Saskatchewan. Dept. of Justice. Solicitor General Division
- GA 146
- Secondary Agency
- 1991-1993
The Solicitor General Division of the Department of Justice was established in January 1991. The division assumed responsibility for policing services, firearms control and the coroners' office from the department's Administration Division and corrections services from the Corrections and Justice Services Division. It was organized into the branches of Policing, Community Operations and Institutional Operations. Responsibility for the division was held by an Assistant Deputy Minister, Terry Thompson, who reported to the department's Deputy Minister.
The Policing Branch was responsible for provincial policing services, administration of the federal Firearms Control Program, the Chief Coroner's office and its network of coroners throughout the province, and the licensing of private investigators and security guards. It negotiated and administered contracts with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for police services delivered from 115 detachments in the province. It also oversaw the Aboriginal Constable Program that provided RCMP services to First Nations communities.
The Community Operations Branch was responsible for the administration of corrections programs and services aimed at protecting society while providing probation and alternative rehabilitation measures 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 Intensive Probation Supervision / Electronic Monitoring Program; Intensive Community Program; 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 Institutional Operations Branch was responsible for the administration of corrections 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. Community training residences offered residence and rehabilitation opportunities for low-risk offenders and probationers through employment, academic and vocational training, counselling, and addictions treatment. 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 Solicitor General Division of the Department of Justice was discontinued in 1993 as a result of a departmental reorganization. Responsibility for corrections was transferred to the department's newly-established Corrections Division, while all other responsibilities were transferred to the newly-established Policing and Security Services Division.