Guideline 726-2: National correctional program referral guidelines

• Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA), sections 3, 3.1, 4, 5(b), 15.1, 26, 76, 77, 79, 80, 83 and 87
• Corrections and Conditional Release Regulations(CCRR), section 102
• Commissioner’s Directive (CD) 726 – Correctional Programs

To provide a framework for referrals to national correctional programs that effectively addresses offenders’ risk and needs, and to assign offenders to the most appropriate correctional programs that will contribute to their rehabilitation and safe reintegration

To base correctional program referrals on actuarial risk in conjunction with needs identified by supplementary assessments and/or criminal history

Applies to all staff and contractors involved in correctional program development, management, monitoring, referrals and delivery

• Responsibilities
• Procedures
• Correctional Program Referrals
• Men Offender Correctional Programs
  • Program Primers
  • Men Offender Correctional Program Referrals
  • ICPM Community Program
  • Maintenance Programs
• Women Offender Correctional Programs
  • Women’s Engagement Programs
  • Women’s Sex Offender Programs
  • Women Offender Self-Management Programs
  • Women’s Modular Intervention
• Annex A - Cross-References and Definitions
• Annex B - Combined Static-99R and STABLE-2007 Scores
• Annex C - Men Offender Program Selection Criteria
• Annex D - Women Offender Program Selection Criteria
• Annex E - Override Criteria For Correctional Program Referral

1. The Regional Program Manager will review submissions of assessments for correctional program overrides in the Identification of Needs for Correctional Programs (INCP) screen in the Offender Management System (OMS), and approve or deny these assessments within four working days.
2. The Regional Administrator, Assessment and Interventions, will make final decisions in cases where there are dissenting opinions on whether to accept an override to a correctional program.
3. The Correctional Intervention Board will:
1. ensure that correctional program referrals adhere to these guidelines and are in line with the required correctional program(s) assessed through the INCP screen in OMS, prior to accepting a referral to a correctional program
2. ensure that Indigenous offenders have been informed of, and are encouraged to participate in, Indigenous correctional programs
3. ensure that Indigenous offenders’ preferences for Indigenous or non-Indigenous correctional programming are recorded in the INCP screen in OMS, and updated as required
4. prioritize referrals to the institutional and/or community maintenance programs in the case of offenders who are assessed as high risk and who completed an Integrated Correctional Program Model (ICPM), Indigenous Integrated Correctional Program Model (IICPM), Inuit Integrated Correctional Program (IICP) main program, or the ICPM Community Program.
5. discuss each offender’s case and approve or deny correctional program referrals
6. ensure offenders are only assigned to one correctional program, including maintenance/self-management programs, at any given time.
4. The Parole Officer will:
1. refer offenders to correctional programs based on the program-specific selection criteria (Annex C and Annex D) outlined in these guidelines
2. use the results of the Criminal Risk Index (CRI) to determine correctional program needs and appropriate program intensity level
3. use the results of the CRI, in combination with those of the Static-99R and the Stable-2007 when applicable, to determine appropriate correctional program referrals for male sex offenders, in accordance with Annex B
4. use the results of the CRI, in combination with those of a psychological risk assessment with the focus on sexual offending, to determine appropriate correctional program referrals for women sex offenders, in accordance with Annex D
5. consult with Indigenous offenders to determine whether they wish to participate in Indigenous correctional programming, and record this preference in the INCP screen in OMS. The Parole Officer should invite an Elder/Spiritual Advisor or Elder Helper and/or an Indigenous Liaison Officer to participate in this discussion with the Indigenous offender, when possible
6. ensure referrals to Indigenous correctional programs take precedence over referrals to the non-Indigenous correctional program equivalent in the case of Indigenous offenders wishing to participate in Indigenous correctional programming
7. ensure that all referrals to correctional programs are included in the Correctional Plan, the Correctional Plan Update, or the Community Strategy
8. submit an override assessment, via the INCP screen in OMS, for the Regional Program Manager's review when it is determined that the offender does not meet the selection criteria for the assessed program based on the INCP screen
9. document the rationale for an override and the date the override assessment was approved by the Regional Program Manager in the Correctional Plan or Correctional Plan Update
10. complete and update, when required, the INCP screen in OMS, which includes indicating offender preference for Indigenous programs (if applicable), the override assessment (if applicable) and the required correctional program(s) to which the offender will be referred in order to address their correctional program needs.
5. The Correctional Program Officer Assessor, where this position exists, will contribute to the completion of the INCP screen in OMS, and consult with the Parole Officer regarding the appropriate program stream and intensity to address the offender’s risk and needs, including whether an override assessment may be required.
6. The Correctional Program Officer/Indigenous Correctional Program Officer will document whether or not the offender met the program selection criteria and include the rationale for an override, if applicable, in the final correctional program report.

