AGENDA ITEM NO: 9.1
UNIVERSITY COUNCIL
PLANNING AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE
REQUEST FOR DECISION
PRESENTED BY:
Bob Tyler, Chair, Planning and Priorities Committee
DATE OF MEETING:
May 19, 2011
SUBJECT:
Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies
DECISION REQUESTED:
It is recommended:
That Council approve the establishment of the Centre for Forensic
Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies as a Type B Centre at the
University of Saskatchewan, the effective date of establishment to
be May 19, 2011.
PURPOSE:
The Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies will build on the University’s
efforts and investments over the past decade in research and teaching expertise pertaining to
issues of crime and justice and will create opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration. The
Centre will provide the formal structure to foster enhanced research and funding partnerships at
local, provincial, national and international levels.
As a Type B Centre, the Centre will partner with the Colleges of Arts and Science, Medicine,
Nursing and Law, and the Edwards School of Business, to become a national and international
leader in research and education within the domains of forensic behavioural sciences and justice,
including issues specific to the operation of the criminal justice system and the care of offenders.
The letters of support included with the proposal convey the enthusiastic and monetary support
of the Deans as well as that of other stakeholders. The Centre will build capacity in the creation
and use of new knowledge, identify best practices, and act as a catalyst for evidence-based policy
change and program/service provision as it pertains to crime, justice and corrections.
CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND:
The University of Saskatchewan has invested strategically in scholarly activity related to justice,
crime and health over the past decade, resulting in a wealth of research and teaching expertise
across the fields of forensic psychology, criminology, Aboriginal justice, forensic nursing and
psychiatry, substance abuse and addictions, and criminal justice. In addition, the University’s
unique and long-standing affiliation with the Regional Psychiatric Centre provides an invaluable
Continued…2/
Council Request for Decision – Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies
Page 2
research and training environment for faculty, students, clinicians and researchers in these
disciplines.
The Centre, based at the University of Saskatchewan, will be well positioned due to the
collective expertise located at the University, the demographic of the provincial community in
which the University is situated, and the affiliation with the Regional Psychiatric Centre. The
Centre will lead the advancement of knowledge in Aboriginal concepts and systems of justice,
the needs of Aboriginal offenders, and their interrelationship with the criminal justice system.
The Centre will lead the advancement of knowledge pertaining to mentally disordered offenders,
including those dually diagnosed with addiction or substance abuse, and the relationship between
mental health and corrections.
The proposed Centre is a good fit with the strategic directions, institutional priorities and
signature research areas of the University and will enable researchers campus-wide to connect
with the opportunities associated with the Centre. The Centre, through its Director, will report to
the Vice-President Research.
CONSULTATION:
The Centres Subcommittee of the Planning and Priorities Committee reviewed the Proposal to
Establish a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies on September 16,
2010. Following receipt of a positive recommendation from the Centres Subcommittee that the
proposed Centre be approved subject to minor revisions to the proposal, the Planning and
Priorities Committee considered the proposal at its meetings on March 16 and March 30, 2011.
With the receipt of a revised proposal and additional letters of support, the Planning and
Priorities Committee recommends approval of the Centre.
SUMMARY:
With funding commitments from the federal government for five years (of which three are
remaining) and a new commitment from the provincial government for ten years, the Planning
and Priorities Committee is confident that the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and
Justice Studies has access to financial resources sufficient for it to achieve its stated objectives
and the potential to continue its mission beyond that time. In light of positive relationships with
federal, provincial and local agencies and an excellent record of funding from these partners, it is
anticipated that renewal of funding will occur.
In summary, the Planning and Priorities Committee supports the establishment of the Centre for
Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies as a Type B Centre at the University of
Saskatchewan. The Centre will enhance the University’s status as a provincial, national and
international leader in forensic- and justice-related research.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Letter of Support from Planning and Priorities Committee, April 20, 2011.
2. Proposal to establish the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies.
The Centres Policy and Guidelines may be found at:
www.usask.ca/university_secretary/policies/research/8_23.php
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Steve Wormith, Department of Psychology
Ronda Appell, Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies Initiative
Phil Wood, Associate Dean of Research, College of Nursing
FROM:
Bob Tyler, Chair, Planning and Priorities Committee of Council
DATE:
April 20, 2011
RE:
Planning and Priorities Committee Response to a Proposal to Establish a
Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies
______________________________________________________________________________
Thank you for meeting with the Planning and Priorities Committee on March 16, 2011, with
respect to your proposal to establish a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice
Studies at the University of Saskatchewan. The Planning and Priorities Committee met again
on March 30 to discuss the proposal further. Please accept my apologies for taking so long to
provide you with our comments and suggestions.
The Committee was appreciative of receiving such a well written and comprehensive
proposal. It felt that the objectives of the Centre are a good fit with the priorities of the
University and that the Centre will be an important contributor to the focal areas for the third
planning cycle, particularly with regard to Aboriginal education and scholarship. The
Committee also noted that important partnerships will be forged with federal and provincial
justice and corrections entities.
The Planning and Priorities Committee members asked me to convey their support for the
proposed centre and passed the following motion:
The Planning and Priorities Committee supports the proposal to establish a Centre for
Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies as a Type B Centre at the
University of Saskatchewan and agrees that the proposal be recommended to
University Council for approval.
Continued...2/
Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies
Page 2
Prior to the proposal and the Committee’s recommendation being forwarded to Council, the
Committee requests that due consideration be paid to the following comments and
suggestions.
The proposal highlights the leadership and financial support of the initiative by the
Division of Social Sciences in the College of Arts and Science. Accordingly, the
Committee requested that a letter of support be secured from the Vice Dean of the
Division of Social Sciences. In addition, the Committee recognized that for various
reasons the proposal has been some time in development, hence it was suggested that
a letter of support from the current Dean of the College of Arts and Science would be
desirable.
There was a suggestion that the proposal be framed more specifically with respect to
the University’s strategic directions and the areas of focus for the Third Integrated Plan,
including specifics relating to Saskatchewan, as these elements are all represented in
the document.
What is the potential to engage the research and professional communities in a broader
sense and in a consultative way? How does the field inform the centre and how does
the centre inform the field? How will capacity be developed within institutions to
develop service in their communities rather than remaining dependent on the centre?
How are graduate students and graduate training involved in this?
There was a suggestion to include more description of existing and planned
undergraduate and graduate programming in the area and to ensure that a sufficient
number of course offerings are in place or planned. There may be an opportunity for
the initiative to reflect on the humanistic nature of offenders such as what it means to
have committed a crime and why people become involved in crime. Other topics could
include the history of crime, prisons and corrections.
There was a question regarding the sustainability of the Centre after year four. A brief
description of potential mechanisms for funding renewal may be helpful.
It was suggested that there be a description of recent success in recruiting top faculty
candidates and of the potential to recruit current graduate students into faculty
positions.
The Committee encouraged the creation of mechanisms to enhance the engagement
and influence of stakeholders from Aboriginal communities in both advisory and
participatory roles.
Continued...3/
Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies
Page 3
Upon receipt of a revised proposal and letters of support as described above, the Planning
and Priorities Committee will forward the proposal and its recommendation to University
Council for consideration. The revised proposal would need to be in the hands of the
Committee by May 9 at the latest if Council is to consider the proposal at its meeting on May
19. If approved, this would be the effective date of the establishment of the Centre. It would
be helpful if you were able to attend the Council meeting at which the proposal is considered
for the purpose of responding to any questions that might arise.
I wish you every success in the establishment of the Centre.
Sincerely,
__________________________________
Bob Tyler
c
C. Card, Chair, University Council
P. Stoicheff, Dean, College of Arts and Science
H. Dickinson, Vice Dean, Division of Social Sciences
Planning and Priorities Committee of University Council
PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH A CENTRE
FOR FORENSIC BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCES
AND JUSTICE STUDIES
MAY 2011
Prepared by:
J. Stephen Wormith, College of Arts & Science, Dept. of Psychology
Arlene Kent-Wilkinson, College of Nursing
Mansfield Mela, College of Medicine, Dept. of Psychiatry
Laura Zink, College of Arts & Science, Division of Social Sciences
Ronda Appell, Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies Initiative
Preface
This proposal was prepared by a working group ma de up of a s ubset of members of the joint
University of Saskatchewan – Correctional Se rvices Canada Steering Committee established in
December, 2009 to oversee the implementation of a Memorandum of Agre ement concerning the
creation of a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sc iences and Justice Studies at the Universit y of
Saskatchewan. The contribution of CSC towards the establishment of such a Centre is gratefully
acknowledged. Members of the CSC-MOA Steering Committee are as follows:
Dr. J. Stephen Wormith
Acting Director, Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies Initiative
Professor, Department of Psychology
College of Arts and Science
Dr. Colleen Dell
Research Chair, Substance Abuse
Associate Professor, Department of Sociology
College of Arts and Science
Associate Professor, School of Public Health
Dr. Arlene Kent-Wilkinson
Associate Professor
College of Nursing
Glen Luther, Q.C.
Associate Professor
College of Law
Associate Member, Department of Psychiatry
College of Medicine
Dr. Mansfield Mela
Head, Forensic Division
Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry
College of Medicine
Associate Member, College of Law
Dr. Terry Nicholaichuk
Director of Research, Regional Psychiatric Centre
Correctional Service Canada
Adjunct Professor, Department of Psychology
College of Arts and Science
1
List of Abbreviations
CCJS
Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics
CPSP
Corrections, Public Safety and Policing
CSC
FIGS
Correctional
Service Canada
Forensic Interest Group of Saskatchewan
FIRST
Forensic
MOA
Memorandum
of Agreement
MOU
Memorandum
of Understanding
RPC
Regional
YCJA
Interdisciplinary Research: Saskatchewan Team
Psychiatric Centre
Youth Criminal Justice Act
2
Table of Contents
1.
2.
3.
Name of Centre ....................................................................................................................... 4
Type of Centre......................................................................................................................... 4
Academic Plan ........................................................................................................................ 4
3.1.
Goals and Objectives...................................................................................................... 7
3.1.1.
Research................................................................................................................ 8
3.1.2.
Training and Education .........................................................................................12
3.1.3.
Outreach and Engagement ...................................................................................14
3.2.
Impact and Relationships ..............................................................................................15
3.3.
Scholarly Work...............................................................................................................17
4. Proponents .............................................................................................................................20
4.1.
Consultation...................................................................................................................20
5. Centre Management...............................................................................................................21
6. Resources and Budget ...........................................................................................................22
7. Support...................................................................................................................................23
8. Governance............................................................................................................................23
