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Program directory · Correctional Service Canada

Correctional Programs

Program code
BUK11 (CSC)
Core responsibility
Correctional Interventions
In Departmental Plans
2020-21 – 2026-27 · New since an earlier plan

What it does

Correctional Programs contribute to Correctional Interventions by targeting empirically validated factors directly linked to an offender’s criminal behaviour, in order to reduce re-offending.

The key activity is the delivery of correctional programs. The correctional program models are comprised of three distinct components:

1. Readiness programs that prepare offenders to address risk factors;

2. Main programs that address risk factors related to offending at intensity levels that correspond to their identified risk and needs; and,

3. Maintenance programs that support offenders in maintaining skills learned through their participation in the main correctional program.

The delivery of correctional programs teaches skills that help reduce problematic behaviour by assisting offenders to change pro-criminal attitudes and beliefs, and develop healthy interpersonal relationships, coping strategies, problem-solving skills, setting goals. As well, correctional programs support offenders to maintain and apply the skills that they learned.

Source: the department's Program Inventory, via GC InfoBase.

History and lineage

First appears in GC InfoBase's actual spending by program in 2020-21. The data does not record when a program was created; it may be older than its first appearance here, which is limited by the sources (program spending starts in 2010-11, Departmental Plans in 2018-19).

2018-192019-202020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-262026-272027-282028-29Correctional Program Readiness 2018-19: $12.4MCorrectional Program Readiness 2019-20: $12.3MCorrectional Program Readiness 2020-21: $13.1MCorrectional Program Readiness 2021-22: $13.1MCorrectional Programs 2018-19: $56.4MCorrectional Programs 2019-20: $57.3MCorrectional Programs 2020-21: $78MCorrectional Programs 2021-22: $78MCorrectional Program Maintenance 2018-19: $14MCorrectional Program Maintenance 2019-20: $14.4MCorrectional Program Maintenance 2020-21: $14MCorrectional Program Maintenance 2021-22: $14MCorrectional Programs 2020-21: $94.6MCorrectional Programs 2021-22: $91.4MCorrectional Programs 2022-23: $93.9MCorrectional Programs 2023-24: $109MCorrectional Programs 2024-25: $103MCorrectional Programs 2025-26: $102MCorrectional Programs 2026-27: $107MCorrectional Programs 2027-28: $102MCorrectional Programs 2028-29: $102MCorrectional Program ReadinessCorrectional ProgramsCorrectional Program MaintenanceCorrectional Programs
Bars: spending by fiscal year (dark: actual; light: actual restated on the 2017-18 program structure; outlined: the latest plan's forecast; grey: related programs). Bands: each program in the lineage over the years it has data.
ProgramRelationYears with dataActual spending over those years
Correctional Program ReadinessEarlier program (name match, medium confidence)2018-19 – 2021-22$24.7M
Correctional ProgramsEarlier program (name match, high confidence)2018-19 – 2021-22$114M
Correctional Program MaintenanceEarlier program (name match, medium confidence)2018-19 – 2021-22$28.4M
Correctional ProgramsThis program2020-21 – 2028-29$491M

Significant changes in scope and budget

Detected from the data: renames between plans, programs it appears to replace, merge with or split into (matched by name), year-over-year changes in spending of at least 25% and $5M, or in employees of at least 20% and 25 FTEs, linked budget measures, and results indicators added or dropped.

YearWhat changedSource
2020-21Appears to combine earlier programs: Correctional Program Readiness; Correctional Programs; Correctional Program MaintenanceCanada Spends name match across plans (an inference)
2026-27Indicators dropped: Of the offenders serving a sentence of four years or less, with an identified need for correctional programming, the percentage who complete such programming prior to sentence expiry date; Of the offenders with an identified need for correctional maintenance programming, the percentage who complete such programming prior to sentence expiry dateDepartmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase)

Success criteria

The program's indicators from its department's Departmental Results Framework: the target set in each year's plan, and the result reported the following year. Source: GC InfoBase.

