Federal corrections

Learn how federal corrections works, including the role of the Correctional Service of Canada, correctional centres, community corrections, parole, and the Parole Board of Canada.

On this page

• Correctional Service of Canada
• Federal correctional facilities
• Community corrections
• Parole
• Parole Board of Canada - Parole and record suspensions

Correctional Service of Canada

The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is responsible for offenders serving a custodial sentence of two years or more in a federal correctional centre. The service supports offenders while they serve their sentence in custody and when they are conditionally released into the community.

Other CSC responsibilities include:

• Operating federal correctional facilities that house and supervise offenders in custody
• Providing programs and services to offenders while they are in custody, including Indigenous programs that are culturally sensitive
• Preparing offenders to be considered for a conditional release by the Parole Board of Canada
• Supervising offenders conditionally released into the community (Community corrections)
• Helping offenders move back into the community after they have completed their sentences

Federal correctional facilities

CSC manages federal correctional centres with different levels of security and control throughout Canada. CSC also manages Indigenous healing lodges, community residential facilities and parole offices. To learn more, visit the Government of Canada's Facilities and security (CSC) page.

Community corrections

Offenders held in a federal correctional centre serve two-thirds of their sentence in custody and then, in most cases, serve the remaining third in the community, under supervision. The Parole Board of Canada decides if an offender will be released after two-thirds of their sentence.

Offenders serving the remainder of their sentence in the community are required to obey certain conditions and are supervised by CSC workers (parole officers). Gradually releasing offenders into the community has been proven to be a good way to help offenders become law-abiding. To learn more, visit the Government of Canada's Community corrections page.

Parole

CSC is responsible for supervising provincial offenders (people serving sentences in provincial correctional centres) and federal offenders (people serving sentences in federal correctional centres) while they are on parole.

Parole Board of Canada - Parole and record suspensions

The Parole Board of Canada is responsible for deciding whether an offender can be released into the community before the end of their sentence. It also decides what, if any, conditions the offender must obey while they serve part of their sentence in the community. This is called parole. The Parole Board of Canada also makes decisions about record suspensions for offenders.

For more information, see Release from custody.