Institutional Functions, Programs and Activities


OMBUDSMAN FOR FEDERAL OFFENDERS

The Office of the Correctional Investigator conducts investigations of individual offender complaints regarding acts, omissions, decisions and recommendations of the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC). It also has a responsibility to review and make recommendations on CSC's policies and procedures associated with individual complaints and to ensure that systemic areas of complaint are identified and appropriately addressed. Section 19 of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act requires that the Office reviews all investigations performed by the CSC following the death of or serious bodily injury to an inmate. The office is also committed to a similar review function with respect to Use of Force interventions, in keeping with the recommendations of the Arbour Commission of Inquiry.

Case Files 

Description: Records related to the investigation, research and analysis of offender complaints, investigations performed by the Correctional Services Canada (CSC) following the death or serious bodily injury to an inmate, and use of force interventions, decisions pertaining to recommendations, acts or omissions of CSC. Records include letters to and from offenders; offender interviews; review of CSC documentation; legislation; third party interviews; answering machine messages, and records of recommendations.  
 

Document Types: Complaints, investigations, interviews, observation reports, grievances, legislation, legal opinions and correspondence.  
 

Record Number: OCI BEC 030

Offender Complaints and Investigations

Description: Each file, within the case management system, contains records [notes, correspondence and documents] related to the issues raised by the offender and third parties on behalf of offenders and the Office's responses in the form of interviews with the offender, inquiries and research undertaken and findings and recommendations. Information may relate to the full range of personal information described in the Privacy Act , including, but not restricted to age, sex, address, criminal and employment history, medical condition and treatment identifying numbers, personal views and private correspondence.  
 

Class of Individuals: Current or former federally-sentenced offenders, either incarcerated or under conditional release.  
 

Purpose: All information is gathered for the purpose of dealing with, and attempting to resolve, offender problems and of reporting on these to the Commissioner of Corrections, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada or Parliament, in the manner and in the circumstances provided in Part III of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act . Personal information is used exclusively for these purposes. Personal information may be disclosed to third parties only where doing so would assist staff in arriving at findings or recommendations or in connection with prosecution for perjury or for an offence against the Correctional Investigator under Part III of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act . Third parties could normally include government staff - usually Correctional Service of Canada, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada or Parole Board of Canada employees and relatives, legal counsel or support groups of offenders. In practice, disclosure of personal information, even under the above provisions, is strictly limited.

Consistent Uses: All personal information collected in the course of investigations of offender complaints is used only for that purpose. No data matching occurs.  
 

Retention and Disposal Standards: Records are retained at the Office for 3 years and then kept in a separate storage facility for 7 years, after which they may be destroyed or maintained if they have intrinsic value to the delivery of the organization’s mandate and/or to the offender.

RDA Number: 95/013

Related Record Number: OCI BEC 030, OCI BEC 010, OCI BEC 005, OCI BEC 020

TBS Registration: 004140

Bank Number: OCI PPU 005

Correctional Institution Organizations, Committees and Groups

Description: Records related to the investigation, research and analysis of complaints by committees and other groups both inside and outside the institutions, such as the inmate committees, lifers’ groups, black inmate associations, native brotherhoods and sisterhoods, the Citizens Advisory Committee, and external stakeholders.  
 

Document Types: Complaints, investigations, interviews, legislation, legal opinions and correspondence.  
 

Record Number: OCI BEC 010

Offender Complaints and Investigations 

Description : Each file, within the case management system, contains records [notes, correspondence and documents] related to the issues raised by the offender and third parties on behalf of offenders and the Office's responses in the form of interviews with the offender, inquiries and research undertaken and findings and recommendations. Information may relate to the full range of personal information described in the Privacy Act, including, but not restricted to age, sex, address, criminal and employment history, medical condition and treatment identifying numbers, personal views and private correspondence.  
 

Class of Individuals: Current or former federally-sentenced offenders, either incarcerated or under conditional release.  
 

Purpose: All information is gathered for the purpose of dealing with, and attempting to resolve, offender problems and of reporting on these to the Commissioner of Corrections, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada or Parliament, in the manner and in the circumstances provided in Part III of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act. Personal information is used exclusively for these purposes. Personal information may be disclosed to third parties only where doing so would assist staff in arriving at findings or recommendations or in connection with prosecution for perjury or for an offence against the Correctional Investigator under Part III of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act. Third parties could normally include government staff - usually Correctional Service of Canada, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada or Parole Board of Canada employees and relatives, legal counsel or support groups of offenders. In practice, disclosure of personal information, even under the above provisions, is strictly limited.  
 

Consistent Uses: All personal information collected in the course of investigations of offender complaints is used only for that purpose. No data matching occurs.  
 

Retention and Disposal Standards: Records are retained in our offices for 3 years and then kept in a separate storage facility for 7 years, after which they may be destroyed unless they have intrinsic value to the delivery of the organization’s mandate and/or to the offender.  
 