9. Systematic Assessment .........................................................................................................25
10. Attachments ...........................................................................................................................25
10.1. Business Plan................................................................................................................27
10.2. Consultation Forms........................................................................................................34
10.3. Letters of Support ..........................................................................................................53
10.4. Forensic-Related Programs and Centres in Canada .....................................................65
10.5 Evaluation Report: MOA between UofS and CSC 1999/00-2004/05 .............................68
10.6 References ....................................................................................................................78
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Proposal to establish a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies
1. Name of Centre
Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies
2. Type of Centre
The proposed Centre is envisioned as a “Type B” centre reporting to the Vice-President
Research.
3. Academic Plan
Further to the positive evaluation of the Chair in Forensic Psychology, a position at the
University of Saskatchewan funded by the Correctional Service Canada (CSC) from 19992005 (see Attachment 10.5), the Division of Social Sciences, College of Arts & Science was
invited to submit a proposal to CSC to fund the development of an interdisciplinary centre
focused on research, education and training in the domains of forensic behavioural sciences
and justice studies. The resulting proposal was submitted to CSC in 2007 and approved in
2009, leading to the development of a Memorandum of Agreement between CSC and the
University of Saskatchewan for the creation of such a centre. The following describes the
academic rationale and vision for the proposed ‘Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and
Justice Studies’, a multi-college initiative, led by the Division of Social Sciences, College of
Arts and Science.
Demands have and continue to emerge at local, national and international levels for scholarly
activity pertaining to critical issues of crime and justice, including the current and evolving
criminal justice and corrections systems in Canada and elsewhere, alternate concepts and
systems of justice, and the offender populations, victims and public they are intended to serve.
Crossing the boundaries of social and health sciences, management and the law, these
demands for knowledge include the need for research, training and evaluation related to:
approaches to crime prevention and conflict resolution; the operation and performance of the
existing criminal justice and corrections systems and their interaction with specific populations
such as Aboriginal peoples, women, and youth; the health needs, care and treatment of
offenders; mental health, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, substance abuse and addictions in a
forensic context; and issues of community health as informed and impacted by correctional
services. These justice- and health-related issues pertaining to offenders, victims and society
at large are vast, complex, and require multi-faceted approaches to research and training.
At the same time, there exists at the University of Saskatchewan, a wealth of research and
teaching expertise to bring to bear on these important and varied issues. Targeted investments
over the past decade in the areas of Forensic Psychology 1 (Chair position, 1999-2005),
Substance Abuse/Addictions (Chair position, 2007-2013) and Aboriginal Justice (Aboriginal
Justice and Criminology, and Indigenous Peoples Justice programs), have served to
The Chair position was subsequently transitioned to an ongoing faculty position in the Department of Psychology,
serving as a testament to the commitment of the College of Arts and Sciences to scholarly pursuit in this area.
1
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Proposal to establish a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies
strategically enhance pre-existing strengths within the disciplines of the forensic behavioural
sciences and justice. Similarly, the University’s unique and long-standing affiliation with the
Regional Psychiatric Centre (RPC), one of few accredited mental health treatment facilities
within the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) and a teaching hospital of the University of
Saskatchewan, has and will continue to attract excellent clinicians and academics both to RPC
and the University, and provides an invaluable research and training environment for faculty,
students, clinicians and researchers in these disciplines. As a result, the University of
Saskatchewan has amassed a unique and impressive portfolio of recognized expertise ranging
across the fields of Forensic Psychology, Criminology, Aboriginal Justice, Forensic Nursing
and Psychiatry, Substance Abuse and Addictions, and Criminal Justice.
This combination of factors presents a unique and distinctive opportunity for the University of
Saskatchewan, guided by its strategic direction for enhanced research and scholarly activity
that is unconstrained by disciplinary boundaries, to develop an interdiscplinary Centre for
Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies. Such a Centre will serve to further elevate
and build on the efforts and investments of the past decade, setting the stage for, and
providing the formal structure to foster enhanced research and partnerships at provincial,
national and international levels. For instance, as a focus of forensic- and justice-related
research and training for the province of Saskatchewan, and potentially for the prairie region
overall, the Centre will be well-positioned to lead or participate in a national network of similar
Canadian Centres, presently located at Carleton University, the University of Ottawa,
University of New Brunswick, and Simon Fraser University. The increased collaborative
opportunities from partnerships such as these will further contribute to the University’s goal of
attracting high-quality faculty and graduate students alike.
Without restricting the potential scope of the proposed Centre to examine and seek solutions to
pressing problems on a broad array of forensic- and justice-related issues, it bears noting that
a Centre based at the University of Saskatchewan, due to the collective expertise located here,
the demographic of the provincial community in which the University is situated, and its unique
affiliation with the Regional Psychiatric Centre – all of which reflect the “sense of place” for
which the University of Saskatchewan will be known - is particularly well-positioned to lead the
advancement of knowledge as it pertains to 1) Aboriginal concepts and systems of justice, the
needs of Aboriginal offenders, and their interrelationship with the criminal justice system 2)
mentally disordered offenders, including those dually diagnosed with addiction or substance
abuse, and the relationship between mental health and corrections. The need and opportunity
for focused interdisciplinary scholarship in these areas is supported by the fact that they are
among the areas of key concern identified by the Office of the Correctional Investigator in its
2008-09 annual report (Office of the Correctional Investigator, 2009a).
More broadly, the proposed Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies will
bring together academics and professionals from various disciplines, from within and outside
the University community, who work with or study offender populations, criminal justice and/or
corrections, creating a distinct advantage and a synergy, whereby the collective experience
can act as a catalyst for influencing policy change and the adoption of evidence-based
practices related to crime, justice and corrections at provincial, national and international
levels.
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Proposal to establish a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies
Following from the above, the suggested Vision and Mission statement of the Centre are:
Vision: To become an international leader in promoting research and education within the
domains of forensic behavioural sciences and justice, and in addressing critical issues of crime
and justice, including those specific to the operation of the criminal justice system, and the care
of offenders in Saskatchewan, Canada and beyond.
Mission: To serve as the gateway to a unique array of interdisciplinary research, education
and engagement activities that will serve to build capacity in the creation and use of new
knowledge, identify best practices, and act as a catalyst for evidence-based policy change and
program/service provision as it pertains to crime, justice and corrections.
The proposed Centre will both showcase existing campus research and training expertise
currently distributed among the Division of Social Sciences, and the Colleges of Medicine,
Nursing, Law and the Edwards School of Business, and create opportunities for enhanced
interdisciplinary collaboration. Extending beyond the traditional forensic and justice disciplines,
the Centre will provide opportunities for faculty from other Colleges and departments to make
important contributions within the interdisciplinary context and to develop a research niche in
this area. For instance, faculty and students within the department of Economics (Arts and
Science) have the potential to make important contributions to new knowledge regarding the
economic impact of proposed justice and correctional policy changes and/or cost-benefit
analyses of new or existing programs, while the Edwards School of Business could potentially
contribute to research and evaluation of the organizational environment and management
approaches observed within justice and correctional settings. Similarly, the College of
Education has the potential to bring its expertise in diverse areas such as educational
assessment and programming for special needs students including learning disabled and Fetal
Alcohol Syndrome Disorder (FASD) youth.
Relevance to Integrated Plan and Foundational Documents
Development of a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies is a key
element of the Division of Social Sciences, College of Arts and Science, integrated plan. The
plan recognized the potential for a multi-college initiative to highlight and facilitate collaboration
between diffuse justice expertise. Led by the Division of Social Sciences, this initiative clearly
addresses not only Divisional priorities but also commitments identified in the University
integrated plan and by other Colleges.
As one of 20 commitments identified in the Second Integrated Plan, “The University of
Saskatchewan will pay particular attention to engaged and interdisciplinary scholarship, to the
development of research centres and partnerships and to ensuring that these are linked in
beneficial ways into the whole life of the University” (University of Saskatchewan [U of S], 2008
p. 19). Similarly, the Areas of Focus for the Third Integrated Plan call for “broad participation in
robust, innovative and cross-discipline research” as key to creating knowledge with impact,
and advancing the culture of engagement through “mutually beneficial partnerships and
agreements with external communities and organizations” that reflect our connection to both
local and global communities and that honour our global sense of place (U of S, 2011). Thus, by
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Proposal to establish a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies
facilitating interdisciplinary research and teaching collaboration and creating “strategic
partnerships with others within the University community and beyond” (U of S, 2008, p. 19), the
proposed Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies will make a
meaningful contribution to the goal of enhancing the University’s profile in research and
scholarly work.
In addition, by recognizing and building upon existing expertise at the University of
Saskatchewan in the areas of Aboriginal justice and the complex interaction of Aboriginal
peoples with the criminal justice system 2 , the proposed Centre will contribute to fostering
“cross-cultural understanding, social justice, and reconciliation” as described within the Areas
of Focus for the Third Integrated Plan (U of S, 2011). Moreover, by forging new relationships
within and beyond University boundaries, and in particular “reaching out to Aboriginal
communities to identify shared problems, to seek solutions to those problems in a relationship
built on mutual trust and cooperation” (U of S, 2003, p. 1), the proposed Centre will help meet
the University’s commitment to Aboriginal engagement through enhanced research and
scholarship “with, for, and about Aboriginal communities and individuals” within the context of
“mutually respectful relations and dialogue” (U of S, 2011). The meaningful involvement of key
stakeholders and representatives from Aboriginal organizations and communities in both
participatory and advisory roles within the proposed Centre is essential to achieving this goal
and will be specifically sought.
Finally, by influencing effective policy development and implementation of evidence-based
change across a broad of array of criminal justice issues, many of which transcend both
provincial and national borders, the Centre will help respond to the institutional imperative to
“bring to bear its formidable expertise in resolving critical issues that face society today….and
finding imaginative ways to link the global to the local” (U of S, 2008, p. 5).
Based on the above, the creation of a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice
Studies is congruent with the goals and priorities as expressed in the Second Integrated Plan
(U of S, 2008), the Areas of Focus identified for the Third Integrated Plan (U of S, 2011) and
the supporting foundational documents. It is also specifically cited in the Second Integrated
Plans of the Division of Social Sciences, College of Arts and Science, and College of Medicine
(Department of Psychiatry), and is consistent with one of the emerging specialty areas within
the College of Nursing.
3.1. Goals and Objectives
The overall goals of the Centre are to:
 promote and facilitate interdisciplinary collaborative research, training and outreach
activities related to law and justice systems, personnel and inmates, crime prevention
Aboriginal rates of incarceration in Canada are nine times the national average (OCI, 2009), a disparity that is even
more pronounced in the prairie region. Incarceration rates of Aboriginal peoples in Saskatchewan are 35 times higher
than non-Aboriginal populations (CSC, 2009).
2
7
Proposal to establish a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies

