COVID-19 Planning for Federal Corrections

Date: April 27, 2020

Classification: Unclassified

Branch/Agency: CSC

Issue:

The media are reporting that COVID-19 is being spread in the Correctional Service of Canada’s institutions; several inmates have tested positive at 5 of CSC’s 43 institutions, namely, Mission Institution in the Pacific Region; Grand Valley Institution in the Ontario Region; and, Joliette Institution, Federal Training Centre and Port-Cartier Institution in the Quebec Region. One inmate, from Mission Institution, has died from an apparent result of complications related to COVID-19.  There are no identified cases in the Atlantic and the Prairie Regions.

Proposed Response:

• The Correctional Service of Canada is committed to protecting the safety and health of staff, inmates, and the public during these unprecedented times. 
• The Service is taking measures to ensure the safety and health of its correctional staff and inmates by following the advice of local Public Health agencies and working very collaboratively with its Union partners.         
• To prevent the spread of COVID-19 in its institutions, the Service has suspended:
  • Visits from the public
  • All temporary absences, unless medically necessary
  • Work releases
  • Interregional and international transfers of inmates
• Understanding the impact these measures have on the inmate population, the Service has:
  • Temporarily waived food, accommodation and telephone deductions;
  • Added additional minutes to the inmates’ calling card; and
  • Maintained the inmates’ level of pay.
• To protect its employees, the Service:
  • Does ongoing prevention education and awareness
  • Does active screening of all critical staff entering the institutions;
  • Has equipped its correctional staff with the required PPE, including masks;
  • Has enhanced its cleaning protocols, including disinfecting common areas of contact
  • Has modified its institutional routines and rosters to minimize the spread of the virus
  • Engages with local public health when an employee tests positive to implement a number of measures, such as tracing contacts, ensuring self-isolation, testing others as needed, and disinfecting the site
  • Has implemented its own tracing capability by training over 100 CSC employees  
  • Had experts go to Mission Institution in BC to review their infection and control measures and, as a result, CSC has added hand-washing stations, increased hygiene supplies and continues to disinfect high contact surfaces several times a day.
  • Is planning Infection Prevention and Control audits for other institutions across the country, starting with institutions where there are outbreaks
  • Has started production of masks and gowns through CORCAN, CSC’s offender employment program
• To protect the inmates, the Service:
  • Is providing inmates with masks
  • Is self-isolating inmates being transferred to federal custody from the province for 14 days
  • Is minimizing the interaction of inmates between ranges to reduce the spread of the virus
  • Is keeping inmates informed through regular communiques
  • Has low oxygen flow equipment to treat milder cases
  • Has established clear protocols and procedures with local hospitals should inmates need to be transferred for care
  • Has protocols in place when an inmate tests positive for COVID-19, such as placement in medical isolation in his cell
• On the question of reducing the size of the inmate population, the Correctional Service of Canada continues to work closely with the Parole Board of Canada to examine all options with respect to the safe release of certain offenders into the community.

Background:

The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is focusing its efforts on minimizing the risk of spreading COVID-19 to institutions. CSC has strengthened infection and prevention procedures to protect staff, offenders, and volunteers. CSC is also working with inmates to review existing treatment plans with a particular focus on older offenders and those more vulnerable due to pre-existing underlying health issues.

CSC is assessing any offenders exhibiting symptoms consistent with COVID-19. Symptomatic individuals that meet public health criteria will be tested, provided with immediate clinical interventions as required, and CSC will contact local public health. CSC is collaborating with provincial and territorial public health laboratories to ensure that persons under investigation for COVID-19 are confirmed or ruled out through laboratory testing.

CSC is continuing ongoing communications with staff, inmates, and visitors on preventative measures consistent with public health guidance, including hygiene practices, physical distancing and increased signage.

Current Measures

CSC is focusing on critical operations. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, in all of our institutions, CSC has suspended visits to inmates, all temporary absences (unless medically necessary), work releases for offenders, and all inter-regional and international transfers of inmates. This will be reassessed on an ongoing basis as the situation evolves.

Other options are available to inmates and their family and friends to stay in contact such as video visitation or telephone. As per Commissioner’s Directive (CD) 860 – Offender’s Money, inmates normally contribute 8% of their CSC pay toward the cost of the administration of the inmate telephone system. Understanding the impacts these measures have on the inmate population, CSC’s Commissioner authorized the waving of telephone, food and accommodation deductions for the next three months, at which time, the Service will reassess the situation. In addition, the Commissioner has announced that offenders will continue to receive their pay at the same level they were paid prior to the current situation.