RDA Number: 95/013

Related Record Number: OCI BEC 030, OCI BEC 010, OCI BEC 005, OCI BEC 020

TBS Registration: 004140

Bank Number: OCI PPU 005

 

Correctional Institution Visits

Description: Records related to regular institutional visits by the Office of the Correctional Investigator. Records may include letters to the warden; notice of visit to advisory committees and inmates; trip reports; trip statistics; debriefing letter; record of visit; and debriefing response.

Document Types: Correspondence and reports.

Record Number: OCI BEC 005

Offender Complaints and Investigations 

Description: Each file, within the case management system, contains records [notes, correspondence and documents] related to the issues raised by the offender and third parties on behalf of offenders and the Office's responses in the form of interviews with the offender, inquiries and research undertaken and findings and recommendations. Information may relate to the full range of personal information described in the Privacy Act , including, but not restricted to age, sex, address, criminal and employment history, medical condition and treatment identifying numbers, personal views and private correspondence.  
 

Class of Individuals: Current or former federally-sentenced offenders, either incarcerated or under conditional release.

Purpose: All information is gathered for the purpose of dealing with, and attempting to resolve, offender problems and of reporting on these to the Commissioner of Corrections, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada or Parliament, in the manner and in the circumstances provided in Part III of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act . Personal information is used exclusively for these purposes. Personal information may be disclosed to third parties only where doing so would assist staff in arriving at findings or recommendations or in connection with prosecution for perjury or for an offence against the Correctional Investigator under Part III of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act. Third parties could normally include government staff - usually Correctional Service of Canada, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada or Parole Board of Canada employees and relatives, legal counsel or support groups of offenders. In practice, disclosure of personal information, even under the above provisions, is strictly limited.

Consistent Uses: All personal information collected in the course of investigations of offender complaints is used only for that purpose. No data matching occurs.  
 

Retention and Disposal Standards: Records are retained in our offices for 3 years and then kept in a separate storage facility for 7 years, after which they may be destroyed unless they have intrinsic value to the delivery of the organization’s mandate and/or to the offender.  
 

RDA Number: 95/013

Related Record Number: OCI BEC 030, OCI BEC 010, OCI BEC 005, OCI BEC 020

TBS Registration: 004140

Bank Number: OCI PPU 005

Correctional Service Reports, Publications, Review and Research

Description: Records related to the investigation, research and analysis of recommendations formation on certain policies of the Correctional Service of Canada for example policy on inmate disciplinary boards; claims against the Crown; inmate pay; family visiting; and, press clippings on the Correctional Service of Canada.  
 

Document Types: Correspondence, bulletins, policies and procedures, reports, publications, research, legal opinions, and records of recommendations.

Record Number: OCI BEC 025

Ed McIsaac Award

Description: Records related to the creation and awarding of the Ed McIsaac Human Rights in Corrections Award, to commemorate the work and dedication of those who have demonstrated a lifelong commitment to improving Corrections and protecting the human rights of the incarcerated. Includes records related to the annual presentation of a sculpture to a person or organization whose social justice commitment and persistent efforts have contributed significantly to the advancement of human rights and correctional practice in Canada. Records may include sponsorship documents; personal release and consent forms; contact information of the recipient; and, detailed descriptions of the candidate's accomplishments under each of the criteria, including relevant documents such as publications, letters of support, awards, academic achievements and press clippings.

Document Types: Submissions, selection criteria, approved nominations, ceremony arrangements, selection committee records, photographs, press clippings, correspondence, forms, and publications.  
 

Record Number: OCI BEC 035

Ed McIsaac Human Rights in Corrections Award

Description: This bank describes information that is used in support of evaluating and determining the recipient of this Award. Personal information may include name, contact information, biographical information, citizenship status, educational information, photos, opinions or views about nominees, personal information provided on secondary identification such as driver's licence or other identification documents and signature.

Class of Individuals: General public; sponsors of nominees; representatives of organizations nominated for the award.

Purpose: Personal information is used to administer, determine eligibility, disburse funds in respect of and obtain views and opinions about the nominees for the Ed McIsaac Human Rights in Corrections Award program. Personal information is collected pursuant to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act .

Consistent Uses: The information may be used or disclosed for the following purposes: maintaining an inventory of nominees for the Ed McIsaac Human Rights in Corrections Award. Nominee information may be shared with any province or institution relevant to the nominee. Some information about recipients of the award is published on the Internet.

Retention and Disposal Standards: Records will be retained for 2 years after the nomination process is closed on June 1st of each year. No record shall be destroyed or disposed of before Library and Archives Canada has issued a records disposition authority.

RDA Number: Under development

Related Record Number: OCI BEC 035

TBS Registration: 20100113

Bank Number: OCI PPU 010

Systemic or Special Investigations and Reports

Description: Records related to the investigation, research and analysis of correctional issues. Includes records related to investigation plans; reviews of Correctional Services of Canada (CSC) investigations; research; statistics; interview notes; and, communication plans.  
 