and conflict resolution studies, and community health issues as informed and
impacted by correctional services;
provide a comprehensive and recognized knowledge Centre through which
government, private agencies, and the not-for-profit sector could access expertise on
the broad scope of issues related to crime, justice, and corrections from a clinical,
behavioural, social science, legal, management, and interdisciplinary perspective.
Following from the above, and as described further below, the three-fold mandate of the
Centre will involve research, education/training and outreach activities, although it is
expected that specific initiatives would frequently fall under more than one of these areas.
Specific expectations/impact of the Centre in its initial mandate include:
Research
o Vibrant interdisciplinary research program with enhanced university- and communitybased research partnerships;
o Funding of forensic/justice-related research awards and scholarships for graduate
students;
o Research development grants for faculty conducting research in forensic- and justicerelated areas;
o Presentations and publications based on graduate student and faculty research
supported by the Centre;
Education/Training
o Interdisciplinary course offerings within existing forensic- and justice-related graduate
and undergraduate programs and enriched student experience;
o Post-graduate training program for corrections professionals, developed jointly with SK
Ministry of Corrections, Public Safety & Policing;
Outreach/Engagement
o Development of criminal justice lecture and/or workshop series, public education
o Increased partnerships with corrections/justice ministries and external agencies
enhancing ability to inform public policy and facilitate knowledge transfer
3.1.1. Research
The opportunities for Canadian, and more particularly, Saskatchewan based research on
our justice and correctional systems and the offenders and victims with whom they deal
are more extensive than ever. Federal, provincial and municipal levels of government are
all thirsting for information and knowledge about how to improve all aspects of the criminal
justice system including exploring new approaches to corrections; addressing concerns
and rights of both inmates and the public; and understanding the connections between
health and corrections. Government, advocacy groups and the public are also demanding
more and better understandings of specific segments of offender populations including
mentally disordered individuals, young offenders and Aboriginal peoples, and the
mechanisms of justice and corrections that are most effective and consistent with their
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Proposal to establish a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies
needs. Listed below are a few key events that illustrate the timeliness of a forensic and
justice studies research Centre at the University of Saskatchewan.

