About Correctional Service Canada

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Changing lives, protecting Canadians

  • The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is a federal agency within the Government of Canada's Public Safety portfolio.
  • We contribute to public safety by administering court-imposed sentences of two years or more.
  • Our work involves:
    • managing institutions of various security levels
    • preparing inmates for safe release
    • supervising offenders under conditional release and long-term supervision orders in the community.
  • We have over 18,000 employees. Seventy-seven per cent of them work in institutions.
  • We are responsible for approximately 23,000 offenders. Approximately 14,000 of them are incarcerated and 9,000 are supervised in the community.

CSC's mission and priorities

  • CSC, as part of the criminal justice system and respecting the rule of law, contributes to public safety by actively encouraging and assisting offenders to become law-abiding citizens, and by exercising reasonable, safe, secure and humane control.
  • Our key priorities are:
    • safe management of eligible offenders during their transition from the institution to the community, and while on supervision
    • safety and security of the public, victims, staff and offenders in institutions and the community
    • effective, culturally appropriate interventions and reintegration support for First Nations, Métis and Inuit offenders
    • effective and timely interventions in addressing mental health needs of offenders
    • efficient and effective management practices that reflect values-based leadership in a changing environment
    • productive relationships with diverse partners, stakeholders victims' groups, and others involved in support of public safety.

CSC across Canada

  • CSC manages:
    • 43 institutions of various security levels, including four Aboriginal healing lodges
    • 14 community correctional centres
    • 92 parole offices.
  • CSC also has partnerships with non-governmental organizations such as the John Howard Society and the Elizabeth Fry Society, which:
    • operate approximately 200 community residential facilities across the country
    • provide accommodation, 24-hour supervision, counseling and programming to help offenders to successfully reintegrate into the community.

CSC's partnerships

  • We work closely with our Public Safety portfolio partners, including:
    • the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
    • the Parole Board of Canada
    • the Canada Border Services Agency
    • the Canadian Security Intelligence Service
    • review bodies such as the Office of the Correctional Investigator.
  • Other key federal government partners include:
    • the Department of Justice
    • Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada
    • Health Canada
    • the Public Health Agency of Canada.
  • We have also established strong links with communities and work closely with a variety of groups in our daily operations.
  • Approximately 6000 volunteers also contribute their time and provide essential support to CSC and offenders by offering activities such as tutoring, visits, sports, and social and spiritual events.

Updated May 2019