Research at a glance

December 2009 | Number B44
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Programs delivered at reception units: Do they promote reintegration goals?

KEY WORDS: Correctional programs outcome, correctional programs at reception units, efficient program delivery

Why we did this study

Correctional Service Canada has thousands of enrolments in correctional programs in a year. Many of these programs have been shown to be successful in reducing criminal recidivism. Efforts continue, however, to improve both the effectiveness and the efficiency of program delivery so the maximum number of offenders participate in required programs prior to their release to the community. One such strategy to increase efficiency has been to provide key programs to offenders while they are still at the reception units. Receptions units are facilities where offenders reside during the first 70-90 days of admission to a federal penitentiary. Since 2000, efforts have been made to provide programs for offenders serving shorter sentences prior to their placement in the receiving institution. The Transformation Team asked the Research Branch to determine whether this strategy is efficient without compromising the safety of staff, offenders or the public.

What we did

To examine the issue, we compared all offenders who had been enrolled in a program in a reception unit from 2000 to 2009 to offenders who had been enrolled in the same program at an institutional site in the same region within the same time period. In this way we were able to control for patterns of program delivery related to regional administration and to changes over time. Offenders at the two program delivery sites were compared on key characteristics and on their program completion rates, major institutional charges after program completion and outcome on community release. To determine if the delivery of programs at reception increases the efficiency of sentence management, offenders who took the programs at the two sites were compared on the extent to which they were released prior to their Full Parole Eligibility Dates.

What we found

The highest number of enrollments in programs delivered in the reception units was for substance abuse programs followed by Living Skills programs. Only 12 offenders took the Moderate Violence Prevention Program (MVPP) while in reception. Comparative analyses showed that offenders in the two groups were similar except for the risk level (offenders who took their programs at reception were higher risk), substance abuse need level (offenders at reception had higher levels of need in the substance abuse domain) and on sentence length (offenders at the reception units had shorter sentences). Offenders taking their programs in the institutions were also more likely to be serving a current sentence for a violent or sex offence; this is probably reflected in their longer sentences. Results showed that offenders who take programs at reception had better program completion rates in the substance abuse programs and in the Living Skills programs but not in the Violence Prevention program. There were no differences between the two groups in terms of major institutional charges or on their outcomes on release. Offenders who received their program at reception were significantly more likely to earn their release prior to their Full Parole Eligibility dates relative to those who took their programs in the institutions.

What it means

These results support the delivery of programs at receptions units as an efficient method of delivering programs to offenders with shorter sentences.

For more information

Stewart, L. & Cousineau, C. (2009). B-44, Programs delivered at reception units: Do they promote reintegration goals?, Ottawa, On: Correctional Service Canada.

To obtain a PDF version of the full report, contact the following address: research@csc-scc.gc.ca

Prepared by: Lynn Stewart

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