Good Intentions, Disappointing Results: A Progress Report on Federal Aboriginal
Corrections, an independent report commissioned by the Office of the Correctional
Investigator (2009b), highlights the growing problem of Aboriginal overrepresentation in corrections and the significant disparity in positive results
between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal offenders on a wide variety of indicators. It
calls for further and more consistent efforts to provide tailored programs and
interventions to address the different needs and profiles of Aboriginal offenders
and to work closely with Aboriginal communities for effective reintegration. A
research agenda similarly targeted to the needs of Aboriginal offenders, based on
and reflecting indigenous knowledge and culture, will be essential to support these
efforts.

Out of the Shadows at Last: The Final Report on Mental Health, Mental Illness and
Addictions (Kirby & Keon, 2006), a recent report by the Canadian Senate, speaks
very strongly about the need for mental health and addictions research. Coupled
with its attention to the Aboriginal and offender population in Canada, particularly
offenders within CSC, the Senate is calling for the kind of research that could be
accomplished by a U of S Centre.

A Health Care Needs Assessment of Federal Inmates (Canadian Public Health
Association, 2004), outlines a comprehensive profile of health needs of federal
inmates in Canada, and provides a foundation for ongoing research into morbidity
and mortality among federal inmates, issues related to service delivery, with
particular attention focused on women offenders, aboriginal offenders, and
offenders with mental illness.

Research studies are now starting to emerge from the introduction of the Youth
Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) in 2003. However, there is a vast amount of work that
must be done to fully appreciate the impact of this national legislation and to assist
government and community agencies to derive the most benefit possible from this
legislation and to assist lawmakers in further revisions and fine tuning.

A final report of the Commission on First Nations and Métis Peoples and Justice
Reform (2004) was released and the Government of Saskatchewan (2005)
through Saskatchewan Justice has formulated a multi-faceted response. A number
of departments have dedicated more than $48 million in new funding to the
Commission’s recommendations on numerous fronts, including the underlying
causes of crime, involving more Aboriginal people in the justice system, exploring
alternative to traditional court and incarceration, and improving services within the
justice system. These initiatives may be expected to create numerous
opportunities for forensic/criminal justice based research and evaluation.
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Proposal to establish a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies

Although dated, the report of the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry of Manitoba (1991)
described a scenario which has changed only minimally in twenty years and,
therefore, its directions are equally applicable today. It examined the relationship
between Aboriginal people and the justice system in that province and made
“many recommendations about how existing institutions of justice – the police, the
courts, the jails – can be improved.” Moreover, it examined the roots of Aboriginal
over-representation in the province’s criminal justice system, “looking at both the
causes of criminal behaviour and the role of systemic discrimination in the justice
system.” Given the academic strength that exists at the University of
Saskatchewan in these areas – criminology and Aboriginal studies having been
core elements of the Sociology curriculum since the early 1970’s, while the
Aboriginal Justice and Criminology program has been successfully delivered since
1991 – faculty at the UofS may be uniquely positioned to provide meaningful
insights into the reality of Aboriginal over-incarceration and to positively influence
policy and practice changes that are founded on Aboriginal concepts and traditions
of justice.

Crime rates in Saskatchewan continue to draw both national and provincial
attention, so much so that Statistics Canada, through its Centre for Criminal
Justice Statistics (CCJS; 2005) released the results of a report on the recidivism
rates of offenders in Saskatchewan, in which the recidivism rate of Aboriginal
offenders was noted to be particularly problematic. CCJS (2010) has recently
reported that Saskatchewan continues to have the highest crime severity index
among all provinces, with Saskatoon and Regina having the highest two Crime
Severity Indeces (CSIs) among Canada’s 33 major cities, while North Battleford,
Prince Albert and Yorkton ranked first, fifth and eleventh, respectively, among the
208 municipalities in Canada with a population of at least 10,000.

In part based on comparisons with other cities and provinces that were provided
by CCJS, idiosyncratic municipal crime rates in particular Saskatchewan cities,
including auto theft and break and enter, have led to collaborative initiatives at the
local level to crime prevention in Saskatchewan’s five major municipalities. The
need for independent research reviews of these efforts to assist government in
further planning has resulted in at least two contracts between the University of
Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan government’s Ministry of Corrections,
Public Safety and Policing.

Research at the Regional Psychiatric Centre continues to be part of the mandate
of this specialized Correctional Service Canada (CSC) facility as per its affiliation
agreement with the University of Saskatchewan. One indicator of the success of
this agreement is the fact that five University of Saskatchewan dissertations were
completed at the RPC in the last decade. Currently, three of the corporate
research priorities of CSC include public safety, aboriginal offenders, and mental
health issues, all of which are topics for which there is widely acclaimed expertise
at the University of Saskatchewan.
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Proposal to establish a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies
The proposed Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies will provide
the necessary interdisciplinary expertise to comprehensively explore these and other
issues of regional, provincial and national priority. Based on the foregoing and the
consistent demand for scholarly activity in this area, there is immense opportunity to
engage both the research and professional communities in broad consultation and
collaboration that will facilitate the multi-directional flow of knowledge, provide opportunities
for graduate students to be involved in important and meaningful research and evaluation
activities, and build further capacity within government and the community for the
development of evidence-based policies, programs and services.
As an example of the type of interdisciplinary research that the Centre will be in a position
to undertake, members of the proposed Centre have recently convened a subgroup, the
Forensic Interdisciplinary Research of Saskatchewan Team (FIRST) to conduct an
environmental scan and needs assessment of the forensic mental health and corrections
environment in Saskatchewan. Through this process, over 200 service providers,
agencies, and government departments, including the Ministries of Health, Corrections,
Public Safety & Policing, Social Services, Justice, the Correctional Service Canada and
Regional Psychiatric Centre, community services, non-governmental organizations, RCMP
and municipal policing services have been invited to provide information on services to
residents, rehabilitation, community support for offender/patients, as well as critical gaps
and impediments to services. Consequently, the review will consider a host of medical,
psychological, and social/community issues. In addition, the relationship between the
University and correctional services will be explored. It is anticipated that the needs
assessment and periodic environmental scan will:


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Provide foundational information for the work of the Centre and for future research
proposals;
Establish an inventory of facilities located in urban, rural and remote communities
in Saskatchewan;
Supply the framework for a focused analysis of individual facilities and the services
offered;
Identify gaps in offender services, as well as barriers and best practices;
Increase dialogue between researchers and other stakeholders (First Nations and
Métis) involved in providing forensic care to offenders in Saskatchewan.
Finally, as an equally important aspect of the Centre’s research mandate, the fostering of
community-based research partnerships and the development of mutually-beneficial and
collaborative research agendas, will ensure that the Centre’s collective academic,
professional and analytical expertise continues to be responsive to community needs, and
provides for a uniquely Saskatchewan perspective on issues that are at once local,
national and global. Notably, such enhanced research partnerships, whether communitybased or with academic and/or public sector collaborators at provincial, national and
international levels, are consistent with the renewed program architecture and focus of the
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) on ‘Connections’, as a means
of facilitating the multi-directional flow of knowledge “in order to enhance intellectual,
cultural, social, and economic influence, benefit and impact.” (SSHRC, 2010). Accordingly,
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Proposal to establish a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies
the development of these partnerships is essential to ensure the continued relevance and
viability of the Centre over the long-term as it assists the University to position itself for
increased Tri-Council support.
3.1.2. Training and Education
The need for more forensic and justice training and education exists both within and
beyond the University environment. There is a growing demand in the criminal justice field
for university-educated individuals with relevant academic preparation and training to work
in a wide range of forensic and justice-related positions, including correctional nurses,
forensic psychiatric nurses, forensic community mental health nurses, police and security
officers, probation officers, parole officers, youth workers and correctional officers.
Similarly, the demand for highly skilled clinicians, researchers and evaluators with
graduate level training and experience are highly sought by agencies and government
departments that are responsible for the delivery of clinical services and rehabilitation
programs for offenders throughout the country.
At the same time, there is a recognized need among criminal justice agencies for
specialized training of staff that may come from outside their own ranks of training
specialists, as well as growing sentiment of the need for fair, nonpartisan public education
about Canada’s justice system, including how it works and why it operates in the manner
that it does. In these respects, academics such as those that will be affiliated with the
proposed Centre are particularly well positioned to provide specialty training and education
on a topic in which they are actively engaged whether clinically or through their teaching
and research.
Thus, the proposed Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies will play
a key role in meeting the demand for more forensic and justice training and education on
various fronts.
On the local academic side, forensic- and justice-related courses have existed in several
disciplines for many years, and new ones have more recently been added, reflecting a
growing interest among faculty and students in forensic- and justice-related teaching and
education on our own campus. The contribution of various faculty, including those listed
below, the University’s own President MacKinnon, and many others, to teaching in the
areas of forensic behavioural sciences and criminal justice is recognized as an important
foundation on which and even stronger tradition of interdisciplinary forensic and justice
education may be built. The following list is not comprehensive but provides a sense of the
diversity of course offerings in these areas:
Undergraduate
 COMM 420 – Fraud Prevention, Detection and Investigation (Kalesnikoff)
 IPJP 402 – Interdisciplinary Concepts of Justice
 IPJP 403 – Concepts of Justice: Reconciliation (Poitras)
 LAW 486 – Law and Psychiatry (Luther and Mela) [Open to law students and
forensic psychiatry residents]
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Proposal to establish a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies




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



LAW 498.3 – Special Topics: Theorizing Aboriginal Rights (Poitras)
NURS 486.3 – Forensic Nursing in Secure Environments (Peternelj-Taylor) [Online
– open to all disciplines]
NURS 483 - Cultural diversity and Aboriginal health (Kent-Wilkinson) [Online –
multidisciplinary]
PSY 230 – Theories of Treatment of Criminal Behaviour (Wormith, Olver, Keele)
PSY 231 – Psychology and Law (Marche)
SOC 219 – Aboriginal Peoples and Justice in Canada
SOC 311 – Youth Crime Justice & Social Control (Brooks)
SOC 312 – Current Issues in Criminal Justice (Samuelson)
SOC 398 – Special Topics: Studies in Addictions (Dell)
Graduate
 NURS 814.3 - Aboriginal Health Issues (Kent-Wilkinson) [Online –multidisciplinary]
 NURS 815.3 – Advanced Forensic Mental Health (Peternelj-Taylor) [Online – open
to all disciplines]
 PSY 864.3 – Correctional Treatment and its Evaluation (Wormith)
 SOC 818.3 – Advanced Seminar in Criminology (Samuelson)
 PUBH 898 – Special Topics: Studies in Addictions (Dell)
To further rise to the challenge of providing specialized forensic and justice education for
both graduate and undergraduate students, Centre faculty will facilitate cross-College
collaboration and encourage the sharing of educational resources and expertise through
the development and delivery of interdisciplinary courses both at graduate and
undergraduate levels. The initial focus will be on building capacity through enhanced
opportunities, particularly for graduate level students and medical residents, for
interdisciplinary forensic and justice training and education across existing College-based
programs. The development of a clinical fellowship program in forensic psychiatry is one
such example of an opportunity to build capacity for forensic practice and research among
residents in the College of Medicine, as is an interdisciplinary graduate level offering in the
justice domain for students in the Division of Social Sciences, College of Arts and Science,
and/or Law. Although the initial focus is expected to be in the graduate sphere, there is
recognized potential to also increase opportunities for forensic-related education in the
undergraduate realm as time and resources allow. While no specific graduate or
undergradudate programming is envisioned to be offered by or through the proposed
Centre at this time, Centre proponents have been involved in preliminary discussions to
assess interest in and begin to explore the potential for developing interdisciplinary
programming that is responsive to growing student interest and reflective of the collective
expertise of faculty across the forensic behavioural sciences and criminal justice.
Thus, by bringing together diverse faculty, and promoting collaborative educational pursuit
between the various independent departments and Colleges, the Centre will help to build
capacity for interdisciplinary education in the forensic behavioural and clinical sciences that
is essential to satisfying the demand for highly skilled clinicians, researchers and
evaluators with graduate level training and experience and the growing need for individuals
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Proposal to establish a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies
with academic training and supervised, relevant experience that is desirable for a wide
range of forensic and justice related positions.
Beyond the University sphere, Centre faculty could facilitate the expansion of research,
education and training opportunities to professionals already working in the areas of
criminal justice and corrections and will play a role in the education of the general public
through the provision of public lectures and other outreach activities. On the professional
front, the joint development with the SK Ministry of Corrections, Public Safety and Policing
of a specialized training program for individuals already working in the criminal justice field,
as well as the potential to offer post-doctoral and/or research fellowships associated with
the Centre, will provide opportunities for further training and development of professionals
and further addresses immediate and apparent shortfalls in the prairie region of trained
forensic behavioural scientists and clinicians. This initiative will also afford an opportunity
for our existing graduate students, who are working in the field of forensic behavioural
science and justice studies, to “rub shoulders” with experienced clinicians and
administrators from criminal justice agencies located across the country and beyond.
3.1.3. Outreach and Engagement
A specialized Centre with a multi-disciplinary focus will provide a comprehensive and
recognized knowledge Centre through which government (particularly, departments of
corrections and justice), government-funded organizations (e.g. policing), private agencies
and the not-for-profit sector could access expertise on the broad scope of issues related to
forensic behavioural sciences and justice. In addition to connections with the correctional
system, the proposed Centre will build extensive connections with a variety of in-patient
and out-patient clinical services (Regional Psychiatric Centre, Saskatoon; Saskatchewan
Hospital, North Battleford, Health region operated facilities/programs, and addiction
services). The unification of a coordinated clinical outpatient service for continuity of care
is a logical outcome of connections with a broad network of clinical service providers.
Equally importantly, the Centre will establish and maintain connections with communitybased agencies focused on issues of criminal justice. To begin to fulfill its essential
outreach mandate, the Forensic Initiative hosted in March, 2010, a discussion involving a
variety of community and government stakeholders, together with interested faculty
regarding the future of criminal justice in Canada, for the purposes of beginning a dialogue
and generating ideas that may be used toward the development of fundable and
sustainable research agendas. Similarly, in April, 2011, in partnership with the Elizabeth
Fry Society of Saskatchewan, the Forensic Initiaitve co-hosted a community forum entitled,
“Imagine Ten Billion Dollars in the Community: Addressing the Law and Order Agenda in
Canada” open to faculty, students, representatives of government, non-governmental and
community agencies and the public. The event provided an opportunity for dialogue
regarding recent and impending changes to criminal justice legislation and prison
expansion in Canada and invited participants to consider both the human and
financial impact of these changes. Further, it provided an opportunity for participants to
“imagine” and discuss how governments and communities might work together to reduce
crime, incarceration and promote community safety.
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Proposal to establish a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies
Formal evaluation and consultation services will also fall within the scope of outreach and
engagement activities offered by the Centre. Application of specifically designed tools,
such as the Correctional Program Assessment Inventory, by specially trained assessors is
one such example of this kind of service. As further example, it is increasingly
acknowledged, particularly in government, that greater attention must be channeled
towards the quality of services that are provided by the justice agencies in Canada and
that much of this depends on the cultural climate that exists in these settings. This is
illustrated by the inclusion of the organizational environment and management style of the
Service as one of the top five priorities of the CSC Commissioner during his initial
mandate. In response, the Centre could provide independent evaluation and expert
consultation on these matters.
Thus, as a clearly identifiable organization that facilitates the bringing and working together of
experts from different disciplines, the Centre will act as a conduit for many different kinds of
collaboration, This will include the collection of experts for the development and execution of
collaborative multi-disciplinary research proposals, and responding to Requests for Proposal
that are frequently issued by various justice-related government departments.
In summary, the Centre will afford external organizations, including three levels of government,
business and the not-for-profit sector, a highly visible and identifiable university-based unit that
they might approach about a wide range of inquiries, namely the three kinds of activities
described above related to the Centre’s mandate. Such a Centre will provide a single unit for
‘one stop shopping’ and allow for organizational and financial efficiencies, both for the
University and external organizations.
3.2. Impact and Relationships
Beginning in 1978, the University has enjoyed a long and mutually productive relationship with
the Regional Psychiatric Centre (RPC), which is an accredited mental health treatment facility
within the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) and a teaching hospital of the University of
Saskatchewan built on nearby University property. The official “affiliation agreement’ between
the University and the RPC, which is unique in Canada, formalizes this relationship and
ensures ongoing collaboration for the foreseeable future. The relationship and physical
proximity of the RPC have been particularly beneficial to the Departments of Psychology and
Sociology and the Colleges of Nursing and Medicine. For many years, undergraduate and
graduate students in nursing and psychology, medical students and residents have had the
opportunity to take part in clinical practicum courses or placements at the RPC. At the same
time, the RPC has benefited from placement of students on site and the collaboration of RPC
staff with University faculty. In addition, a number of RPC staff have been awarded university
status as adjunct professors. Some additional examples of the mutually beneficial relationship
between the University of Saskatchewan and RPC are described below.
The creation of a Forensic Chair in Psychology at the University in 1999 (reviewed in
Attachment 10.5) was made possible by the generous contribution of CSC to fund 75 percent
of the budget for the position. The cross-appointment of a forensic psychiatrist, who divides
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Proposal to establish a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies
his time between the RPC and the Department of Psychiatry, was also established in the last
few years. In addition, a Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of
Sociology and CSC was signed in 2006 to create an opportunity for students in the Aboriginal
Justice program to gain applied experience at the RPC and other CSC settings and at the
same time make a significant contribution to Aboriginal programming in CSC. Another
Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the University and CSC in 2009 as an
‘umbrella’ agreement for the University to conduct future research and evaluation of CSC
programs without the latter having to go to public tender.
Another highly visible and concrete example of the kind of spin-off that University-RPC
relationship has generated has been the Biennial Symposium on Violence and Aggression,
which began in 1986 and in 2010 held its 13th anniversary with numerous well known
speakers in the justice field. Similarly, the Custody and Caring International Conference, on
the nurse’s role in the criminal justice system, which began in 1989 and has been jointly
sponsored by the College of Nursing and the RPC in alternating years, is well established as a
benchmark in the forensic psychiatric/correctional nursing domain. This biennial conference
will hold its 11th anniversary in 2011. A department of Psychiatry faculty position in forensic
psychiatry has also been fashioned with RPC involvement in mind. This is producing the
impetus for the CSC to consider sponsoring the Fellowship program/Forensic Psychiatry
subspecialization that could be a source of recruitment.
Over the years, as a result of this ongoing and productive relationship with RPC, personnel
from disciplines of the forensic behavioural sciences and justice studies have come to know
each other through these various activities and initiatives and have established professional
working relationships and alliances that will undoubtedly prove essential to the success and
sustainability of the proposed Centre.
Various departments from the Province of Saskatchewan have also come to recognize and
make use of University resources and expertise in this area. Their interest led to the
development of a Justice Forum in 2004. This is a series of biannual consultation meetings
between provincial government officials, primarily from the Department of Justice and the
Department of Corrections and Public Safety, and academics in numerous departments from
all three of Saskatchewan’s universities.
The Forensic Interest Group of Saskatchewan (FIGS) was subsequently formed in 2006. It is
comprised of various mental health professionals that meet every two months to consider and
deliberate the research aspects of forensic mental health. More recently, the Forensic
Interdisciplinary Research in Saskatchewan Team (FIRST), made up of health care providers,
researchers and educators from the University of Saskatchewan and the community, was
created in 2009 with the goal of providing evidence-based research to address the needs of
the increasingly complex mentally ill offender population in the province of Saskatchewan.
Thus creation of a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies will not only
build on these existing professional and collaborative relationships but provide a recognizable
university-based entity through which various external partners may be encouraged to further
engage with and provide support to these efforts.
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Proposal to establish a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies
Finally, a heightened profile for matters of criminal justice has been observed in our cultural
landscape for much of the last decade. In particular, there appears to be a growing number of
forensic- and justice-related centres, institutes and organizations, both academic and nonacademic in Canada and the United States. Potential exists for the proposed Centre to
engage and develop research and teaching collaborations with other similar organizations
nationally and internationally, enabling the University to further capitalize on this growing
popularity and to meet the challenge of undertaking more forensic- and justice-related research
and providing more specialized training and education opportunities for its students.
3.3. Scholarly Work
The name, affiliation and research expertise/areas of interest of key faculty contributors for the
Centre are noted below. Although not recruited as faculty supported by the proposed Centre
per se, the recent recruitment of a number of key faculty to the University of Saskatchewan,
including Steve Wormith, former Chair in Forensic Psychology (1999-2005) and Acting
Director of the Forensic Initiaitve, and Colleen Dell, current Research Chair in Substance
Abuse, the involvement and affiliation of these individuals and others listed below with the
proposed Centre has served to elevate its profile and will continue to attract other academics
and high-quality graduate students to the University of Saskatchewan.
Key Faculty Contributors
Dr. Stephen Wormith, Professor, Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Science
has a focus in correctional and forensic psychology. Dr. Wormith was attracted to the
University of Saskatchewan in 1999 as the inaugural Chair in Forensic Psychology, a position
funded in part by CSC. His research activities have concentrated on the assessment,
treatment and therapeutic processes of offenders, including various special offender groups,
such as young offenders, sexual offenders, and gangs. He consults with the corrections
departments in the government of Saskatchewan, Ontario and Canada and conducts training
on offender risk assessment internationally. He serves in court as an expert witness on
matters of offender assessment and treatment and supervises the phallometric sexual
offender assessment laboratory at the RPC.
Dr. Colleen Dell, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, College of Arts and Science,
and Associate Professor, School of Public Health, is the Research Chair in Substance Abuse
at the University of Saskatchewan. In addition, she is the Senior Research Associate of the
Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse. Dr. Dell’s research is grounded in a community-based
participatory approach, and through which the findings are naturally translated into action.
Her currently funded research projects focus on the relationship between identity and healing