7. The Parole Officer:
1. may refer offenders to correctional programs during the intake assessment process, pursuant to CD 705 – Intake Assessment Process and Correctional Plan Framework. This applies, in particular, to offenders serving sentences of four years or less, where an offender’s specific program needs are apparent relatively early in the intake process prior to the completion of the Correctional Plan
2. will ensure that offenders who successfully complete or attend all sessions of a primer/ engagement/main program are not referred to the same program or a program at the same intensity level during the same sentence, unless the offender obtains new criminal convictions which change their program needs
3. may refer offenders to a second main program if they have completed a main program under the previous cadre of men’s program and have an unmet need in another program area, in accordance with the ICPM transition report
4. may refer a high-risk offender participating in women or Inuit correctional programs to subsequent main programs at a different intensity level during the same sentence, in accordance with the women and Inuit correctional program model
5. will review and update, if necessary, the offender’s required correctional program(s) on the INCP screen, in cases where the offender’s Criminal History Record section of the Static Factors Assessment is updated following the receipt of new information and/or new criminal conviction(s) to determine whether a new referral to a main correctional program or an alternative program is required to address the offender’s risk level as a result of a change in the offender’s CRI score
6. will review and update, if necessary, the offender’s required correctional program(s) on the INCP screen, in cases where a male sex offender’s Static-99R and/or STABLE-2007 are updated following the receipt of new information and/or new criminal conviction(s) to determine whether a new referral to a main correctional program or alternative program is required to address the offender’s risk level as a result of a change in the offender’s Static-99R and/or STABLE-2007 results
7. may refer, to a main program, men offenders with an unmet required correctional program(s) need who successfully completed or attended all sessions of the ICPM Community Program, if they are re‑admitted to an institution
8. may refer offenders with specific needs linked to responsivity factors to correctional programs if it is determined by the Correctional Intervention Board that they are able to meaningfully participate in the program with the support of available accommodations.
8. The Correctional Intervention Board will:
1. ensure that the offender meets the selection criteria and that the correctional program is available prior to accepting a referral
2. determine if offenders with responsivity factors are able to meaningfully participate in the correctional program to which they are referred. Should the offender be unable to meaningfully participate in the proposed program, the Correctional Intervention Board will recommend a referral to alternative interventions to meet their needs
3. approve referrals and update assignments until they are finalized
4. review and record decisions on referrals within 10 working days from the date of application.

9. The Parole Officer, in consultation with the Correctional Program Officer/Indigenous Correctional Program Officer/Correctional Program Officer Assessor trained to use the sex offender assessment tools:
1. may begin an initial referral to a sex offender program upon the completion of the Static-99R, where appropriate. The Parole Officer will confirm or modify the program referral following the results of the STABLE-2007, in accordance with Annex C
2. will determine program intensity based on the results of the STABLE-2007 and the CRI where the Static-99R is not applicable to a male sex offender.
10. The Parole Officer, in consultation with a Correctional Program Officer/Indigenous Correctional Program Officer trained in the adapted program, may refer offenders with one or more health, cognitive and/or medical conditions that might significantly impact functioning, who score 8 or more on the CRI, and who are unable to meaningfully participate in correctional programs, to an adapted program. The adapted program is designed to meet the offender's needs and/or therapeutic interventions as per their treatment plan and in consultation with Health Services and/or Mental Health Services, if required. To determine the appropriateness of a referral to an adapted program, the Screening Tool – Adapted ICPM will be completed by a Correctional Program Officer/Indigenous Correctional Program Officer trained in the adapted program, in collaboration with the Parole Officer, and approved by the Regional Program Manager.

