Commissioner's Directive

Policy Bulletin 255

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Annex A - Staff Safety Assessment

POLICY OBJECTIVE

1. To provide direction on the processes required to monitor and document an offender’s progress throughout his or her period of community supervision in the interest of safe reintegration and public safety.

AUTHORITIES

2. Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA)

Corrections and Conditional Release Regulations (CCRR)

CROSS-REFERENCES

3. CD 001 - Mission of the Correctional Service of Canada

CD 002 - Designation of Release Sites

CD 041 - Incident Investigations

CD 081 - Offender Complaints and Grievances

CD 530 - Death of Inmates and Day Parolees

CD 566-11 - Urinalysis Testing in the Community

CD 568-1 - Recording and Reporting of Security Incidents

CD 700 - Correctional Interventions

CD 701 - Information Sharing

CD 705-2 - Information Collection

CD 712-1 - Pre-Release Decision Making

CD 712-4 - Release Process

CD 715-1 - Community Transition and Post-Release Assessment

CD 715-2 - Community Supervision and Monitoring

CD 715-3 - Post-Release Decision Process

CD 715-4 - Community Assessments

CD 719 - Long-Term Supervision Orders

CD 726 - Correctional Programs

CD 775 - Volunteers and Volunteer Activities

CD 784 - Information Sharing Between Victims and the Correctional Service of Canada

CD 800 - Health Services

CD 835 - Health Care Records

CD 840 - Psychological Services

CD 843 - Prevention, Management and Response to Suicide and Self-Injuries

CD 870 - Maintenance Allowance for Offenders

Guidelines for Private Home Placement (PHP) Contract

DEFINITIONS

4. Case conference refers to any meeting, consultation, or discussion between two or more individuals about an offender. The offender may or may not be involved in the meeting.

5. Tandem supervision refers to the requirement to conduct offender contacts in the community, including at the offender’s home, with two individuals where an objective assessment of staff safety has been completed.

6. Community supervision contact refers to any offender supervision visits conducted in the community, including the offender’s home. This also includes any accompaniment of an offender in a vehicle. Exclusions are limited to populated, commercial, and/or public places.

7. Tandem partner refers to the second individual authorized by policy or the District Director to complete tandem supervision. Authorized individuals include:

1. any CSC staff member;
2. Peace Officers (including Police Officers and Provincial Probation/Parole Officers);
3. Community Assessment and Parole Supervision (CAPS) contractors in remote/isolated areas; and
4. individuals authorized by the District Director by name.
   
   These persons must meet the following minimum standards:
   
   
5. enhanced reliability security clearance; and
6. have been briefed on the offender’s criminal history and case dynamics as they relate to staff safety risk factors.

8. Key ratings refer to static factors, dynamic factors, level of motivation or reintegration potential.

9. Remote area is considered an area of relative isolation (normally rural or outside of any significant community setting) where officers may feel particularly vulnerable due to the distance from community services or access to assistance.

10. Override refers to the Area Director’s authority to suspend the application of tandem supervision for offenders identified as meeting the established tandem supervision criteria, at the recommendation of the Case Management Team.

PRINCIPLES

11. Public safety is the paramount consideration in all post-release interventions, recommendations and decision-making, both in the short and long term.

12. All offender-related decisions, including case preparation and supervision considerations, will take into account, as separate assessments, both public and staff safety as primary considerations.

13. The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) applies the least restrictive measures consistent with the protection of the public, staff and offenders and the offender's ability to comply with the conditions of the release.

14. CSC respects the principles of fundamental justice and the duty to act fairly.

15. Offender risk assessment and management are ongoing processes starting at sentence commencement, and continuing until sentence expiry or beyond (in the case of offenders with long-term supervision orders, etc.).

16. For Aboriginal offenders, staff will be sensitive to the spirit and intent of their Aboriginal social history, as well as their relationship to their community when considering the following factors:

1. history of dislocation such as residential school experience or family history of residential school experience;
2. unemployment due to a lack of opportunity or options;
3. lack or irrelevance of education;
4. history of substance abuse;
5. history of systemic and direct discrimination;
6. history of previous experience involving restorative/community-based sanctions;
7. history of participation in Aboriginal traditional teachings, ceremonies and activities; and
8. history of living on or off reserves.

17. In all post-release interventions, recommendations and decisions, the CSC will respect gender, ethnic, cultural and linguistic differences and be responsive to the special needs of Aboriginal people, women offenders as well as to the needs of other groups of offenders with special requirements, while taking into account factors specific to the offender.

18. All correctional interventions are designed to support safe supervision and facilitate the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders into communities as law abiding citizens.

