The responsibility for corrections is shared by the Federal and provincial governments in Canada; however, there is a single national criminal code and drug control act, such that the laws are the same across the country. CSC is the Federal correctional agency. In addition to managing the custody of Federal offenders sentenced to prison, CSC is responsible for offenders released on parole. In 1999, CSC identified the need for a more effective effort to address substance abuse problems of offenders in custody and under supervision in the community. Although an extensive infrastructure was in place for substance abuse treatment, there had been insufficient research and development to support treatment regimens. Consequently, a new research division, named the Addictions Research Centre, was created to address the challenges of substance abuse among offenders. This has led to a more empirically based assessment process and assignment to treatment regimens best suited to individual offenders. To ensure uniformity in program quality, an accreditation process has been developed, and efforts are underway to ensure that staff are properly trained in the programs they deliver. 19 references