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Encouraging Community Release and Appropriate Supervision

NCJ Number
189225
Journal
Forum on Corrections Research Volume: 13 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2001 Pages: 41-44
Author(s)
Shelley L. Brown
Date Published
January 2001
Length
4 pages
Annotation
After describing the Correctional Service of Canada's parole supervision practices, this article presents evidence regarding their effectiveness.
Abstract
In Canada, Federal offenders may be released into the community prior to the expiration of their sentence under day parole, full parole, or statutory release. Statutory release is a legislative requirement that directs the automatic release of all offenders (excluding lifers and dangerous offenders) after serving two-thirds of their sentence, provided they are unlikely to present a danger to society. Day and full parole are not automatic. An offender must apply to the National Parole Board (NPB), which decides whether or not the applicant is ready for early release. Offenders on day parole are required to return to a halfway house each night; this is not a requirement for offenders on full parole. Regardless of release type, all offenders are subject to various conditions or restrictions while under community supervision. These conditions are designed to facilitate the offender's safe return to society. Canadian law requires that all parolees travel directly to their predetermined destination, that they report immediately to their parole officer upon release, that they obey the law and keep the peace, and that they remain within the territorial boundaries specified by the parole officer. The NPB may impose an additional set of special conditions. Each case is examined individually to determine which special conditions, if any, should be imposed. Standard Operating Practices provide an additional set of supervision standards that offenders must follow. Based on existing research, this article concludes that frequency of contact standards and special conditions can potentially have an important role in the reintegration process, provided they are used in conjunction with treatment and linked to the principles of risk and need. 19 notes