SIU Authorizations: January 1, 2025 to March 31, 2025 (Quarterly Report Q4)
Highlight: National SIU authorizations continued to increase in the fourth quarter of the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year.
Number: RIB-25-15
Date: 2025
Alternative Format:
Background
As part of a quarterly series highlighting trends in Structured Intervention Units (SIUs) within the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC), the current analysis examines SIU authorizations in the fourth quarter (Q4) of the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year (such as, January 1, 2025, to March 31, 2025).
Overview of Authorizations
In Q4 of the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year:
- There were 740 new authorizations to an SIU, an increase from the past three quarters (and an increase the quarterly average of 722 in the 2023 to 2024 fiscal year).
- The average number of new monthly authorizations in Q4 was 247, representing around 1.7% of the in-custody population.
- Most (94%) authorizations occurred at men’s institutions.
Regional Trends
Average monthly SIU authorizations in Q4 represented 1.7% of the in-custody population in the Atlantic region, 2.4% in the Quebec region, 1.7% in the Ontario region, 1.3% in the Prairie region, and 1.2% in the Pacific region.
A majority of SIU authorizations in all regions except Ontario commenced at an SIU site rather than a Restricted Movement (RM) site.Footnote 1 In the Ontario region, 61% of authorizations commenced at a RM site (compared to 9% to 24% in other regions).
Authorization Reason
In Q4, 43% of authorizations were justified under 34.1 A (security) of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA); a decrease from the three previous quarters, while 51% were justified under 34.1 B (safety). Authorizations justified under 34.1 C (investigation) remained relatively uncommon (5%). Regional variation with respect to trends in transfer reason is presented in Table 2.
Region |
||||||
Month |
Atlantic |
Quebec |
Ontario |
Prairie |
Pacific |
Total |
January |
27 |
85 |
82 |
46 |
26 |
226 |
February |
20 |
74 |
67 |
59 |
18 |
238 |
March |
19 |
67 |
64 |
63 |
23 |
236 |
Total |
66 |
226 |
213 |
168 |
67 |
740 |
Region |
||||||
Reason |
Atlantic |
Quebec |
Ontario |
Prairie |
Pacific |
Total |
34.1 A |
14 |
135 |
79 |
65 |
27 |
320 |
34.1 B |
52 |
91 |
96 |
102 |
40 |
381 |
34.1 C |
0 |
0 |
38 |
1 |
0 |
39 |
Total |
66 |
226 |
213 |
168 |
67 |
740 |
Discussion
SIU authorization counts continued to increase in the fourth quarter of the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year; trends remained marked by regional variation. Consistent with ongoing trends, authorizations remained highest in the Quebec region, with the majority justified under 34.1 A (security) of the CCRA.
Prepared by: Molly Stewart