Mission Statement

The Correctional Service of Canada, as part of the criminal justice system and respecting the rule of law, contributes to the protection of society by actively encouraging and assisting offenders to become law-abiding citizens, while exercising reasonable, safe, secure and humane control.

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of the Mission document is to give clear direction to all those who work within the Service in carrying out their responsibilities. It offers practical guidance for today and inspiration for meeting the challenges of tomorrow. It may be described as the Service's constitution, defining our approach both to the management of the organization and to the management of the offenders in our care.

As such, it describes the goals toward which we are collectively striving. It encourages the development of an environment which is conducive to meeting the needs of people within the organization, and which stimulates them to grow and develop professionally.

Together with the laws that govern us, the Mission document is the framework within which our policies and plans are developed and our decisions made. Where situations arise that are not covered by a specific rule or procedure, the principles in the Mission will help guide the action we take. In short, the Mission document provides the basis upon which we want to be held accountable as an organization and as individuals.

Finally, the Mission document assists us in explaining to the public whom we serve, and to others outside the Service, what we are, what we do, and how we do it.

The Mission document is made up of four components: the Mission Statement, Core Values, Guiding Principles and Strategic Objectives.

The Mission Statement specifies the business in which the Correctional Service of Canada is engaged. The Core Values outline the basic and enduring ideals of the Service in carrying out its Mission. The Guiding Principles are the statements of the key assumptions which serve to direct us in our daily actions. The Strategic Objectives are those goals the Service must articulate and strive to achieve because they are deemed to be essential in achieving our Mission over the long term. They will serve as a solid basis for the establishment of annual corporate objectives.

Mission Statement

The Correctional Service of Canada, as part of the criminal justice system and respecting the rule of law, contributes to the protection of society by actively encouraging and assisting offenders to become law-abiding citizens, while exercising reasonable, safe, secure and humane control.

DISCUSSION

Our Mission is based on the principle that society is best protected when offenders are able to re-establish themselves in the community under conditions that minimize their risk of re-offending. It is important to recognize that the vast majority of offenders are serving fixed terms and so must eventually return to the community. Except for the relatively small proportion of offenders serving life or indeterminate sentences, imprisonment by itself provides only a temporary guarantee of public safety. Longer term protection is best achieved through a strategy that promotes and sustains the offender's efforts to re-integrate into society as a law-abiding citizen. Throughout the offender's sentence, during both the incarceration and release phases, we balance efforts of encouragement and assistance with measures of control, always with the understanding that public safety is paramount.

Our Mission is also based on the principle that offenders, as members of society, retain their rights except for those necessarily removed or restricted as a consequence of their sentence. Given that we hold an enormous degree of control over the lives of the offenders in our care, we must be exceptionally vigilant in safeguarding their rights, and in employing the least restrictive measures that are consistent with the protection of the public, ourselves as staff members and the offenders themselves.

These principles reflect our legislative mandate in the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA). Section 3 of the Act states:

"The purpose of the federal correctional system is to contribute to the maintenance of a just, peaceful and safe society by

a) carrying out sentences imposed by courts through the safe and humane custody and supervision of offenders; and

b) assisting the rehabilitation of offenders and their reintegration into the community as law-abiding citizens through the provision of programs in penitentiaries and in the community."

The CCRA and its Regulations are part of a set of laws - including the Criminal Code, the Prisons and Reformatories Act and others - that have a direct or indirect impact on our activities. Behind these is the larger framework formed by the Constitution Act, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and our legal traditions.

Our Mission is consistent with the law and demands that we obey it in all our actions. However, the Mission is different from the law. It tells us not so much what we are required to do, but rather what we should strive to do, as members of an organization responsible for the safety of the public and the care and reintegration of offenders.

The Mission Statement, though very similar to the statement of purpose in the CCRA, adds two distinctive ideas. The first is captured in the forceful expression "actively encouraging and assisting offenders to become law-abiding citizens". This means that we do not simply administer the sentence, but that at every stage, we also work with the offender to change his or her behaviour. Our policies and programs _ indeed, all our activities _ are directed toward that end.

The second idea is that the Mission Statement expresses the dynamic nature of the relationship between assistance and control. We provide offenders with appropriate assistance, through planned programming and treatment, to help them address their criminal behaviour. This enables them to assume progressively greater degrees of freedom and responsibility. We ensure control by ongoing monitoring of their behaviour and immediate intervention when it poses an unacceptable level of risk. The two elements are inseparable, although achieving the right balance between them is often difficult. Our aim is to assist to the extent possible and to control to the extent necessary.

The Mission gives equal importance to these two elements, but mentions assistance first. In doing so, it says that the main thrust of our energy and creativity is on working with the individual offender to bring about his or her safe reintegration. This is a unique feature of our Mission. Control is not of lesser importance for being mentioned second. However, the degree and nature of the control exercised should work in support of reintegration efforts, not against them.

