Commissioner's Directive

Date:
2013-02-04

Number:
568-3

Identification and Management of Security Threat Groups

Issued under the authority of the Commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada

 

Policy Objectives

1. To establish a framework for the identification and management of security threat groups and offenders affiliated with same.

2. To recognize that affiliation to security threat groups is considered a significant risk, poses a serious threat to the safety and security of CSC operations and compromises the protection of society.

3. To prevent offenders affiliated with security threat groups from exercising influence and power and to prevent actions and circumstances that enhance their image and prestige.

4. To support and assist offenders' disaffiliation from security threat groups.

Authorities

5. Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA), sections 3, 3.1, 4, 23, 24, 25,
26, 27 and 97

Criminal Code, section 184 and subsection 467.1(1)

Privacy Act, sections 8(2)(e), 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28

The Anti-Terrorism Act

Treasury Board Policy on Government Security

Treasury Board Policy on Information Management

Application

6. This Commissioner's Directive applies to all staff.

Responsibilities

7. The Assistant Commissioner, Correctional Operations and Programs, will:

  1. provide support to regions through processes and measures including intelligence at the strategic and operational levels to manage issues related to security threat groups; and
  2. ensure there is a process in place for the identification and management of security threat groups and offenders affiliated to said groups.

8. The Director General, Security Branch, will:

  1. ensure CSC representation and collaboration with law enforcement and intelligence partners nationally and internationally;
  2. provide to senior management as required, status reports and advice on intelligence and emerging issues as they relate to security threat groups; and
  3. chair the National Strategic Intelligence Committee.

9. The Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Institutional Operations, will:

  1. maintain the strategic intelligence capacity to mitigate safety and security risks;
  2. chair the Regional Strategic Intelligence Committee;
  3. coordinate for the region the collection and dissemination of security information and strategic and operational security intelligence issues;
  4. coordinate the analytical component of the intelligence function for the region;
  5. provide support to operational units through policies, processes, and ongoing communication of trends and security intelligence issues; and
  6. coordinate the dissemination of intelligence throughout the region and to National Headquarters.

10. The Institutional Head/District Director will actively support the security intelligence function at each site and engage staff in contributing to security intelligence through the gathering and sharing of information.

11. The Deputy Warden/Associate District Director will ensure that offenders affiliated with security threat groups are not permitted to hold positions of influence over other offenders. Under normal circumstances, all offenders affiliated with a security threat group are precluded from participating in activities such as being Inmate Committee members, inmate canteen operators or institutional spokespersons for cultural groups or associations.

12. The Security Intelligence Officer (SIO) will:

  1. coordinate information gathering for the identification of offenders affiliated with security threat groups and the identification of new security threat groups;
  2. share with staff members responsible for offender supervision any information that may affect management of the risk posed by an offender or that may affect staff or public safety; and
  3. sensitize staff to the importance of security intelligence and the role they can exercise in its application for case management and security purposes.

13. All staff will report to the SIO all activities related to security threat groups, their members and associates, including information related to the identification of new security threat groups.

Procedures

14. The affiliation level of an offender with a security threat group (member or associate/key player) will be considered a significant risk factor when making any decision related to the offender. The Case Management Team will consider the current activity level of the offender (active or inactive) when assessing risk and when making recommendations related to the offender.

Identification of Security Threat Groups

15. New security threat groups will be referred for identification by the SIO completing the Referral Sheet - Identification of a New Security Threat Group (CSC/SCC 1184-01).

16. The SIO will forward the Referral Sheet - Identification of a New Security Threat Group (CSC/SCC 1184-01) and all available supporting documentation to the Security Intelligence Analyst (SIA) at Regional Headquarters.

17. The SIA will complete the collection and analysis of any additional information on the newly identified Security Threat Group.

18. The SIA will forward the Referral Sheet - Identification of a New Security Threat Group (CSC/SCC 1184-01) and supporting documentation with a recommendation to the Regional Strategic Intelligence Committee, for decision.

19. The Regional Strategic Intelligence Committee will then forward the Referral Sheet - Identification of a New Security Threat Group (CSC/SCC 1184-01) to the National Strategic Intelligence Committee for final review and approval.

20. Once a decision has been rendered by the Regional or the National Strategic Intelligence Committee, the Director, Intelligence Operations, Policy and Programs, will proceed with having the approved Security Threat Group entered into OMS.

Assessment of Affiliation with a Security Threat Group

21. The SIO will complete the applicable parts of the Assessment of Affiliation with a Security Threat Group (CSC/SCC 1184-02) each time an offender is referred as being affiliated with a security threat group. (This means that when it has been determined that an offender is not affiliated with a security threat group, completion of form number 1184-02 is not required. The SIO has only to input the offender's non-affiliation directly in OMS).

22. When a recommendation is made to determine an offender's affiliation with a security threat group, the SIO will meet with him/her to explain the result of this assessment and the reasons for the recommendation. The SIO will also share a copy of the Assessment sheet with the offender prior to the decision by the Institutional Head/District Director and give the offender an opportunity to respond to the recommendation in person or, if the offender prefers, in writing.