Document Types: Work plans, correspondence, briefing notes, reports, interview notes, and legal opinions.

Record Number: OCI BEC 020

Offender Complaints and Investigations

Description: Each file, within the case management system, contains records [notes, correspondence and documents] related to the issues raised by the offender and third parties on behalf of offender sand the Office's responses in the form of interviews with the offender, inquiries and research undertaken and findings and recommendations. Information may relate to the full range of personal information described in the Privacy Act , including, but not restricted to age, sex, address, criminal and employment history, medical condition and treatment identifying numbers, personal views and private correspondence.  
 

Class of Individuals: Current or former federally-sentenced offenders, either incarcerated or under conditional release.  
 

Purpose: All information is gathered for the purpose of dealing with, and attempting to resolve, offender problems and of reporting on these to the Commissioner of Corrections, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada or Parliament, in the manner and in the circumstances provided in Part III of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act . Personal information is used exclusively for these purposes. Personal information may be disclosed to third parties only where doing so would assist staff in arriving at findings or recommendations or in connection with prosecution for perjury or for an offence against the Correctional Investigator under Part III of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act . Third parties could normally include government staff - usually Correctional Service of Canada, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada or Parole Board of Canada employees and relatives, legal counsel or support groups of offenders. In practice, disclosure of personal information, even under the above provisions, is strictly limited.  
 

Consistent Uses: All personal information collected in the course of investigations of offender complaints is used only for that purpose. No data matching occurs.  
 

Retention and Disposal Standards: Records are retained in our offices for 3 years and then kept in a separate storage facility for 7 years, after which they may be destroyed unless they have intrinsic value to the delivery of the organization’s mandate and/or to the offender.  
 

RDA Number: 95/013

Related Record Number: OCI BEC 030, OCI BEC 010, OCI BEC 005, OCI BEC 020

TBS Registration: 004140

Bank Number: OCI PPU 005


INTERNAL SERVICES

Internal services constitute groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations of an organization. These groups are management and oversight services, communications services, legal services, human resources management services, financial management services, information management services, information technology services, real property services, materiel services, acquisition services, and travel and other administrative services. Internal services include only those activities and resources that apply across an organization and not to those provided specifically to a program.

Acquisition Services

Acquisition services involve activities undertaken to acquire a good or service to fulfill a properly completed request (including a complete and accurate definition of requirements and certification that funds are available) until entering into or amending a contract.

Communications Services

Communications services involve activities undertaken to ensure that Government of Canada communications are effectively managed, well coordinated and responsive to the diverse information needs of the public. The communications management function ensures that the public—internal or external—receives government information, and that the views and concerns of the public are taken into account in the planning, management and evaluation of policies, programs, services and initiatives.

Financial Management Services

Financial management services involve activities undertaken to ensure the prudent use of public resources, including planning, budgeting, accounting, reporting, control and oversight, analysis, decision support and advice, and financial systems.

Human Resources Management Services

Human resources management services involve activities undertaken for determining strategic direction, allocating resources among services and processes, as well as activities relating to analyzing exposure to risk and determining appropriate countermeasures. They ensure that the service operations and programs of the federal government comply with applicable laws, regulations, policies and plans.

Information Management Services

Information management services involve activities undertaken to achieve efficient and effective information management to support program and service delivery; foster informed decision making; facilitate accountability, transparency and collaboration; and preserve and ensure access to information and records for the benefit of present and future generations.

Information Technology Services

Information technology services involve activities undertaken to achieve efficient and effective use of information technology to support government priorities and program delivery, to increase productivity, and to enhance services to the public.

Legal services

Legal services involve activities undertaken to enable government departments and agencies to pursue policy, program and service delivery priorities and objectives within a legally sound framework.

Management and Oversight Services

Management and oversight services involve activities undertaken for determining strategic direction and allocating resources among services and processes, as well as those activities related to analyzing exposure to risk and determining appropriate countermeasures. They ensure that the service operations and programs of the federal government comply with applicable laws, regulations, policies or plans.

Materiel Services

Materiel services involve activities undertaken to ensure that materiel can be managed by departments in a sustainable and financially responsible manner that supports the cost-effective and efficient delivery of government programs.

Travel and Other Administrative Services

Travel and other administrative services include Government of Canada travel services, as well as those other internal services that do not smoothly fit with any of the internal services categories.

Legend

  • Standard Classes of Records (CoRs)
  • Standard Personal Information Banks (PIBs)

Classes of Personal Information

The class contains personal information which does not qualify as a bank of information but has reached the Office of the Correctional Investigator as a result of such activities as visits by Correctional Investigator staff to institutions, requests for particulars concerning administrative policies at all levels, minutes of meetings with various inmate committees, or with institutional and volunteer groups. When requesting access, an individual must provide the name of the institution about which information is requested and the approximate date of the event prompting the information held.

Manuals

  • Investigative Manual
 

Date modified