Ontario Tackles Correctional Reform

The Ontario Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services in Toronto released an interim report from Independent Advisor on Corrections Reform Howard Sapers, which examines the use of segregation in Ontario’s adult correctional facilities.  View the report here. The recommendations provided by both the report and an ombudsman will support the government’s ongoing work to reform Ontario’s 26-facility correctional system.

Sapers' report will support the ministry’s current work to reform the use of segregation by:

  • Reducing the number of people held in segregation, and the length of time individuals spend in segregation
  • Building a system in which appropriate alternatives to segregation are more available for vulnerable inmates, such as pregnant women and those with acute mental health issues, and ensuring that segregation is used only in rare circumstances
  • Improving the conditions under which individuals are held when in segregation
  • Improving oversight of inmate conditions

The Ontario government has already taken action to change segregation practices as well as made investments to increase staff and mental health supports for those in custody, according to a statement by the ministry. In addition, funding has been approved for the construction of a new 325-bed multi-purpose correctional center to replace the existing Thunder Bay Jail and Thunder Bay Correctional Centre. Funding will also support the construction of a new 725-bed multi-purpose correctional center to replace the existing Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre. This investment is intended to increase capacity and decrease overcrowding at provincial institutions.

Additionally, the province will work to transform health care services in correctional facilities, including exploring options to shift the oversight and provision of health care services from the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, according to a statement by the ministry.

New legislation slated for introduction this fall will further support corrections reform. This will be the first substantive review of existing legislation since the 1990s and will include a legislative definition of segregation based on conditions of confinement and international standards — not on a physical location within an institution. 

Implications for Occupational Therapists

For occupational therapists working in Ontario correctional facilities, news of attention to the needs of inmates with disabilities and mental health conditions will be welcome. Occupational therapists bring unique perspectives to rehabilitative and mental health services in corrections with a focus on enabling skills and abilities that promote rehabilitation and positive community re-entry for provincial offenders.

At this time, the opportunity to promote the unique value of occupational therapy in the corrections system is timely.  Members in interested in working to develop messaging and strategies are invited to contact Christie Brenchley, Executive Director.

Some resources of interest regarding the roles of occupational therapists in provincial correctional facilities include: