In so far as the Ministry of the Solicitor General of Canada and its agency are concerned, the answer is as follows regarding the National Parole Board:
Prior to July 1976, murder was separated into capital and non-capital murder. The category of non-capital murder was established on January 4, 1968. Prior to that date all murder was capital murder. The categories of first and second degree murder were created on July 26, 1976 when capital punishment was abolished.
A review of statistical studies which examined the outcome of released murder and manslaughter offenders indicated that 19 offenders previously convicted of a homicide offence, manslaughter or murder,were convicted and reincarcerated for a second homicide between 1920 and 1990. This research revealed that six offenders were convicted of a second murder. Thirteen offenders originally convicted of manslaughter were reincarcerated for another homicide offence, five for murder offences and eight for a second manslaughter offence. The following is a summary of the findings of these studies.
On follow up of offenders previously convicted of murder, the National Parole Board 1990 followed murder offenders released between January 1, 1975 and March 31, 1990 to July 31, 19901. This study indicated that five persons originally convicted of a homicide offence were reincarcerated for a second homicide offence.
There were 752 releases of murder offenders. Of these, 75 or 10 per cent had been convicted of capital murder, 513 or 68.2 per cent of non-capital murder, five or 0.7 per cent of first degree and 159 or 21.1 per cent of second degree murder.
Five-0.7 per cent of 752 releases-released murder offenders were reincarcerated for a second murder while on full parole. All five had originally been convicted of non-capital murder. Of the five, three were subsequently convicted of first degree and two of second degree murder.
Statistic Canada 1976 reported on a study which followed a sample of 232 murder offenders released on parole between 1920 and July 1975.
One murder offender-0.4 per cent of a total of 232-was convicted of a second murder.
On follow up of offenders previously convicted of manslaughter the National Parole Board's 1990 follow up study to July 31, 1990 of manslaughter offenders released between January 1, 1975 and
March 31, 1990 revealed that 11 persons originally convicted of manslaughter were returned to custody for a second homicide offence.
There were 2,950 releases of offenders convicted of manslaughter. Of these, 1,407 were released on full parole and 1,543 on statutory release2.
Five-0.4 per cent of a total of 1,407 releases of-those released on full parole were convicted of a second homicide offence: one for second degree murder and four for manslaughter.
Six-0.4 per cent of a total of 1,543-offenders released on statutory release were convicted of a second homicide offence: two for first degree murder, two for second degree murder and two for manslaughter.
Statistics Canada 1976 reported on research that examined manslaughter offenders who were involved in a second homicide offence between 1961 and 1974.
Two offenders originally convicted of manslaughter and released on parole were subsequently reincarcerated for a second manslaughter offence between 1961-1974.
Bibliography: National Parole Board 1990 Follow-up of Manslaughter and Murder Offenders On Conditional Release between January 1, 1975 and March 31, 1990 as of July 31, 1990, unpublished; Statistics Canada June 1976 Homicide in Canada: A Statistical Synopsis, Ottawa: The Minister of Industry, Trade and Commerce, Catalogue 85-505E.
1 The length of the follow up period will vary from 15 years, for those released in 1975, to a few months for those who left prison in 1990.
2 prior to 1992 statutory release was called mandatory supervision.
Question No. 194-