11. The Parole Officer:
1. will refer all men offenders who meet the selection criteria for participation in an ICPM moderate or high intensity program to an ICPM program primer first, in either the multi-target, Indigenous multi-target, sex offender, or Indigenous sex offender stream:
1. offenders serving sentences of four years or less will normally be referred to the appropriate program primer during intake
2. offenders serving sentences of more than four years or who did not complete a program primer during intake will be referred to the appropriate non-intake program primer at the receiving institution
2. may refer an offender to a hybrid program in lieu of separate referrals to a program primer and a moderate intensity program
3. will refer all men offenders who meet the selection criteria for participation in a moderate and/or high intensity IICP to an IICP primer first
4. will consult with the Correctional Program Officer/Indigenous Correctional Program Officer to ensure offenders complete the requisite program primer prior to participation in a moderate or high intensity program
5. may refer offenders who are unlikely to participate in an ICPM moderate or high intensity program in the near future to an extended primer, where available, to enable these offenders to gain additional self-management skills that will help them adjust to incarceration while awaiting program participation.

12. The Parole Officer will:
1. refer men offenders to the appropriate program stream and intensity level of the ICPM or the IICPM, in accordance with Annex C
2. refer men offenders to the appropriate program stream and intensity level of the IICP, in accordance with Annex C
3. determine if an offender’s exceptional circumstance warrants an override to a correctional program, in accordance with Annex E, when there is a disagreement with the assessed correctional program intensity and/or stream
4. refer men offenders to a combination of other institutional and community-based interventions deemed appropriate to manage their identified risk and maintain their protective factors, in cases where they do not meet the referral or override criteria for participation in a correctional program.

13. The Parole Officer will refer offenders being released to the community to the ICPM Community Program if they refused to participate in, or were referred to and did not complete a main program.

14. The Parole Officer, in consultation with the Correctional Program Officer/Indigenous Correctional Program Officer, will:
1. assess whether offenders who completed a main program, or the ICPM Community Program, should be referred to the institutional and/or community maintenance programs
2. refer all offenders who are assessed as high risk and who completed an ICPM, IICPM, or IICP main program or the ICPM Community Program to the institutional and/or community maintenance programs accordingly. A clear rationale must be documented in the offender's Correctional Plan should a decision be made not to proceed with a referral to a maintenance program
3. ensure the offender's level of risk and progress in previous correctional programs are considered when determining the number of maintenance cycles required in institutional and/or community maintenance programs
4. ensure referrals to maintenance programs are to the same stream as the main program the offender completed, where feasible.
15. The Correctional Intervention Board may approve a different maintenance stream if the offender has specific risk factors or Indigenous social history considerations that can only be addressed through participation in another stream. When this occurs, the Correctional Program Officer/ Indigenous Correctional Program Officer will complete a transition interview with the offender in order to identify any additional personal targets that need to be addressed.

16. The Parole Officer will:
1. refer women offenders to the appropriate program stream and intensity level of the Women Offender Correctional Program or the Indigenous Women Offender Correctional Program, in accordance with Annex D
2. determine if an offender’s exceptional circumstance warrants an override to a correctional program, in accordance with Annex E, when there is a disagreement with the assessed correctional program intensity and/or stream
3. refer women offenders to a combination of other institutional and community-based interventions deemed appropriate to manage their identified risk and maintain their protective factors, in cases where they do not meet the referral or override criteria for participation in a correctional program.

17. The Parole Officer will:
1. refer all women offenders to the women’s engagement program or the Indigenous women’s engagement program, regardless of whether or not they meet the criteria for participation in a moderate and/or high intensity program
2. ensure women offenders complete the requisite engagement program prior to participation in a moderate and/or high intensity program, or the women’s sex offender program, in consultation with the Correctional Program Officer/Indigenous Correctional Program Officer.

