Good morning, Mr. Chair and committee members.
Thank you for inviting me as part of your study on the security classification, the transfer of offenders and the rights of victims of crime.
These issues have received considerable public attention, following the transfer of offender Paul Bernardo from a maximum‑security to a medium‑security institution this past summer. I would like to take the time today to explain more about how security classification works and how we uphold victims' rights in the process.
As we are here, my thoughts are with the victims and their families. What they have gone through is unimaginable. This offender committed horrific crimes. Hearing about this case has brought up strong emotions, and rightly so. I regret any pain and concern that this has caused. Public safety and the victims' safety continue to be top of mind for CSC in any decisions we make.
Chair and members of this committee, I have worked with the Correctional Service of Canada for 40 years. I have dedicated my career to serving Canadians and upholding the rule of law. I can attest first-hand that our correctional service works only if we perform our duties according to the law.
In Canada, our correctional system is fundamentally based on the rehabilitation of offenders, even if some remain incarcerated for the rest of their lives. This is our legislated mandate.
Under the law, CSC must assign a security classification to each inmate and review it at regular intervals. Our approach to both initial security classification and security reclassification is very rigorous. It includes a statistical component, using research-based actuarial tools, and a clinical component based on the assessment of the set of factors by trained, specialized staff. The custody rating scale and the security reclassification scale are both actuarial tools that generate a score based on an inmate's history. This includes, for example, any security-related incidents, previous escapes and offence severity.
The assessment also includes consideration of three areas by parole officers: the required degree of supervision and control within the institution, also referred to as “institutional adjustment”; escape risk; and public safety. These factors are set out in law and policy.
The final risk assessment, which combines the actuarial score and the assessment of the three areas, determines an inmate's security classification. Once the security classification has been determined, inmates must be placed in an institution that corresponds with their security classification.
It is important to stress that, at any point, an inmate can be placed or returned to higher security level if deemed necessary to ensure the safety of the public or an institution. When deciding on which institution is most suitable for the management of an inmate, the law requires that CSC take into account a number of factors, including the availability of appropriate programs and services.
CSC has always required that victim information be considered in recommendations and decisions. At any time in an inmate's sentence, a victim can submit a new or updated statement to CSC. Prior to the decisions, these statements must be considered by the case management team in the overall assessment for transfers.
At CSC, we strive to provide victims with the information that they need to have an effective voice in the corrections system. We also ensure that victims are treated with compassion, respect and fairness.
Following the transfer of Paul Bernardo, I heard a wide array of views and felt it was important to order an additional review to make sure that this decision was compliant with the law, policies and procedures that guide our work. While the review committee concluded that CSC followed all applicable laws and policies, it also recommended that I establish a multidisciplinary working committee to enhance policies and practices pertaining to victims, which I accepted and put in place.
The committee is comprised of 11 members, including victims as well as members of our CSC and Parole Board of Canada regional victim advisory committees, corrections experts and the federal ombudsperson for victims of crime. The multidisciplinary committee on victims services started its work on November 17. Over the next months, it will explore how we provide services to victims of crime and examine additional areas that could be further strengthened.
We have also recently undertaken a review of our policies to see how we can better serve victims and provide them with more timely information about the offender who harmed them.