from drug addiction, substance abuse programming, self-harm, equine therapy, and the
connection between youth resiliency and inhalant abuse. Her research areas are specific to
First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples, drug using populations, and criminalized women.
Dr. Arlene Kent-Wilkinson, Associate Professor, College of Nursing, is a nurse educator
who has launched and taught many forensic nursing programs and in addition online graduate
and undergraduate courses on Aboriginal health. In November, 2007, Arlene was
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Proposal to establish a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies
instrumental in establishing a five year Agreement and MOU with Flinders University in South
Australia for student exchange and research collaboration in the forensic and Aboriginal
mental health areas with colleagues at Flinders where she has Adjunct status. Findings from
her doctoral dissertation on Forensic Nursing Education in North America (2008) has specific
implications for interdisciplinary work and interprofessional education.
Glen Luther, Q.C., Associate Professor, College of Law, with his interest in criminal law and
procedure and in mental health law adds to the value of the group. Advice of the legal nature
and the applicability of utilizing policy-oriented thinking is seen as one of his major
contributions. His interest in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and co-generated offenses will
also be valuable in helping the research group come together with their required agendas. As
a lawyer, Professor Luther has shown a significant interest in inter-disciplinary research
through his involvement with Dr. Mansfield Mela in the Law and Psychiatry seminars and
through his involvement in the FIRST Research Group.
Dr. Mansfield Mela, Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine is
head of the Forensic Division and involved in biopsychosocial research in forensic mental
health. His interests in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, forgiveness, spirituality, and ADHD will
be applied, in connection with the various research topics. He brings a clinician’s perspective
and helps guide the idea of utilizing knowledge from research in conjunction with other
individuals’ contribution to achieve evidence-based practice. This is essential and necessary
for the advancement of the patients’ care and community safety. He also receives and has
mentored medical students, through the Dean’s research project. As well, Psychiatry residents
seeking their senior research projects and non medical students could benefit from his
supervision and this contributes to capacity building.
Dr. Terry Nicholaichuk, Psychologist is a Registered Doctoral Psychologist and Acting
Director of Research, Regional Psychiatric Centre. Dr. Nicholaichuk brings both clinical and
research expertise, both as a practicing psychologist and applied researcher. His interest in
offender mental health, sex offender risk assessment and treatment, and the aging offender
will bolster the Centre’s research agenda.
Dr. Mark Olver, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Science,
brings extensive research and training potential from a psychology perspective, and is seen
as important source or incorporating graduate and undergraduate students into the work of
the Centre. His expertise in psychology, and in producing an intensive and carefully critiqued
research agenda and hypothesis will be important to ensuring the success of the group.
Cindy Peternelj-Taylor, Professor, College of Nursing has extensive experience in
professional role developmental for students and nurses who practice with vulnerable
populations in forensic mental health and correctional settings. Her research interests include
issues that emerge within the therapeutic relationship. She is also the Editor of the Journal of
Forensic Nursing, a peer reviewed publication.
Dr. Phil Woods, Associate Dean of Research, Innovation and Global Initiatives and
Professor, College of Nursing has extensive experience in collaborative research in forensic
mental health. He was co-Principal Investigator on a large multi-site European Union (EU)
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Proposal to establish a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies
funded project on risk assessment. His specific interests are in risk assessment and
management, violence prediction, and development of forensic mental health practice. He
has expertise in quantitative research and systematic literature reviews.
A more complete list of potential Centre members, including but not limited to the foregoing, is
provided below, reflecting even further the broad range of academic expertise and research
interest that exists across multiple colleges and departments at the University of
Saskatchewan in the areas of forensic behavioural and health sciences and justice.
College of Arts & Science
Department of Psychology:
 Stephen Wormith, Academic Lead
 Mark Olver
 James Waldram
Department of Sociology:
 Colleen Dell
 Carolyn Brooks
 Hongming Cheng
 Les Samuelson
College of Medicine
Department of Psychiatry:
 Mansfield Mela, Head, Forensics Division
 Olajide Adeugba
Department of Family Medicine:
 Vivian Ramsden
College of Nursing
 Phil Woods
 Cindy Peternelj-Taylor
 Arlene Kent-Wilkinson
 Janet McCabe
College of Law
 Brent Cotter, Q.C.
 Glen Luther, Q.C.
 Martin Phillipson
 Tim Quigley
 Lucinda Vandervort
 Marilyn Poitras
 Doug Surtees
Edwards School of Business
 Douglas Kalesnikoff, Accounting
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Proposal to establish a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies
St. Thomas Moore College
 Tammy Marche, Psychology
 Gerry Farthing, Psychology
College of Education
 Linda Wason-Ellam
Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy
 Lihui Zhang
4. Proponents
Initiated by the Division of Social Sciences, this initiative has been endorsed by key
participants on campus. Both the concept of a Centre for Forensic Behavioral Sciences and
Justice Studies and this preliminary proposal have been endorsed by proponents in the
following Colleges: Arts & Science (Division of Social Sciences); Medicine (Psychiatry and
Family Medicine); Nursing; Law; and the Edwards School of Business.
Several faculty in the Social Science Division within the College of Arts & Science, the College
of Medicine, the College of Nursing and Law have indicated interest in pursuing a high level of
engagement with the proposed Centre. Other researchers from these and other Colleges are
anticipated to participate on a more ad hoc basis, becoming involved and/or collaborating with
other Centre members on specific projects or initiatives of mutual interest. Thus, as the
Centre continues to develop, there will be ongoing discussions both to explore common
research themes and to continue to finalize Centre membership.
Finally, proponents of the proposed Centre have met with and will continue to interact and
engage with other units on campus, such as the Native Law Centre, and the Schools of Public
Policy and Public Health and the Social Sciences Research Laboratory, in order to identify
potential opportunities for collaboration and the mutually beneficial sharing of expertise.
4.1. Consultation
Consultations regarding the establishment of a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences
and Justice Studies extend back to 2007 at which time the proposal for funding from the
Correctional Service of Canada was being developed. More recently, following the signing of
a Memorandum of Agreement with CSC in November, 2009 and the securing of five years’
of funding for this purpose, consultations resumed in earnest. In particular, between March
and May 2010, meetings were held with key faculty proponents and Associate Deans of
Research (or equivalent) from each of the Colleges of Arts & Science, Medicine, Nursing,
Law, and Business, and with the Dean and Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and
Research. A draft of this proposal was then circulated to all those consulted, as well as
more broadly to all those listed above as potential Centre members. The resulting draft was
subsequently reviewed by and discussed with the Vice-President of Research.
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Proposal to establish a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies
In addition to the above, consultations with Information Technology, University Library,
Facilities Management Division were conducted and the required consultation forms
completed (refer to Section 10.2).
5. Centre Management
Centre management and administration will include a Director who will have overall
responsibility for the Centre, a Coordinator and a Clerical Assistant who will provide the
necessary day-to-day management and operations support. Dr. Stephen Wormith,
Department of Psychology and former Chair in Forensic Psychology is currently serving as
Acting Director of the Centre during its development phase. Specific responsibilities of the
Director, Coordinator and Clerical Assistant, respectively, will include:
Director:
o Promoting and acting as spokesperson for the Centre;
o Directing and overseeing all Centre initiatives;
o Directing and supervising the work of the Centre staff;
o Fostering collaboration among Centre members and with external partners;
o Working with Centre members, the Centre Advisory Committee and external partners
to identify research, education and outreach needs;
o Identifying opportunities for collaboration with other institutions, agencies and
government.
Coordinator:
o Managing and supporting Centre initiatives, including internal grant programs,
workshops and conferences;
o Researching and preparing a broad range of materials, including strategic documents,
reports, literature reviews, funding proposals, both independently and in collaboration
with the Director and internal and external partners;
o Ensuring that the decisions of the Director and Advisory Committee are implemented
and administered effectively;
o Researching, preparing and presenting annual or official reports to funding agencies;
o Maintaining, preparing and presenting financial reports and records of the Centre.
Clerical Assistant:
o Supporting day-to-day operations, including maintaining office files, receiving and
preparing mail, ordering office supplies and attending to equipment maintenance,
responding to or re-directing internal and external enquiries, making arrangements and
managing meeting logistics, preparing simple reports, correspondence, agendas and
minutes, and assisting with event planning and related logistics.
Formal reporting will occur on an annual basis to the VP Research and Centre Advisory Board
(see section 8 – Governance).
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Proposal to establish a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies
6. Resources and Budget
A contribution agreement covering the period 2009-2014 has recently been secured with the
Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) to support Centre development (operations and
administrative support), graduate student stipends and seed funds to stimulate further justice
and forensic science research and training. CSC has indicated an interest in investing in a
Forensic Behavioural Centre on an ongoing basis.
A second agreement, also in effect 2009-2014, has been secured with the Performance
Assurance Sector of CSC which provides a framework through which it may engage the
University in specific fee-for-service research and evaluation projects related to the activities
and priorities within the correctional environment.
Thirdly, an agreement spanning a ten year timeframe, 2010-2020, has recently been signed
with Saskatchewan Corrections, Public Safety and Policing, with the intent to provide
enhanced research and training opportunities, including the joint development of a specialized
training program for practitioners in the field of corrections.
In addition to the above, the Division of Social Sciences and the Colleges of, Law, Medicine
and Nursing have each made contribution commitments of varying amounts, towards the
development of the Centre and its activities.
A detailed summary of all funding sources and in-kind support secured to date, and the
budgeted use of funds is provided in the attached Business Plan.
Other potential sources of external funding yet to be explored include:
 Provincial mental health facilities such as North Battleford, Prince Albert, Regina, and
Saskatoon; and
 Federal and provincial forensic facilities in the Prairie region;
 Saskatoon and Regina Qu’Appelle health regions;
 City of Saskatoon;
 Royal Canadian Mounted Police or other policing organizations;
 National Crime Prevention Centre (NCPC)
 Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN)
 Métis Nation-Saskatchewan
 The Saskatoon Tribal Council
 Central Urban Métis Federation Inc.
Finally, as the Centre is expected to create enhanced ability for members to respond to calls
for proposal from justice-related federal and provincial departments and private sector
organizations, and to develop collaborative Tri-council grant proposals, additional research
funding is anticipated from these sources.
Although not guaranteed, the ten year agreement signed in October, 2010 with the provincial
Ministry of Corrections, Public Safety and Policing, will provide an added level of stability for
the proposed Centre as it continues to grow and develop, and may serve to assure other
current or potential partners of the longer-term sustainability of the proposed Centre and
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Proposal to establish a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies
encourage new or renewed funding from other sources. A formal review and evaluation of the
activities and impacts associated with the memorandum of agreement in place with the
Correctional Service Canada is required in 2013-14 and will, in part, determine whether that
funding is renewed. However, CSC has previously indicated its interest in investing in such a
Centre in the prairie region on an ongoing basis. Additionally, as a result of these formal
partnerships and wide-spread interdisciplinary participation in the Centre, the potential to
develop substantial and fundable research proposals and to capitalize on the renewed
program architecture of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and
in particular its focus on ‘Connections’ as a means of facilitating the multi-directional flow of
knowledge that enhances “intellectual, cultural, social, and economic influence, benefit and
impact” (SSHRC, 2010) is greatly enhanced. Similarly, the formal relationship between the
proposed Centre and the Regional Psychiatric Centre of the Correctional Service Canada,
and the research interests of several faculty across the Colleges of Medicine (Division of
Forensic Psychiatry, Family Medicine), Nursing, and the Department of Psychology related to
the health needs and treatment of forensic populations within institutions as well as in the
community will help position the Centre for success in seeking research funding from the
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Lastly, the proposed Centre has already
been the beneficiary of generous and wide-spread College financial support including from the
College of Arts and Science, Medicine, Nursing and Law. As faculty engagement from these
Colleges and benefits from affiliation with the Centre are enhanced, it is hoped that these
Colleges will continue to support the Centre both in the dedication of time and effort needed to
contribute to its success, and in the dedication of resources to ensure its continued growth
and sustainability.
7. Support
Letters of support from the following individuals are attached to this proposal (see Section
10.3):
 Peter Stoicheff, Dean, College of Arts & Science
 Harley Dickinson, Vice-Dean, Division of Social Sciences, College of Arts & Science
 Lorna Butler, Dean, College of Nursing
 Beth Bilson, Acting Dean, and Martin Phillipson, Associate Dean Research and
Graduate Studies, College of Law
 Lou Qualtiere, Associate Dean Research, College of Medicine
 Robert Buckingham, Executive Director, School of Public Health
 Michael Atkinson, Executive Director, Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public
Policy
 Karen Chad, Vice-President Research, University of Saskatchewan
 Provost’s Committee on Integrated Planning
8. Governance
A two-component governance structure is envisioned for the Centre. Specifically, it is
proposed that the Centre’s structure, composition and governance will include the following:
(1) Centre Executive Committee
23
Proposal to establish a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies
Composition: Centre Director (Chair), up to 3 individuals elected from and by the Centre
members every three years
Responsibilities:

