Correctional Services Division

The Mission of Correctional Services is to contribute to the maintenance of a just, peaceful and safe society by:

• providing services to assist the courts in the remanding and sentencing processes
• administering custody and community-based dispositions of the courts
• providing safe custody, direction and control for the accused persons and convicted offenders
• encouraging the offender's participation, whether in the community or a correctional facility, in programs to aid in successful reintegration into the community.

Correctional Services' vision is a of a professional, properly trained, motivated staff team working in an integrated, focused delivery system, providing cost effective programs which are responsive to offenders and the public. The vision will be realized through:

• safe, secure correctional facilities and healthy, supportive correctional environments for offenders and staff
• programs and services which achieve positive change in offender behaviour and attitude
• services which balance deterrence, punishment and rehabilitation
• partnerships with other correctional and community-based agencies
• integrated information and communication systems through office automation and optimum use of technology
• achievement of goals and objectives through creativity, innovation and integrity in decision making
• continuity and consistency in service delivery within and between operating units.

Courts in Nova Scotia have traditionally had a high rate of community-based dispositions such as probation and conditional sentences as opposed to custody sentences. In 1998/99 Nova Scotia had:

• the lowest average number of adults in provincial custody per 100,000 population in Canada;
• the highest average of probation count per 100,000 population in Canada.

Statistics on young offenders are in the low to mid range of youth in custody and on probation.

The Correctional Services Division consists of three sections: Correctional Facilities, Community Corrections and Program Services. It is responsible for the administration and operation of five adult provincial correctional facilities, three young offender facilities and 16 Community Corrections offices which provide supervision services to both adult and young offenders.

Correctional Facilities

Adult Correctional Facilities
	The Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility was opened in October 2001. It is the first facility for adult offenders ever built by the Province. The other four facilities for adult offenders are remnants of the county-based jail system that was constructed between 1862 and 1975.
In 1986 the Province assumed responsibilities for the administration and operation of the 13 remaining county jails. Since then nine have been closed. Four original county jails are still in use as provincial adult offender correctional facilities. Click here to view the contact information for the adult offender correctional facilities.

New Facility Announced for Southwest Nova Scotia
In December 2001 the Province announced that the Yarmouth Correctional Centre will be replaced by the Southwest Correctional Facility, a new 38 bed direct supervision podular-style facility. It is proposed for a site adjacent to the airport in the Town of Yarmouth. Construction is set to commence in 2002 and occupancy is scheduled for 2003. For more information click here.

Young Offender Correctional Facilities
The unique staffing arrangement at the youth centres provides for a generic classification called "Youth Workers". They perform a wide range of duties that are traditionally provided in a fragmented manner by specialty positions such as counselor, life skills/social skills educator, security officer, recreation officer.

The Nova Scotia Youth Centre opened in 1988. The facility accommodates 120 male young offenders serving open or secure custody dispositions as well as remanded young offenders. The institution consists of five cottages, each with two 12-bed units. Each cottage is inter-connected to form a circle around a large interior recreation area. A cognitive, integrated learning model approach is used at the Youth Centre in order to assist young offenders to gain a better understanding of their behaviour, their environment and to assist in their response to the community following their release from custody.

The Cape Breton Young Offender Detention Centre is a small facility located in Glace Bay. Its purpose is to hold male and female young offenders in custody for very short periods of time (up to 72 hours) when required to appear in court in eastern Nova Scotia or while awaiting transfer to the Nova Scotia Youth Centre or the Shelburne Youth Centre.

Click here to view the young offender contact information.

Community Corrections
Correctional Services operates 16 community corrections offices across the province. Supervision of both adult and young offenders serving community-based sentences of the Court are provided by probation officers. The sentences include both probation and conditional sentence. Probation Officers also supervise offenders released from custody on temporary absence permits and prepare pre-sentence investigations to assist the Courts in the sentencing process.

A number of active community partnerships enhance the service provided. For example, police agencies offer direct assistance to Probation Officers in the supervision of conditional sentence offenders, schools assist in offering anger management programs to youth, Restorative Justice agencies provide community-based programs and services for youth and the Provincial Forensic Psychiatry Service coordinates the provision of treatment programs to sex offenders. Click here to view the contact information for the Community Corrections offices.

Program Services
Correctional Services' Program Services unit provides policy development, management of special projects and selected new initiatives, co-ordinates conditional releases and transfers of offenders, and provides training and development for staff of the Division.

Temporary Absence Program
Temporary absences are a form of conditional release which are available to eligible provincially-sentenced offenders. Offenders may apply for temporary absences for humanitarian, rehabilitative, medication and employment purposes.

Youth Criminal Justice Act
The new federal Youth Criminal Justice Act was passed by the House of Commons on February 4, 2002. This new legislation will change the way young offenders are managed both in custody and while under community supervision. In preparation for this change the Division is developing new policy, procedures and programs to meet the requirements of the new legislation. It will come into force in April, 2003.

Intensive Support and Supervision (ISS)
In anticipation of the proclamation of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, Correctional Services is piloting an intensive support and supervision approach to community-based supervision of high risk, high needs youth. This case supervision strategy provides close supervision and a high level of programming for youth in conflict with the law who are at high risk to re-offend or who have a high level of needs.

Staff Training and Development
Correctional Services has a very active staff training component. Under the supervision of the Division's training co-ordinator, training needs are identified and programs are designed, piloted and delivered to based staff across the province.