The Corrections and Justice Services Division of the Department of Justice was established in 1987 as an amalgamation of the department's former Justice Services and Corrections Divisions. The new division was responsible for the administration of court, correctional and property registration services and programs in Saskatchewan. At its establishment, the division was organized into three primary branches: Court Services Branch; Corrections Branch; and Property Registration Branch. The division was lead by an Assistant Deputy Minister, Terry Thompson, who reported to the department's Deputy Minister.
The Court Services Branch provided administrative and operational support to the Courts of Saskatchewan. The branch was organized into four units: Sheriff Services; Registrar of Courts; Court Operations; and Administrative Support. The Sheriff Services Unit provided the services of sheriffs and sheriff's officers throughout the province. Duties of this personnel in the unit included the execution of court orders, serving of legal documents and the enforcement of statute orders. The Registrar of Courts provided advice and support to Local Registrars around the province. The Court Operations Unit administered the Court of Appeal, Court of Queen's Bench, Surrogate Court, Unified Family Court and the Automatic Enforcement of Maintenance Orders program. It also provided non-judicial administration of the Provincial Court of Saskatchewan and the Traffic Safety Court of Saskatchewan. Acts administered by the Unit included The Commissioner for Oaths Act, The Notaries Public Act and The Marriage Act. The unit also oversaw the training and support services for the province's Justices of the Peace. The Administrative Support Unit provided financial and administrative support for the branch. In addition, it was responsible for the Provincial Court Management Information System. By 1990, a fifth unit, the Maintenance Enforcement Office, was added. The Office assisted recipients of court-ordered maintenance with the enforcement of their orders.
The Corrections Branch was organized into two sub-branches: Institutional Operations and Community Operations. The Institutional Operations Branch was responsible for the administration of facilities and programs for the custody and care of adult offenders sentenced to terms of less than two years. Provincial correctional centres were located at Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert (all for male offenders) and at the Pine Grove (Women's) Centre in Prince Albert. The branch also operated a community correctional centre at North Battleford for offenders serving terms of less than four months. The division's northern region administered a small community correctional centre at Buffalo Narrows for low to medium-risk offenders residing in the far north of the province. Programs offered to offenders while in custody included: vocational and academic training; group activities and recreation; medical and dental services; counselling; and family therapy. Parole services were coordinated by the institutions in cooperation with the National Parole Board. Five community training residences offered residence and rehabilitation opportunities for low-risk offenders and probationers through employment, academic and vocational training, counselling, and addictions treatment. Nine correctional camps were located primarily at provincial parks throughout the province where low-risk offenders lived and worked while serving their terms. Administrative Release Programs included the Work Incentive, Conditional Release and Institutional Fine Option programs.
The Community Operations Branch was responsible for the administration of programs and services aimed at protecting society while providing probation and rehabilitation opportunities to offenders outside the confines of a correctional facility. Probation programs and services were delivered primarily by probation officers staffed at regional offices throughout the province. The two key functions of probation officers were to prepare pre-sentence reports and to supervise offenders on probation.
Other community-based corrections programs administered by the branch included the Fine Option Program, Community Service Order Program, Bail Verification and Supervision Program, the Restitution Program, Volunteers in Probation program and the Impaired Driver's Treatment Program.
The Property Management Branch administered the systems of registration for real property (the Land Titles System) and personal property (the Personal Property Registry). The director of the branch also held the office of Master of Titles. The Land Titles System included the examination and registry of land-related documents, and the issuance and of titles. A network of land titles offices throughout the province responded to title enquiries and registration submissions. The Chief Surveyor examined and approved the registrations made from these offices. The Personal Property Registry provided a notice filing system wherein a secured party could register a financing statement expressing an interest in the personal property of a debtor. It also provided an enquiry system for individuals intending on purchasing personal property to search and request information related to the property.
The Corrections and Justice Services Division of the Department of Justice was discontinued in 1991 as a result of a departmental reorganization. Responsibility for corrections was transferred to the department's newly-established Solicitor General Division, while court services and property registry were transferred to the newly-established Registry Services Division.