Recommendation number 67 from the Culleton, Kuzyk and Warmerdam inquest into ending intimate partner violence continues with fine tuning the probation system in Ontario.
It says the province must ensure existing policy and guidelines require probation officers to follow through on enforcement of non-compliance by requiring delivery and documentation of clear instructions regarding expectations to supervised offenders in a way that allows for direct and progressive enforcement decisions. This should be a focus for performance management and quality assurance processes.
Erin Lee has been analyzing each recommendation for us. She is the Executive Director at Lanark County Interval House and testified at the inquest.
She sums up number 67 for us.
Lee says instructions can’t be complex, especially with offenders with a history of non-compliance.
After all, Lee says when it comes to non-compliance, it’s all about overall safety of those the offender has contact with or has in the past.
Lee adds that the fix isn’t a one size fits all, and risk assessments have to be completed and updated. There also has to be accountability for decisions made by the offender.
You can listen to the complete conversation with Erin Lee below.