18. The Psychologist will conduct a psychological risk assessment at intake, with the focus on sexual offending, for women offenders who meet the sexual offence definition, pursuant to CD 705-5 – Supplementary Assessments, in order to inform the Correctional Program Officer/Indigenous Correctional Program Officer’s delivery of the Women’s Sex Offender Program.

19. The Parole Officer, in consultation with the Correctional Program Officer/Indigenous Correctional Program Officer, will:
1. assess whether offenders who completed a main program should be referred to institutional and/or community self-management programs
2. ensure the offender's level of risk and progress in previous correctional programs are considered when determining the number of cycles required in institutional and/or community self-management programs.
20. The Parole Officer, in consultation with the Correctional Program Officer/Indigenous Correctional Program Officer, may refer women offenders who do not require a moderate or high intensity program to an institutional and/or a community self-management program if the dynamic factors’ reassessment rating has recently elevated to medium or high in accordance with the Correctional Plan Update.
21. The Correctional Program Officer/Indigenous Correctional Program Officer will complete transition sessions prior to the offender's participation in the community self-management program in cases where an offender has not participated in any main program during their incarceration.

22. The Parole Officer may refer women offenders housed in the Secure Units who score 9 or more on the CRI to the Women’s Modular Intervention.

Assistant Commissioner,
Correctional Operations and Programs

Original Signed by:

France Gratton

CD 001 – Mission, Values and Ethics Framework of the Correctional Service of Canada
CD 087 – Official Languages
CD 568-3 – Identification and Management of Security Threat Groups
CD 700 – Correctional Interventions
CD 701 – Information Sharing
CD 702 – Indigenous Offenders
CD 705 – Intake Assessment Process and Correctional Plan Framework
CD 705-5 – Supplementary Assessments
CD 705-6 – Correctional Planning and Criminal Profile
CD 705-7 – Security Classification and Penitentiary Placement
CD 705-8 – Assessing Serious Harm
CD 710-1 – Progress Against the Correctional Plan
CD 711 – Structured Intervention Units
CD 715-1 – Community Supervision
CD 715-2 – Post-Release Decision Process
CD 719 – Long-Term Supervision Orders
CD 726 – Correctional Programs
GL 726-1 – National Correctional Program Standards
GL 726-3 – National Correctional Program Management Guidelines
CD 730 – Offender Program Assignments and Inmate Payments
CD 767 – Ethnocultural Offenders: Services and Interventions
CD 784 – Victim Engagement

Indigenous Social History Tool

Adapted program: a correctional program that is specifically designed to meet the unique responsivity needs of offenders who are unable to meaningfully participate in a traditional correctional program environment.

Correctional Intervention Board: a multidisciplinary team that approves interventions and contributes to recommendations or decisions for complex cases. The Interdisciplinary Mental Health Team is considered a component of the Correctional Intervention Board.

Correctional program: a structured intervention that targets empirically-validated factors directly linked to offenders’ criminal behaviour, in order to reduce re-offending.

Correctional Program Officer Assessor: a designated Correctional Program Officer/Indigenous Correctional Program Officer, at a men's site, responsible for completing program-related assessments for referrals to the appropriate correctional programs. The Correctional Program Officer Assessor will be trained in all ICPM streams as well as in the IICP. This role will normally be assigned to an experienced Correctional Program Officer/Indigenous Correctional Program Officer.

Correctional program referral: the means used to identify an offender for participation in a correctional program, which includes the following principal components:

• prepare offenders for timely and safe reintegration
• ensure that the intensity and type of correctional program(s) selected are based on risk and needs
• give priority to offenders serving sentences of four years or less for correctional programs during intake
• include appropriate culturally-based correctional programs for Indigenous offenders who wish to participate in Indigenous correctional programs
• include gender-informed correctional programs designed for women offenders
• be achievable and available within the length of the sentence, and take parole eligibility dates into consideration
• provide a justifiable rationale for any override to a correctional program, and document this rationale in OMS
• consider the offender’s specific responsivity needs.

Criminal Risk Index (CRI): a research-based tool used to assess static risk and guide offender intervention levels, which is derived from the Criminal History Record section of the Static Factors Assessment.

Elder Helper: an individual other than an offender designated to assist offenders to benefit from traditional healing and contemporary treatment interventions by supporting the work of the Elders/ Spiritual Advisors and the Interdisciplinary Team.

Elder/Spiritual Advisor: any person recognized by an Indigenous community as having knowledge and understanding of the traditional culture of the community, including the physical manifestations of the culture of the people and their spiritual and social traditions and ceremonies. Knowledge and wisdom, coupled with the recognition and respect of the people of the community, are the essential defining characteristics of an Elder/Spiritual Advisor. Elders/Spiritual Advisors are known by many other titles depending on the region or local practices. An example is Angakuk who is an Inuit shaman or medicine man.

Hybrid program: a correctional program that combines both a program primer and a moderate intensity program in a single program assignment. Hybrid programs should generally be reserved for offenders with a shorter sentence.

Identification of Needs for Correctional Programs (INCP): a screen in OMS that considers the results of various assessments, including risk and actuarial assessments, and the override assessments (when applicable) to identify the required correctional program(s) for the offender in order to address their correctional program needs.

Indigenous: a person of First Nations, Métis or Inuit heritage.

Indigenous correctional programs: structured, culturally-based interventions that target empirically-validated factors directly linked to Indigenous offenders' criminal behaviour in order to reduce re‑offending. These programs’ culturally-relevant content includes Indigenous social history considerations, traditional teachings and ceremonies, and cultural activities. Indigenous correctional programs should normally be delivered by Indigenous Correctional Program Officers with the involvement of Elders/Spiritual Advisors or Elder Helpers, and will utilize a healing and holistic approach to address the physical, emotional, spiritual and mental needs of Indigenous offenders. Indigenous correctional programs include specific programming for Inuit men offenders.

Indigenous Integrated Correctional Program Model (IICPM): an integrated model consisting of an Indigenous multi-target stream, and an Indigenous sex offender stream.

Indigenous social history: the various circumstances that have affected the lives of most Indigenous peoples. Considering these circumstances may result in alternate options or solutions and applies only to Indigenous offenders (not to non-Indigenous offenders who choose to follow the Indigenous way of life). These circumstances include the following (not an exhaustive list):

• effects of the residential school system
• sixties scoop into the adoption system
• effects of the dislocation and dispossession of Inuit peoples
• family or community history of suicide
• family or community history of substance abuse
• family or community history of victimization
• family or community fragmentation
• level or lack of formal education
• level of connectivity with family/community
• experience in the child welfare system
• experience with poverty
• loss of or struggle with cultural/spiritual identity.

Integrated Correctional Program Model (ICPM): a holistic model consisting of a multi-target program stream, a sex offender program stream, an Indigenous multi-target stream, and an Indigenous sex offender stream.

Inuit Integrated Correctional Program (IICP): an integrated model consisting of a multi-target stream, as well as additional program components for sex offenders.

Main programs: nationally recognized correctional programs which include moderate intensity programs, high intensity programs, and hybrid programs. Main programs specifically address risk factors related to offending at intensity levels commensurate to offenders' risk and needs.

National correctional programs: a specific set of correctional programs that have been developed and implemented on a national level. These programs are structured interventions that target empirically-validated factors directly linked to offenders’ criminal behaviour, in order to reduce re-offending.

Override: the referral of an offender to a correctional program for which the offender does not fully meet the correctional program selection criteria according to the actuarial assessment tools. There will be certain exceptional cases where actuarial tools can be supplemented by structured professional judgement in order to ensure a better match between level of risk and level of program intensity or program stream. Structured professional judgement is based on the consideration of dynamic risk factors and case-specific factors which are not otherwise captured by the actuarial tools, which can be found in Annex E. An override may be to a higher or lower program intensity or to a different program stream (multi-target or sex offender) than the program for which the offender meets the selection criteria.

Persistent violence: three or more offences listed in Schedule I, irrespective of their mode of prosecution, where each conviction leads to a custodial sentence of at least six months duration and where the offences occurred on different days.

Required correctional program(s): the final program referral results on the INCP screen in OMS, which compares the offender's risk assessment results with the program selection criteria in order to determine the most appropriate program intensity and stream for the offender.

Responsivity: the presence of a characteristic(s) that influences the offender's capacity to benefit from the targeted intervention(s). These can include, but are not limited to: health needs, intellectual and developmental disabilities, physical disabilities, learning disabilities, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, age, gender, linguistic differences, ethnocultural background, motivation level, etc. Responsivity resource kits are available to staff to effectively engage and work with offenders with responsivity needs.

Security threat group: any formal or informal ongoing inmate/offender group, gang, organization or association consisting of three or more members. Most security threat groups encountered in a correctional setting fall into one of the following basic categories: street gangs, prison gangs, outlaw motorcycle gangs, traditional organized crime, Indigenous gangs, white supremacy groups, subversive groups, terrorist organizations and hate groups.

Selection criteria: used to identify the target population for the correctional program. Correctional program selection criteria consider the level of actuarial risk in conjunction with supplementary assessments results where appropriate, to determine the required correctional program stream and intensity level.

Serious harm: severe physical injury or severe psychological damage, as defined in section 99 of the CCRA.

Sex offender: a person who meets the sexual offence definition pursuant to CD 705-5 – Supplementary Assessments.

Stable-2007: a structured risk assessment tool which identifies stable dynamic risk factors for sexual offending that are amenable to intervention. When administered by a Correctional Program Officer/ Indigenous Correctional Program Officer/Correctional Program Officer Assessor, this tool is to be used only for program purposes.

Static-99R: an actuarial assessment tool designed to assist in the estimation of sexual recidivism for sexual offenders. When administered by a Correctional Program Officer/Indigenous Correctional Program Officer/Correctional Program Officer Assessor, this tool is to be used only for program purposes.

Supplementary assessments: assessments designed to provide information about the nature and severity of the specific dynamic factor to assist in decision making and program referrals.

Transition interview/session:

• for men offenders who have completed a correctional program and do not need to participate in an ICPM or IICP moderate or high intensity program, the transition interview replaces the need to complete a program primer prior to participation in a maintenance program
• for women offenders who have not completed any correctional programming, the transition sessions replace the need to complete an engagement program prior to participation in a community self-management program.

Women’s Computerized Assessment of Substance Abuse: a self-administered assessment tool that provides information related to a woman offender’s level of substance use, severity and dependence, and life areas impacted by substance use.

Women's Modular Intervention: an intervention that supports women in the Secure Units to begin addressing their specific areas of need when they are unable to attend national correctional programs. These women complete specific modules based on their risk factors. Indigenous women offenders have access to Indigenous-specific sessions, which includes the involvement of the Elder/Spiritual Advisor or Elder Helper.

This table shows how an offender’s total score on the Static-99R assessment and Stable-2007 assessment are combined to provide an overall risk level for sexual offending. Scores on the Static-99R can range from -3 to +12, while scores on the Stable-2007 may range from 0 to +26. Combining the results of both risk assessment tools provides an overall risk level of I, II, III, IVa or IVb, with higher levels being indicative of a greater likelihood of reoffending than lower levels.

The actuarial and supplementary assessment tools used for correctional program referrals, as outlined in these guidelines (GL 726-2), are reliable and valid tools and proven to be the best predictors of future release outcomes. They are therefore the best tools for guiding decisions about the level of program intensity required to address risk. However, there will be certain exceptional cases where actuarial tools can be supplemented by structured professional judgement in order to ensure a better match between level of risk and level of program intensity or program stream. Structured professional judgement is based on the consideration of dynamic risk factors and case-specific factors, which are not otherwise captured. The circumstances where structured professional judgment may be applied are limited to the override criteria listed below.

For supplementary information, please see the Override Criteria Reference Guide.

In cases where the Parole Officer and/or the Correctional Program Officer Assessor do not agree with the program intensity or program stream assessed in the INCP screen, the Parole Officer will submit an override assessment, via the INCP screen, for the Regional Program Manager's approval based on the following criteria:

1. Men offenders who score 1 to 7 on the CRI, and men sex offenders who score 1 to 7 on the CRI and level I or II on the Static-99R and STABLE-2007 combined will not be referred to a moderate intensity program unless they meet one or more of the following criteria:
1. the offender's believed involvement within a security threat group increases the likelihood of violence
2. there is corroborated information demonstrating the presence of a pattern of violent behaviour not reflected in convictions
3. the current offence caused death or serious harm to another person and/or there are risk factors present to believe, on reasonable grounds, the offender is likely to commit an offence causing death or serious harm to another person.

2. In cases where an offender meets the criteria for a moderate intensity correctional program, an override from moderate to high intensity may only be considered in exceptional cases where the offender has exhibited a pattern of persistent non-sexual violence.

3. In order to be eligible for an override to a lower program intensity (i.e., high intensity to moderate intensity, moderate intensity to no program, or moderate/high intensity to maintenance in cases where an offender has previously participated in a main program), an offender must meet one of the following criteria:
1. Indigenous social history considerations, which contextualize risk, and warrant a reduction in program intensity level
2. a health limitation that is determined to significantly reduce the offender’s risk of reoffending or that precludes meaningful program participation
3. previous participation in a main correctional program at the same program intensity as the current assessed need level.

4. In cases where the Correctional Program Officer Assessor and the Parole Officer do not agree with the program stream assessed in the INCP screen (i.e. multi-target stream or sex offender stream), the Parole Officer will submit an override assessment, via the INCP screen, for the Regional Program Manager's approval.

5. Women offenders who score 1 to 8 on the CRI may be considered for participation in a women offender moderate intensity program or Indigenous women offender moderate intensity program if they meet one or more of the following override criteria:
1. the offender’s believed involvement with a security threat group increases the likelihood of violence
2. the offender scores moderate to high need on the Women’s Computerized Assessment of Substance Abuse and there is an established link between the current offence and substance abuse
3. there is corroborated information demonstrating a pattern of violent behaviour not reflected in convictions
4. the current offence caused death or serious harm to another person and/or there are risk factors present to believe, on reasonable grounds, the offender is likely to commit an offence causing death or serious harm to another person.
6. Notwithstanding the above, women sex offenders who score 1 to 8 on the CRI may be considered for participation in a moderate intensity program if they meet one or more of the following override criteria:
1. the offender’s believed involvement with a security threat group, particularly that involved the exploitation of minors or vulnerable persons, increases the likelihood of violence
2. the offender scores moderate to high need on the Women’s Computerized Assessment of Substance Abuse and there is an established link between the current offence and substance abuse
3. there is corroborated information demonstrating a pattern of violent behaviour and/or sexual offending not reflected in convictions
4. the current offence caused death or serious harm to another person and/or there are risk factors present to believe, on reasonable grounds, the offender is likely to commit an offence causing death or serious harm to another person
5. the offender acted alone and the most recent psychological risk assessment on file states that there is a moderate or high risk for recidivism.
7. Women offenders who meet the aforementioned override criteria may be referred to only one moderate intensity correctional program. The available programs include the women offender moderate intensity program/Indigenous women offender moderate intensity program, or the women’s sex offender program, in accordance with Annex D.

8. In cases where a woman offender already meets the criteria for a moderate intensity correctional program, an override from moderate to high intensity may only be considered in exceptional cases where the offender has exhibited a pattern of persistent violence

9. In order to be eligible for an override to a lower program intensity (i.e., high intensity to moderate intensity, or moderate to no main program/self-management program), the woman offender must meet one of the following criteria:
1. Indigenous social history considerations, which contextualize risk, and warrant a reduction in program intensity level
2. a health limitation that is determined to significantly reduce the offender’s risk of reoffending or that precludes meaningful program participation
3. previous participation in a main correctional program at the same program intensity as the current assessed need level.

10. In cases where the Parole Officer does not agree with the program stream assessed in the INCP screen (i.e. women offender stream or women sex offender stream), the Parole Officer will submit an override assessment, via the INCP screen, for the Regional Program Manager's approval.