Thank you, James, and thank you, committee members, for inviting us.
Research on Circles of Support and Accountability demonstrates that those involved in CoSA have a reduction of sexual recidivism of 70% to 80% compared to those who are not. CoSA is also very cost-effective. Our annual budget, at least here in Ottawa, CoSA Ottawa—and we work with about eight to twelve, as we call them, core members a year—is less than the cost to incarcerate one male in the federal system for a year.
I'm not sure if you're aware, but the funding from Correctional Service of Canada to most CoSA programs in Canada—and I do have a list, if you're interested in that list, of all the sites across Canada, including ours in Ottawa, which has operated since 2002, with only one reconviction for a sexual offence—will come to an end at the end of March. This will mean that many CoSA sites in Canada will be forced to close down. This could have dire consequences to public safety.
CoSA provides support and accountability to released sex offenders. It's a unique program in that it works with this population. Our staff and volunteers really do hold our core members accountable for their behaviour, choices, and decisions. Imagine being in a room with four strangers when you first come out of prison—these people, who are volunteers, are strangers—and being expected to share your innermost thoughts and demons. I would suggest that this is tough on crime.
The accountability aspect of CoSA really does speak to the increasing emphasis on offenders to take responsibility. As Steve mentioned, people working with victim service providers and CoSA both have the same goal of no more victims. We have to deal with the fact that about 90% of people do come out of prison, so isn't it better to have support for these people than to just leave them adrift to potentially revert to their old ways?
Thank you.