FORUM on Corrections Research

The Temporary Absence Program: A descriptive analysis (R-66, 1998)

Brian A. Grant, and William A. Millson

The study was initiated by the Correctional Service of Canada and the National Parole Board to examine the trends in the use of the temporary absences. This report was also prepared for the five-year review of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA).

A large number of temporary absences are granted for medical treatment and other administrative functions. Therefore, for the purposes of this study, temporary absences (TA) were divided into three groups. The first of these is labelled Non-rehabilitative temporary absences. These TAs serve more operationalneeds rather than being designed to assist the offender with community reintegration. There are three purposes for which these TAs are granted: medical, administrative and compassionate. While compassionate TAs are granted to assist the offender maintain family contact, it is not expected that these types of TAs will have an important impact on the offender’s likelihood to re-offend.

The second and third groups of TAs are defined by the presence or absence of an escort, and include all TAs granted for family contact, community service of personal development. For the purposes of this report, these TAs are described broadly as reintegration TAs.

Prior to presenting the results of the study on each type of TA, the report presents the methodology for the study, and provides more details on the types and purposes of TAs.