CSC has also enhanced cleaning protocols, including disinfecting common areas and high-contact surfaces. We continue to educate staff and offenders around prevention and the spread of illness, including the importance of good hygiene practices through posters, fact sheets, and ongoing written and verbal communication. Direction was provided to staff on the type of cleaning to be undertaken in institutions on a regular basis and when a COVID-19 case is either suspected or confirmed.

In addition, sites must implement droplet and contact precautions when a staff member is within two meters of an inmate who is under investigation for COVID-19. This includes the use of gowns, gloves, face shields, and masks for all staff. 

CSC has determined critical services and staffing as the situation evolves. We will continue to work collaboratively with our union partners to ensure that service and staff requirements are met.   A “situation room” briefing occurs daily (or more often as required) with all CSC senior management, including those in the regions.

Release of Offenders

CSC is working closely with the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) to examine all options with respect to the safe release of offenders into the community. We are currently conducting an analysis of the offender population to be in a position to make evidence-based recommendations.

It is important to note that this case review process is ongoing and will continue to yield safe releases and contribute to the further reduction of the inmate population. Every effort is being made to put forward recommendations to the PBC that keep our communities safe while also showing compassion for those that are vulnerable or have serious underlying health conditions.

The Corrections and Conditional Release Act gives CSC authorities to release federally sentenced offenders from custody. On average, 600 offenders are released a month. This occurs, for example, through parole, statutory release, and expiration of sentence. Conditional release is a critical component of safe and effective reintegration into our communities.

2019/20

In 2019/20, 7,282 federal offenders were released from custody - a monthly average of about 600 releases. By Region, the released were as follows: Atlantic Region (11%); Quebec (20%), Ontario (23%); Prairies (35%); and Pacific (11%).

March 2020

In March 2020, 626 federal offenders were released from custody. Released in the Atlantic Region (10%), Quebec (18%), Ontario (25%), Prairies (35%) and Pacific (12%).

There are currently 525 inmates scheduled for review by the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) in the month of April. As of April 12, 2020, 220 offenders have been reviewed by the PBC; 103 were granted parole, 41 were denied parole and 76 had their parole continued.

[Following stats to be updated on Monday if new information is available]

As of April 17, 2020, 295 inmates were release from custody; 11% in Atlantic, 20% in Quebec, 27% in Ontario, 34% in Prairies and 8% in Pacific.

Of the 295 released in April so far:

• 95 were paroled;
• 191 statutory released;
• and 9 other (reached warrant expiry date).

Cases among Inmates

As of April 26, 2020, 244 inmates in our institutions have tested positive for COVID-19. 64 of these cases have resulted in a recovery, and there has been one death.

Victim Consideration

Case Management Teams have been instructed to ensure continued consideration of victim concerns into decision-making, and continued notification to victims, thereby upholding the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights.

As per CD 784, Parole Officers must notify the Victim Services Unit when beginning case preparation for CSC/PBC-authority release decisions and request to obtain victim information as well as any victim statements, and take victim considerations into account in release planning and recommendations for decision. They must also notify Victim Services Unit of changes in offenders’ circumstances for which notification may be required.

Preventative Measures

In addition to working to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our sites, CSC is simultaneously working to ensure readiness. CSC has well established infection and prevention guidelines and seasonal flu procedures, which are the foundation of our response. In addition, some of CSC’s planning highlights include:

• Reviewing the protocols and process with local hospitals should an inmate require hospitalization for COVID-19
• Ensuring staff are fully aware of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) procedures, including donning and doffing protocols
• Maintaining an inventory of PPE equipment and participating in the Government’s purchasing initiative
• Conducting additional seasonal flu and pneumococcal vaccine outreach to increase uptake among the inmate population
• Reviewing the capacity of each institution to increase physical distancing

In support of readiness planning, CSC is actively engaging with the Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health and their Special Advisory Committee. CSC is also in regular bilateral contact with Public Health Agency of Canada to review elements of our planning and receive expert feedback as required.

Contacts:

Prepared by: Jessica Martineau, Officer Parliamentary Relations, 613-943-1726

Approved by: Kirstan Gagnon, Assistant Commissioner, Communications & Engagement, 613-995-6867

Date modified:

2020-10-01