19. Different offenders require different intervention strategies in accordance with their individualized assessment. Correctional interventions are based on the use of professional judgement and objective tools to justify, support and explain decisions or recommendations. This requires an ever-increasing knowledge of the offender which can best be achieved through regular and meaningful interaction.

20. Continuity in monitoring and intervention is essential to achieving effective correctional practice and safe reintegration.

21. All aspects of correctional work require a commitment to:

1. respect for individual worth and dignity;
2. belief in the ability of offenders to grow and change;
3. respect for privacy unless public safety concerns outweigh privacy issues;
4. fairness in offender treatment;
5. honesty and integrity; and
6. sensitivity to and respect for diversity.

22. At all times, supervision recognizes and protects the rights of the public, staff, victims and offenders. Offenders retain the rights and privileges of all members of society, except those rights and privileges that are necessarily removed or restricted as a consequence of the sentence.

23. Positive links between the offender and the community facilitate reintegration into the community at the earliest possible time while operating in a manner which is consistent with public safety.

24. Partnerships and shared responsibility among all Canadians (criminal justice agencies, jurisdictions, community services and members) are essential for long-term reintegration success.

25. The safest correctional strategy for the protection of society requires a gradual and structured supervised release fully supported by the community through a network of collateral support and community resources.

26. The offender is an active and integral participant in the management of his or her reintegration.

27. Offenders are accountable for their behaviour and they will be actively encouraged to assume responsibility for their actions during the course of their conditional release.

28. Safe reintegration requires that offenders participate in establishing and attaining the goals of their Correctional Plan.

29. Supporting offenders in obtaining and maintaining long-term gainful employment in the community will assist in their efforts to successfully complete their period of community supervision.

30. Supervising offenders requires the support of a variety of individuals and groups within the community where the offender is being supervised. Police, private aftercare agencies, employment centres, Elders, Aboriginal organizations, Circles of Support and Accountability, Citizen Advisory Committee members and other individual volunteers are some of the key persons who can provide a valuable source of community support.

31. Community consultation and public education are critical activities that contribute to public awareness. These activities also serve to build on the community's capacity to accept, support and manage the offender's reintegration back into Canadian communities.

32. Volunteers enrich and supplement reintegration activities by establishing positive relationships with offenders, assisting in their socialization, and providing links to the community.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

33. Regional Deputy Commissioners are accountable to ensure that policy direction regarding staff safety is followed and that any policy gaps regarding staff safety are immediately brought to the attention of the Assistant Commissioner, Correctional Operations and Programs.

34. District Directors will ensure that all incidents involving community staff safety are appropriately documented and monitored.

35. District Directors will ensure that a reliable sign-in/sign-out system for each community parole office and Community Correctional Centre are established to ensure the safety of community staff.

36. District Directors will ensure that all community offices have an up-to-date contingency plan, including a checklist to deal with the situation where a staff member cannot be located or does not return on time from a job-related duty.

37. District Directors will liaise with contracted agencies and government departments for the purpose of reviewing the services required to address the needs of the offender and the community.

38. District Directors will, at least once per year, ensure that a review is conducted on the needs of the offenders under supervision in their district to identify gaps in services and resources.

39. District Directors will maintain an up-to-date information inventory of community resources and services.

40. District Directors will ensure that timely and appropriate information is provided to victims according to policy and that all Parole Officers are trained to be sensitive to the needs of victims. The training will at least include the following topics: information sharing requirements, available resources, and the rights of victims as defined by the CCRA.

41. District Directors will ensure that an alternate Parole Officer is available to deal with an offender's supervision requirements when the assigned Parole Officer is unavailable due to absence or leave.

42. District Directors will ensure that when volunteers are utilized to support the reintegration of offenders in the community:

1. the roles and responsibilities of volunteers are clear and well defined;
2. procedures are in place identifying volunteer selection criteria, the security clearance process and the responsibility of the volunteer to share relevant information about the offender with the Parole Officer;
3. the volunteers have reached the age of majority and display judgement and maturity;
4. information is provided to the volunteer about the offender in order that the risk to the personal safety of the volunteer is minimized; and
5. the volunteer is provided with training, orientation and ongoing guidance/oversight.

43. Area Directors will be responsible for reviewing Case Management Team (CMT) submissions for an override of the application of the tandem supervision requirement. They will approve or deny requests on a case-by-case basis.

44. Area Directors will maintain an active awareness of issues and events in the community that could influence the re-entry of specific offenders in that environment.

45. Any references to Parole Officer Supervisor responsibilities also pertain to the position of Directors of Community Correctional Centres (where applicable).

46. Parole Officer Supervisors, in conjunction with the assigned Parole Officer, will be involved in ongoing case conferences to identify and confirm the most effective supervision strategy. As part of these discussions, supervisors will ensure that any issues that are identified as having a possible impact on staff safety are addressed to the satisfaction of both management and staff.