Corrections is a complex endeavour, with goals which may differ from (although they will never be in conflict with) those of our partners in the criminal justice system. In stating our role as a contributor to the protection of society, we recognize that our primary focus is on the reintegration of offenders, and we affirm that our efforts support the broader purposes of criminal justice.

We prove our commitment to the Mission by showing, through our individual actions, that we behave according to our values and are dedicated to achieving our objectives. The Mission challenges us, in every facet of our work, to strive constantly to be the best that we can be.

Core Value 1

We respect the dignity of individuals, the rights of all members of society, and the potential for human growth and development.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

As we respect the rule of law, we will respect the rights of all individuals - offenders, staff, and all those involved in the correctional process.

All of our dealings with individuals will be open, fair and humane.

We believe that respecting the right of all concerned individuals to be informed participants in the correctional process contributes to the quality of the process and of the decisions made.

We will acknowledge good behaviour and deal constructively and promptly with inappropriate behaviour.

We recognize the value of family and community relationships.

We will accommodate, within the boundaries of the law, the cultural and religious needs of individuals and minority groups, provided the rights of others are not impinged upon.

Problems will be resolved at the lowest level possible.

The disciplinary process, when used, will be fair, timely and equitable.

Offenders, as members of society, retain their rights and privileges except those necessarily removed or restricted by the fact of their incarceration.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

Core Value 2

We recognize that the offender has the potential to live as a law-abiding citizen.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Offenders are responsible for their actions and must bear the responsibility for giving up their criminal behaviour.

We believe that programs and opportunities to assist offenders in developing social and living skills will enhance their potential to become law-abiding citizens. We must ensure that offenders participate in such programs and we will strive to motivate them to contribute to their development.

We believe that offender employment plays a critical role in developing skills and abilities which will serve offenders on release, contributes to the good order and management of institutions, and reflects our society's belief in the value of work.

We believe that offenders should be productively occupied.

Accepting that offenders can best demonstrate their ability to function as law-abiding citizens in the community, we will provide programs, assistance and supervision to support the gradual release of offenders at the earliest time that such release can be safely effected.

We recognize that the establishment and maintenance of positive community and family relationships will normally assist offenders in their reintegration as law-abiding citizens.

The involvement of community organizations, volunteers and outside professionals in program development and delivery will be actively encouraged.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

Core Value 3

We believe that our strength and our major resource in achieving our objectives is our staff and that human relationships are the cornerstone of our endeavour.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Because our relationship with offenders is the most critical aspect of our work, we recognize that individuals possessing values consistent with our Mission, effective interpersonal skills, and an understanding of social justice, are essential in accomplishing our Mission.

All staff are correctional staff and are responsible for being active, visible participants in the correctional process and in achieving the objectives of the Service.

We will be sensitive to the staff members' individual needs, interests, capacities, values and aspirations in the workplace.

We believe that staff have a lot to contribute and that they must be able to voice their ideas and concerns, within the Service, without fear.

We lead by example.

We believe that staff involvement and consultation in the development of corporate objectives, policies, plans and priorities is crucial.

We believe that our relationships with unions must be characterized by openness, mutual respect and a desire to resolve problems.

We believe that teamwork is essential to fulfilling our mandate and contributing to the achievement of our Mission.

We believe that all staff training and development activities should be directed to the needs of the individual and the achievement of our Mission.

We respect the need for employment equity achieved through a staff complement that represents a cross-section of Canadian society.

Our organizational structures must facilitate the fulfillment of our Mission, recognize the value of stability and promote the involvement of staff in management processes.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

Core Value 4

We believe that the sharing of ideas, knowledge, values and experience, nationally and internationally, is essential to the achievement of our Mission.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Respect for the dignity of all individuals, the rights of all members of society, and the potential for human growth and development will form the basis of our participation in national and international corrections.

Recognizing that the Service has a major role to play in the criminal justice system, we believe that we can both benefit from, and contribute to, the development of corrections and overall criminal justice policy.

We recognize that we must actively encourage the gathering, creation, application and dissemination of new knowledge if we are to remain a contributing member of the national and international correctional communities.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

Core Value 5

We believe in managing the Service with openness and integrity and we are accountable to the Minister.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Our relationships with our colleagues in the Ministry, other components of the criminal justice system, and other parts of Government, will be characterized by openness, integrity and cooperation.

We believe that the provision of relevant and timely information is important in order for the Service to demonstrate its accountability.

We recognize the role of the media in a democratic society and we will work actively and constructively with them in order to demonstrate that we are open and accountable.

We will ensure that appropriate segments of the public are consulted in the development of the Service's key policies.

We will be sensitive to the economic, social and political environment in which we operate.

We will endeavour to be a positive presence in the community and to be a social, cultural and economic asset.

As an agency of the federal Government, we will demonstrate fiscal responsibility by only seeking the necessary resources and using them in the best possible way.

We believe that, through a sense of history and a desire to learn from past experiences, we can shape our future and strive for excellence in achieving our Mission.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES