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Government of Canada Puts Forth Measures to Improve Accelerated Parole Review
October 26, 2009 -- Halifax, Nova Scotia -- Rob Moore, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice, announced today that the Government of Canada will introduce measures to fix problems in the parole system that allow convicted criminals to obtain early release.
"Our government has taken a new approach to corrections by making the protection of society the primary focus of the Canadian prison system," said Mr. Moore. "Today we are taking another step to ensure our justice and corrections systems do not put the rights of criminals ahead of the rights of law-abiding citizens."
The current system of Accelerated Parole Review allows criminals convicted of non-violent offenses to obtain parole after serving only one-sixth of their sentence. Moreover, parole in such cases is virtually automatic, leaving the National Parole Board powerless to stop the release of a criminal, even when they believe the criminal will offend again.
The Government will respond to concerns raised by victims' groups and police associations across the country, and to the Correctional Service of Canada's Independent Review Panel's recommendations to work towards a system of earned parole.
In June 2009 the Government introduced legislation proposing reforms to the corrections system to hold offenders more accountable for their actions, to make rehabilitation more effective, and to make the protection of society paramount in all decisions in the corrections process.
Rob Moore is the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and the MP for Fundy Royal.
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William Spisso
Special Assistant - Communications
Office of Rob Moore, M.P. Fundy Royal
(613) 996-2316
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