Historical: targets against results

Median days from admission to the start of a main program for offenders serving a sentence of four years or less
Expected result: Participation in correctional programs contributes to the offender reintegration process by preparing and motivating offenders to address risk factors related to their offending
1432020-21✗ not met1172021-22✗ not met922022-23✗ not met822023-24✓ met722024-25✓ met

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2020-21≤ 472021143
CSC is working to improve results. For further information, please refer to the 2020-21 Departmental Results Report.
Not met
2021-22≤ 562022117
CSC is working to improve results. For further information, please refer to the 2021-22 Departmental Results Report.
Not met
2022-23≤ 56202392
CSC is working to improve results. For further information, please refer to the 2022-23 Departmental Results Report.
Not met
2023-24≤ 116.2202482Met
2024-25≤ 116.2202572Met
Of the offenders serving a sentence of four years or less, with an identified need for correctional programming, the percentage who complete such programming prior to first release
Expected result: Participation in correctional programs contributes to the offender reintegration process by preparing and motivating offenders to address risk factors related to their offending
61.4%2020-21✗ not met59.8%2021-22✗ not met65.6%2022-23✗ not met73.4%2023-24✓ met73.8%2024-25✓ met

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2020-21≥ 85.9%202161.4%
CSC is working to improve results. For further information, please refer to the 2020-21 Departmental Results Report.
Not met
2021-22≥ 78.2%202259.8%
CSC is working to improve results. For further information, please refer to the 2021-22 Departmental Results Report.
Not met
2022-23≥ 78.2%202365.6%
CSC is working to improve results. For further information, please refer to the 2022-23 Departmental Results Report.
Not met
2023-24≥ 58.4%202473.4%Met
2024-25≥ 59.8%202573.8%Met
Of the offenders serving a sentence of four years or less, with an identified need for correctional programming, the percentage who enrol in such programming prior to first release
Expected result: Participation in correctional programs contributes to the offender reintegration process by preparing and motivating offenders to address risk factors related to their offending
79.3%2020-21✗ not met78%2021-22✗ not met79.5%2022-23✗ not met86.5%2023-24✓ met86.3%2024-25✓ met

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2020-2192.1% – 100%202179.3%
CSC is working to improve results. For further information, please refer to the 2020-21 Departmental Results Report.
Not met
2021-22≥ 92.1%202278%
CSC is working to improve results. For further information, please refer to the 2021-22 Departmental Results Report.
Not met
2022-23≥ 92.1%202379.5%
CSC is working to improve results. For further information, please refer to the 2022-23 Departmental Results Report.
Not met
2023-24≥ 75%202486.5%Met
2024-25≥ 76.2%202586.3%Met
Of the offenders serving a sentence of four years or less, with an identified need for correctional programming, the percentage who complete such programming prior to sentence expiry date
Expected result: Participation in correctional programs contributes to the offender reintegration process by preparing and motivating offenders to address risk factors related to their offending
73.7%2020-21✗ not met67.2%2021-22✗ not met62.8%2022-23✗ not met65.3%2023-24✓ met71.6%2024-25✓ met

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2020-21≥ 88.1%202173.7%
CSC is working to improve results. For further information, please refer to the 2020-21 Departmental Results Report.
Not met
2021-22≥ 81.1%202267.2%
CSC is working to improve results. For further information, please refer to the 2021-22 Departmental Results Report.
Not met
2022-23≥ 81.1%202362.8%
CSC is working to improve results. For further information, please refer to the 2022-23 Departmental Results Report.
Not met
2023-24≥ 62.7%202465.3%Met
2024-25≥ 64.6%202571.6%Met
Of the offenders with an identified need for correctional maintenance programming, the percentage who complete such programming prior to sentence expiry date
Expected result: Participation in correctional programs contributes to the offender reintegration process by preparing and motivating offenders to address risk factors related to their offending
77%2020-21✓ met77.8%2021-22✗ not met74.5%2022-23✗ not met74.5%2023-24✓ met78.3%2024-25✓ met