47. Parole Officers must consider the concerns of victims in managing the reintegration process of offenders in the community.

48. Parole Officers will take an active approach to supervision. The Parole Officer will intervene to address the offender’s needs and manage risk and any offender safety concerns by making effective use of community resources and collateral contacts.

49. Parole Officers must develop a variety of techniques to ensure that they are aware of the offender's circumstances and provide appropriate interventions.

50. Parole Officers will assist the offender in obtaining the needed services and programs that are not provided by the CSC.

51. Parole Officers will ensure that the Victim Services Officer, or equivalent, is informed of relevant offender activities and any changes to the offender's supervision status in cases where victim notification is required.

52. Parole Officers will ensure that all offenders who meet the criteria for tandem supervision are identified by the activation of the tandem supervision flag in the Offender Management System (OMS) by way of completion of the initial assessment within the Staff Safety Assessment (SSA) (Annex A).

53. Where supervision is completed by a provincial/territorial partner, an agency, or a person under contract with the CSC, he or she will report to the CSC's indirect supervisor for those standards which require reporting, notification and case conferencing.

54. The CSC's indirect supervisor will approve the Community Strategy, level of intervention and Correctional Plan Progress Report and all significant decisions concerning the offender’s performance in the community. The indirect supervisor will submit all required reports to the National Parole Board.

55. All staff investigating community release or supervising offenders in the community will utilize the sign-in/sign-out system when leaving the office, ensuring details of the itinerary are provided.

56. All staff are responsible for ensuring staff safety. Both management and staff are responsible to ensure that safety needs are identified and addressed promptly and reviewed on an ongoing basis.

Staff Safety

57. Staff safety must be considered in all community case management activities, including completion of Community Assessments, Community Strategies, etc.

58. The Parole Officer and the Parole Officer Supervisor (herein referred to as CMT) will assess the existence of any staff safety issues for each offender prior to the first community supervision contact and no later than ten working days following the offender’s release by way of completion of the initial assessment within the SSA. This includes each offender participating in a temporary absence program.

59. All staff meeting offenders in the community must review the active SSA in relation to their personal safety and document this review in a Casework Record.

60. When determining the location of community supervision contacts, all staff safety risk factors identified in the SSA must be considered.

61. In cases where staff safety concerns are identified, the CMT will develop a mutually agreed upon plan to address these issues. Measures to mitigate the risk factors could include the use of an alternate interview location, police notification, emergency protocols, tandem supervision, etc.

62. The SSA will be completed in the following circumstances:

1. upon an offender’s initial release (including releases following a revocation);
2. upon case supervision reassignment;
3. following a change in release type; and
4. at any time the Parole Officer determines that factors have arisen that may have a possible impact on staff safety.

63. When tandem supervision is the determined community supervision strategy within the SSA, a tandem supervision flag in the OMS will be automatically generated. For initial assessments only, a 90-calendar day bring-forward date will also be automatically generated.

64. If at any time during the 90-day period the CMT assesses that tandem supervision is no longer required, a SSA for the purpose of reassessment will be completed. A rationale will be documented in the SSA supporting the discontinued application of tandem supervision. The completion of the SSA will inactivate the tandem supervision flag in the OMS.

65. Prior to the completion of the initial 90-day supervision period, the CMT is required to complete a SSA for the purpose of reassessment.

66. If the CMT determines that tandem supervision is still required, tandem supervision will be extended for another 90-day period. Parole Officer Supervisors can inactivate the application of tandem supervision at any time during the additional 90-day period.

67. If an offender’s release has been suspended within any 90-day tandem supervision period and the suspension is subsequently cancelled, consideration of whether to restart or maintain the active tandem supervision timeframe will be determined via a CMT case conference.

68. If Parole Officers believe that additional support for safety reasons is required, they will discuss their concerns with a Parole Officer Supervisor and an alternate supervision strategy will be developed. This will be documented in a SSA.

69. Reassignment of supervision should be avoided, especially when an offender is in an unstable situation. When the reassignment of supervision is deemed necessary, a case conference between the existing Parole Officer and the newly assigned Parole Officer will occur.

70. Prior to the reassignment of supervision of any case, the newly assigned Parole Officer must have a clear understanding of the critical elements of the Correctional Plan, the offender’s offence cycle and any critical issues. In any reassignment of supervision, both the case conference and the completion of the full file review by the newly assigned Parole Officer will be documented in a Casework Record.

71. Offenders who are active tandem supervision cases are not permitted to participate in private home placements.

72. In normal circumstances, no staff member will interview an offender when he or she is alone in the parole office. No active tandem supervision case will be interviewed by a staff member when he or she is alone in the parole office.

