauthorized personal effects into a locker and keep the key during their stay in the institution
    4. show their appropriate identification and sign the Register for Official Visitors (CSC/SCC 0541) or the Inmate's Visitor Control Register (CSC/SCC 0542) upon arrival and departure.
  12. Visitors removing institutional property, hobby craft or custom work from the institution will have a signed Authority for Removal of Material from Premises (CSC/SCC 1026).

PROCEDURES

Escorting Visitors

  1. Visitors will normally be given a red Visitor Identification Card and be escorted within the institution as follows:
    1. correctional staff will escort visitors to inmate-occupied areas and remain present
    2. commissionaires may be utilized in cases where the visitor will be attending or working in an area where there are no inmates present.
  2. Visitors issued a yellow Visitor Identification Card authorized by the Institutional Head, or delegate, do not require an escort.

Official Visitors Carrying Firearms to the Institution

  1. Before being granted access to the institution, any official visitor authorized to carry a firearm will:
    1. ensure the firearm is unloaded
    2. ensure the firearm is safe to store
    3. place the firearm and ammunition in a locked and secure container
    4. be given the key to the container.

Inmate Visitors - Visits and Correspondence, Private Family Visits

  1. Procedures relevant to inmate visitors including the security clearances and eligibility for private family visits will be conducted in accordance with CD 559 - Visits and CD 710-8 - Private Family Visits.

Visitors Under the Age of Majority

  1. Authorized visitors, who have not reached the age of majority in the province in which the institution is located, will be identified and signed in by an accompanying adult using the Inmate's Visitor Control Register (CSC/SCC 0542).
  2. An individual other than the parent or legal guardian who brings a person who has not reached the age of majority into an institution must have a consent letter concerning a minor validating that he/she has authorization from the parent or legal guardian to do so.

Inmate Visitors, Volunteers, Special and Group Events

  1. Prior to the date of a special or group event, the staff member coordinating the event will provide the list of authorized visitors and volunteers to the Principal Entrance Officer.
  2. The visitor will present appropriate identification, and staff will complete the Inmate's Visitor Control Register (CSC/SCC 0542) upon arrival and at departure.
  3. The visitor will place unauthorized personal effects in a locker and keep the key during his/her stay in the institution.
  4. The visitor will be escorted or supervised to and from the special or group event.
  5. Items approved for removal from the institution will be left at the Visits and Correspondence area prior to the special or group event and claimed upon departure. They must also be accompanied with the form Authority for Removal of Material from Premises (CSC/SCC 1026).

ENQUIRIES

  1. Strategic Policy Division
    National Headquarters
    Email: GEN-NHQPolicy-Politi@csc-scc.gc.ca

Commissioner,

Original Signed by:
Don Head

ANNEX A

CROSS-REFERENCES AND DEFINITIONS

CROSS-REFERENCES

CD 004 - National Generic Post Orders, Annex E

CD 085 - Correspondence and Telephone Communication

CD 559 - Visits

CD 566 - Framework for the Prevention of Security Incidents

CD 566-2 - Control of Vehicle Entry to and Exit from Institutions

CD 566-7 - Searching of Offenders

CD 566-8 - Searching of Staff and Visitors

GL 566-8-1 - Use of Non-Intrusive Search Tools

CD 566-9 - Searching of Cells/Rooms, Vehicles and Other Areas

CD 566-13- Detector Dog Program

CD 568-5 - Management of Seized Items

CD 710-8 - Private Family Visits

DEFINITIONS

Appropriate identification: picture identification from a recognized official agency.

Consent letter concerning a minor: a letter signed by the parent or legal guardian authorizing the visitor(s) to accompany the minor(s) who have not reached the age of majority into the institution.

Secure Area: an area within the penitentiary designated by the Institu­tional Head by means of institutional standing orders for that pur­pose.

Visitors: any person other than an inmate or staff member. This includes official visitors (including observers authorized by the Parole Board of Canada, members of the House of Commons, Senate and Judiciary), lawyers, contractors, inmate visitors and volunteers.

ANNEX B

AUTHORIZED ITEMS LIST FOR STAFF AND OFFICIAL VISITORS

Health care items

  • May include physical aids (e.g. canes, braces, etc), hearing aids, vision aids, prescription medication, over the counter pain relief/cold and flu, emergency related (e.g. EpiPens, heart, bronchial dilator/inhaler, diabetic monitoring/blood sugar diagnostics), eye contacts and solution
  • Note: Medication(s) required for the duration of the shift.

CSC issued personal equipment (binders, notepads, clothing required to carry out duties) and sports clothing/sports bag

All government/CSC issued identification

All government/CSC nationally approved medals or pins or buttons

Newspapers, magazines, books

Lunch kit (plastic utensils/cutlery)

Thermos type bottle

Personal hygiene items (male and female)

    Note: No aerosol containers or flammable substances.

Personal jewellery

Small briefcase/tote

  • Only when being used in conjunction with CSC business (small briefcase/laptop style or secured file type case - CSC/PBC/OCI)

CSC/PBC/OCI laptop

  • Only when being used in conjunction with authorized CSC/PBC/OCI/union business or when approved by the Warden for medical purposes
  • Note: Must be recorded and signed in and out.

USB or similar device

  • Only when being used in conjunction with authorized CSC/PBC/OCI/union business with prior authorization from the Institutional Head
  • Note: Must be recorded and signed in and out.

Purses and/or wallets

Smartphones/cellular phones/pagers and/or tablet type devices for the following persons:

  • Commissioner
  • Regional Deputy Commissioners
  • Wardens
  • Deputy Wardens
  • Assistant Wardens
  • Security Intelligence Officers
  • Doctors
  • Police
  • Emergency Services Personnel
  • Note: Devices must be authorized by the Institutional Head and registered with the Assistant Warden, Operations. As well, they must be recorded and signed in and out.

Tools/tool kits required to perform duties (e.g. plumber, electrician, etc.)

    Note: Must be recorded and signed in and out.

Religious, spiritual or cultural articles

  • May include items such as, but not limited to, clothing, reading material, prayer/ritual aids, cultural/religious food, medicines, including tobacco, sweet grass, sage, cedar, fungus, and other ceremonial items such as pipes, drums, etc.

Other electronic devices

  • With prior authorization from the Institutional Head, may include video recording/camera devices used to conduct official investigations and/or interviews/visits (CSC/PBC/OCI/police agencies, other government departments)

For more information

To learn about upcoming or ongoing consultations on proposed federal regulations, visit the Canada Gazette and Consulting with Canadians websites.