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2020-21≥ 75%202177%Met
2021-22≥ 79.8%202277.8%
CSC is working to improve results. For further information, please refer to the 2021-22 Departmental Results Report.
Not met
2022-23≥ 79.8%202374.5%
CSC is working to improve results. For further information, please refer to the 2022-23 Departmental Results Report.
Not met
2023-24≥ 73%202474.5%Met
2024-25≥ 73%202578.3%Met

Current: the 2026-27 plan's targets

Median days from admission to the start of a main program for offenders serving a sentence of four years or less
Expected result: Participation in correctional programs contributes to the offender reintegration process by preparing and motivating offenders to address risk factors related to their offending
200.22026-27

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2026-27≤ 200.22027—Planned
Of the offenders serving a sentence of four years or less, with an identified need for correctional programming, the percentage who complete such programming prior to first release
Expected result: Participation in correctional programs contributes to the offender reintegration process by preparing and motivating offenders to address risk factors related to their offending
70.8%2026-27

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2026-27≥ 70.8%2027—Planned
Of the offenders serving a sentence of four years or less, with an identified need for correctional programming, the percentage who enrol in such programming prior to first release
Expected result: Participation in correctional programs contributes to the offender reintegration process by preparing and motivating offenders to address risk factors related to their offending
84.1%2026-27

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2026-27≥ 84.1%2027—Planned

Future goals: targets due after 2026-27

No targets with a later due date.

Spending and employees: planned against actual

Spending

2020-21: $99.5M2020-21: $94.6M2020-212021-22: $84.7M2021-22: $91.4M2021-222022-23: $90.1M2022-23: $93.9M2022-232023-24: $92.6M2023-24: $109M2023-242024-25: $101M2024-25: $103M2024-252025-26: $102M2025-262026-27: $107M2026-272027-28: $102M2027-282028-29: $102M2028-29
Outlined bar: planned in that year's Departmental Plan (dashed: the latest plan, for years not yet reported). Filled bar: actual.
Show the numbers
Fiscal yearPlannedActual
2020-21$99.5M$94.6M
2021-22$84.7M$91.4M
2022-23$90.1M$93.9M
2023-24$92.6M$109M
2024-25$101M$103M
2025-26$102M—
2026-27$107M—
2027-28$102M*—
2028-29$102M*—

Employees (FTEs)

2020-21: 8292020-21: 8222020-212021-22: 8352021-22: 8412021-222022-23: 8342022-23: 8762022-232023-24: 8732023-24: 8672023-242024-25: 8642024-25: 8962024-252025-26: 8972025-262026-27: 8252026-272027-28: 7902027-282028-29: 7902028-29
Outlined bar: planned in that year's Departmental Plan (dashed: the latest plan, for years not yet reported). Filled bar: actual.
Show the numbers
Fiscal yearPlannedActual
2020-21829822
2021-22835841
2022-23834876
2023-24873867
2024-25864896
2025-26897—
2026-27825—
2027-28790*—
2028-29790*—

Planned spending, plan by plan

Each row is one year's Departmental Plan and its forecast for the next three fiscal years; read a column down to see how the forecast for one year changed. The last row is what was actually spent. Click an amount for its source. Biggest changes in federal spending plans

Plan2020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-262026-272027-282028-29
2020-21 plan$99,498,703$100,447,219$101,514,935
2021-22 plan$84,657,359$85,400,732$85,783,449
2022-23 plan$90,068,992$88,962,898$85,836,198
2023-24 plan$92,640,431$92,654,855$92,276,548
2024-25 plan$100,502,429$100,721,111$100,605,302
2025-26 plan$101,948,356$101,784,037$102,136,476
2026-27 plan$106,596,351$101,711,525$101,824,285
Actual$94,638,812$91,387,795$93,880,746$108,782,953$102,763,364

Actual spending is from Departmental Results Reports and the Public Accounts, as published in GC InfoBase. FTEs are full-time equivalents.