Saskatchewan. Dept. of Justice. Corrections Division, 1983-1987
- GA 144
- Secondary Agency
- 1983-1987
The Corrections Division of the Department of Justice was established in 1983 as part of the establishment of the department. It assumed the responsibilities of the former Corrections Division of the Department of Social Services. The division was responsible for the administration of correctional institutions in Saskatchewan, and for the provision of adult corrections programs and services. At its establishment, the division was organized into two branches: the Institutional Operations Branch and the Community Operations Branch. The Executive Director of the division, Terry Thompson, reported to the department's Associate Deputy Minister (Operations) (1983) and the Deputy Minister (1984-1987).
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 (which housed male offenders from southern Saskatchewan), at Saskatoon (central Saskatchewan), at Prince Albert (northern Saskatchewan) and at the Pine Grove Centre in Prince Albert (female offenders from all of Saskatchewan). 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 small community correctional centres at Buffalo Narrows and Creighton 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. By 1985, Administrative Release Programs became operational and 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; attendance centres; and the Impaired Driver's Treatment Program. In addition, the branch administered departmental grants to non-governmental agencies that provided services to offenders.
The Corrections Division of the Department of Justice was discontinued in 1987 upon a reorganization of the department. The Corrections and Justice Services Division of the department took over these responsibilities.