73. Clinical supervision, ongoing dialogue, and multi-disciplinary case conferences amongst the CMT are the primary means by which staff safety concerns are reviewed and addressed on a continuous basis.

TANDEM SUPERVISION CRITERIA

74. Tandem supervision is a requirement in cases which meet one (or both) of the following criteria:

1. offenders who have a criminal history involving any sexual offence and/or death and assessed as high risk at intake (level of intervention based on static factors);
2. offenders who have a criminal history involving any sexual offence and/or death and classified as maximum security upon release (offender security level).

75. The CMT will assess the offenders against the tandem supervision criteria at the time of an offender’s release by conducting a thorough review of the offender’s file(s) and upon completion of the SSA.

76. The 90-calendar day tandem supervision period will commence upon completion of the SSA, which will automatically generate the tandem supervision flag in the OMS.

77. An override in the application of tandem supervision in cases that meet the criteria can be recommended by the CMT following a case conference and documented rationale in the SSA (either for the purpose of initial assessment or reassessment). Only an Area Director can approve the override. The Area Director’s decision will be documented in the SSA.

78. Prior to the completion of the initial 90-day supervision period, the CMT will review the offender’s case to determine if tandem supervision should continue to apply and what safety measures are sufficient and appropriate to ensure staff safety. The decision of the CMT case conference will be clearly documented in the SSA for the purpose of reassessment.

79. In cases where the tandem supervision criteria are met and the CMT determines that tandem supervision is no longer required, an override recommendation will be forwarded to the Area Director for decision.

80. If the CMT determines that tandem supervision is still required via the completion of a SSA for the purpose of reassessment, it will be extended for another 90-day period.

SUPERVISION ACTIVITIES

81. Community supervision activities comprise the following stages:

1. Community Transition and Post-Release Assessment (CD 715-1) - This CD identifies the necessary activities and requirements during the offender’s initial 30-calendar day release period and identifies the levels of intervention.
2. Community Supervision and Monitoring (CD 715-2) - This CD identifies the activities that constitute the supervision and progress monitoring of an offender in the community.
3. Post-Release Decision Process (CD 715-3) - This CD identifies the activities and processes required for formal decision making.
4. Community Assessments (CD 715-4) - This CD identifies the processes and requirements relating to the completion of Community Assessments.

Commissioner,

Original signed by:

Don Head

 

Annex A

STAFF SAFETY ASSESSMENT (SSA)

REASON FOR SAFETY ASSESSMENT: Initial     Reassessment   Reassignment

OFFENDER: ________________________  FPS: _______________________

RELEASE TYPE AND DATE: ________________________________

PAROLE OFFICER: ________________________________________

CONSIDER EACH FACTOR IN RELATION TO ITS IMPACT ON STAFF SAFETY

Offender Factors

1. History of violence    Y / N
2. History of weapons use   Y / N
3. History of predatory behaviour   Y / N
4. Relationship between intoxicants and violent behaviour   Y / N
5. Previous hostility or assault on staff   Y / N
6. Instability of intimate relationships   Y / N
7. Mental health issues   Y / N
8. Links to organized crime/gangs, etc.   Y / N
9. Assigned Parole Officer meets the profile of the offender’s victim(s)   Y / N
10. Other    Y / N
    
    _____________________________________________
    
    _____________________________________________
    
    _____________________________________________
    
    Environmental Factors
    
    
11. Remote location    Y / N
12. Availability of police    Y / N
13. Criminal history - at location   Y / N
14. Proximity to criminal/gang activity    Y / N
15. Uncooperative/hostile collateral   Y / N
16. Restricted access to outside intervention   Y / N
17. Restricted cell phone coverage    Y / N
18. Other    Y / N
    
    ___________________________________________
    
    ___________________________________________
    
    ___________________________________________
    
    TANDEM SUPERVISION CRITERIA
    
    
19.   Tandem supervision is a requirement in cases which meet one (or both) of the following criteria:
    1. Offenders who have a criminal history involving any sexual offence
       and/or death and assessed as high risk at intake
       (level of intervention based on static factors)    Y / N
    2. Offenders who have a criminal history involving any sexual offence
       and/or death and classified as maximum security upon release
       (offender security level)    Y / N

 

COMMUNITY VISIT STRATEGY (alternate interview location, police notification, emergency protocols, tandem supervision, etc.)

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

 

Parole Officer: ______________________________

 

Supervisor: __________________________ 

Case Conference Date: ____________________

 

OVERRIDE (IF APPLICABLE)

CMT Recommendation

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

 

Area Director Final Decision -      Approved  /  Not Approved

 

Rationale

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

 

Area Director: _________________________   Date: _______________________