Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP)

Privacy impact assessment summary

Electronic Sharing of Offenders' Information with Provincial Governments

Historically, the sharing of offender information between Correctional Service Canada (CSC) and provincial correctional organizations has been done verbally and in writing. Both of these methods rely heavily on effective communications between the parties involved and on their appropriate exercise of judgement.

The new proposed information sharing method will involve the establishment of a virtual private network (VPN) using an internet connection between CSC and the computer network of each participating provincial institution. The network will allow the provincial institutions to gain secure and timely access to some of the personal information about offenders that is kept in CSC's Offender Management System (OMS) based on the terms of the agreement between CSC and each provincial government.

The purpose of the PIA is to examine CSC's plans to use information technology to share personal information about offenders with provincial institutions participating in the administration of the supervision, rehabilitation and release decisions of offenders.

The assessment demonstrates that the proposed information sharing method was developed in accordance with the requirements of the Privacy Act, the Corrections and Conditional Release Act and the Government of Canada Security Policy.

Privacy risks have been identified as part of the assessment and are being addressed.