23. The SIO will provide the offender five working days to prepare and submit a rebuttal to the proposed recommendation.

24. If applicable, the offender's response/written rebuttal to the referral recommendation will be taken into consideration by the Institutional Head/District Director before rendering a decision.

25. Once a decision has been rendered by the Institutional Head/District Director (offender affiliated with a security threat group), a copy of the Assessment of Affiliation with a Security Threat Group (CSC/SCC 1184-02) will be forwarded to the Regional Administrator, Intelligence, for information. The SIO will also share a copy of this assessment with the offender.

26. If the offender is identified as a key player with a security threat group, the SIO will produce the Management Plan (Key Players with a Security Threat Group) (CSC/SCC 1184-04) within the following time frames: for all new admissions, within 30 days after the offender is moved to the placement institution; in other cases, within 30 days from the date the offender is identified as a key player. Once completed, the Management Plan must be presented to the Institutional Head/District Director for approval. The SIO will then place the Management Plan on the offender's Preventive Security file.

27. When the assessment is complete, the SIO will enter the offender's affiliation (or non-affiliation) into OMS and then place the completed Assessment of Affiliation with a Security Threat Group (CSC/SCC 1184-02) form and supporting documentation (if any) on the offender's Preventive Security file.

Disaffiliation of an Offender from a Security Threat Group

28. Upon receipt of a written request by an offender to terminate his/her affiliation with a security threat group, the SIO will review the request, interview the offender, compile all the relevant information relating to the termination request and complete the applicable parts of the Assessment of Affiliation with a Security Threat Group (CSC/SCC 1184-02) within 45 days of the receipt of the request.

29. The Institutional Head/District Director, in consultation with the Chair of the Regional Strategic Intelligence Committee to help ensure the appropriateness of the decision about to be made, will approve or reject the offender's request to terminate his/her affiliation with a security threat group.

30. Once a decision has been rendered by the Institutional Head/District Director, the Assessment of Affiliation with a Security Threat Group (CSC/SCC 1184-02) will be forwarded to the initiating SIO. The SIO will share a copy of the assessment and decision with the offender and then place the completed form and supporting documentation (if any) on the offender's Preventive Security file.

31. If the offender's request to terminate his/her affiliation with a security threat group is approved by the Institutional Head/District Director, the SIO will enter the termination in OMS and ensure that the Parole Officer responsible for the case is informed as soon as possible about the decision that was rendered.

32. If the offender's request to terminate his/her affiliation with a security threat group is rejected by the Institutional Head/District Director, a review of any subsequent termination request is not required more than once every twelve months, unless supported by the SIO. The offender must provide significant new information in order to re-apply.

Staff Assistance and Support

33. In all situations where staff members are believed to be targets of coercion, intimidation or threats, the SIO will immediately advise the Institutional Head/District Director.

34. The Institutional Head/District Director will report the situation immediately to:

  1. the Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Institutional Operations;
  2. the Director General, Security Branch; and
  3. the Director, Departmental Security.

35. All parties concerned will coordinate all efforts to assess and effectively manage the risk, including the implementation of a safety plan if necessary as per the Employee Protection Program.

36. All provisions as described in CD 253 - Employee Assistance Program, and GL 253-1 - Employee Assistance Program and GL 253-2 - Critical Incident Stress Management will be made available to staff members who are targets of coercion, intimidation or threats.

Enquiries

37. 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

Definitions

Key player:
A fully committed or "hard core" gang member who has a strong leadership role in a particular STG. Key players of criminal organizations are seldom a problem for correctional officials in a penitentiary environment because they have their subordinates and followers take all the risks associated with any illegal or disruptive activities and usually put up the appearance of being compliant with institutional rules. Key players of criminal organizations "call the shots" and exercise a large degree of influence over criminal gang members and associates. Sometimes key players of criminal organizations are able to continue to conduct their outside business while imprisoned. Organized crime families or outlaw motorcycle gangs have well-defined leadership structures.
Management Plan (Key Players with a Security Threat Group):
This Management Plan is a tool used to monitor offenders identified as key players of security threat groups and pro-actively identify and assess the level of potential threats that, for example, a gang leader may pose while incarcerated or during a period of supervision in the community. The Management Plan is also used to identify appropriate intervention measures and strategies to help prevent, neutralize or contain the illegal/disruptive activities and to reduce or suppress the influence of key players' leadership in a correctional setting.
Security threat group (STG):
Any formal or informal ongoing inmate/offender group, gang, organization or association consisting of three or more members. Most security threat groups encountered in a correctional setting fall into one of the following basic categories: street gangs, prison gangs, outlaw motorcycle gangs, traditional organized crime, aboriginal gangs, white supremacy groups, subversive groups, terrorist organizations and hate groups.
Member or associate:
A person associated or involved with a STG or criminal organization which includes supporters, sympathizers, strikers, affiliates, hangarounds, prospects, associated members and persons aspiring to be members. Some STG members in our correctional institutions belong to sophisticated criminal organizations, such as outlaw motorcycle gangs. Some of them are "hard core" members (fully committed/most active gang members; they are not gang leaders/key players, but have a greater role in the group than "wannabes" or "affiliates").