Statement - Statement by Minister Goodale in response to the 2017 Fall Report of the Auditor General of Canada

OTTAWA, Nov. 21, 2017 /CNW/ - Following the tabling of the 2017 Fall Report of the Auditor General of Canada, the Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, issued the following statement:

"The Government is committed to ensuring the safe and timely reintegration of offenders into our communities. We thank the Auditor General for his fall 2017 report and his recommendations to help us better prepare women offenders for release.

Correctional Service Canada (CSC) agrees with all the recommendations and is working to address them. CSC is reviewing its security classification for offenders; implementing a new tool to improve the assignment of women offenders to correctional programs; working to strengthen culturally sensitive approaches to case management for Indigenous women offenders; and working to identify any mental health service gaps for women offenders.

Over the last year, the Government of Canada has taken significant steps in these areas. Budget 2017 invested $122.9 million over five years, and $24.5 million on-going, to strengthen how CSC delivers Indigenous corrections, mental health initiatives and uses administrative segregation. We introduced legislation establishing a presumptive time limit for inmates confined in administrative segregation. CSC is currently reviewing its processes to address the needs of inmates with serious mental illness.

Progress is already being made. In 2016-2017, CSC had the highest number of women offenders released on day parole and conditional release, as well as the greatest number of women offenders successfully reaching the end of their sentence in the community. This is important because offenders who are given the appropriate resources and support, while finishing their sentence in the community, are more likely to fully integrate into society and less likely to reoffend.

We're going to keep working to do more to foster rehabilitation so that we have fewer repeat offenders, fewer victims, and ultimately, safer communities.

SOURCE Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada

Scott Bardsley, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, 613-998-5681, [email protected]; Media Relations, Public Safety Canada, [phone]

Related Links

www.publicsafety.gc.ca