Recruit and select members for the Centre

Develop recommendations related to the research focus and activities of the Centre
and develop strategies to implement approved strategies.

Develop and implement strategies to foster inter-disciplinary research and overcome
related challenges.

Develop and implement strategies related to promote public awareness and engage
with external partners to address issues and concerns related to the Centre’s
mandate.

Develop and implement strategies to establish opportunities for student engagement in
its area of focus.

Approve processes related to internal programs, including research funding programs,
graduate student education, undergraduate and graduate student internships and/or
work placements.

Manage and oversee the Centre’s budget.

Establish and maintain relationships with external research partners and funding
agencies.
(2) Advisory Board
Composition: Vice-President Research or designate (Chair), Centre Director (ex-officio), up to
4 University representatives selected from core participating colleges (Arts and Science,
Medicine, Nursing, and Law), and up to 4 representatives from the federal and provincial
criminal justice and forensic mental health systems, from non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) and agencies that provide forensic, justice and addictions services, and from the
aboriginal community.
Possible external members include representatives from the following government
departments, non-government organizations and agencies:











Regional Psychiatric Centre, Correctional Service of Canada
National Parole Board
Saskatchewan Justice
Saskatchewan Ministry of Corrections, Public Safety & Policing
Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN)
Métis Nation - Saskatchewan
Saskatoon Tribal Council
Central Urban Métis Federation Inc.
City of Saskatoon
Royal Canadian Mounted Police or other policing organizations (e.g., Saskatoon
Police Services)
National Crime Prevention Centre (NCPC) Prairie Office
24
Proposal to establish a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies


John Howard Society of Saskatchewan
Elizabeth Fry Society of Saskatchewan
Responsibilities:
 Provide input and advice on a range of issues fundamental to the long-term viability of the
Centre.
 Develop a set of policies for the Centre, including adherence to human rights standards
and protocol for Centre members to follow in raising human rights concerns.
 Recommend on directions for research and programming initiatives, potential partnerships
with public and private sector issues, and promotion and publicity.
(3) Members
Composition: Members will be recruited from faculty and other researchers throughout the
University of Saskatchewan community who are involved in criminal justice and forensic
related research and practice. It is anticipated that most members will come from the social
sciences, health sciences, and law, although representation from other disciplines, such as
business, education and policy, is anticipated.
Responsibilities:
 Membership is voluntary and members’ activities will begin on an ad hoc basis as
opportunities to collaborate emerge.
 Take an active role in at least one of the Centre’s activities. This may include grant
submission, active multidisciplinary research, course or program development, service
delivery, public education, or consultation with the broader criminal justice community (i.e.
government, the voluntary sector, business, and other researchers and centres).
 Participate in an annual general meeting of the Centre.
9. Systematic Assessment
The progress, activities and impact of the Centre will be reviewed on an annual basis by the
Advisory Board. In addition, cyclical assessment will take place as required by the University’s
integrated planning activities, and a formal review of the Centre will be conducted in 2013-14,
the final year of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with CSC, as described below.
The MOA with the Correctional Service of Canada, requires that a formal joint (CSCUniversity) review take place during the 2013-14 year with a view to making recommendations
for continuation of the MOA beyond March 31, 2014.
10. Attachments
10.1 Business Plan
10.2 Consultation Forms
10.3 Letters of Support
10.4 Forensic-Related Programs and Centres in Canada
25
Proposal to establish a Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies
10.5 Evaluation Report: Memorandum of Agreement between the University of Saskatchewan
and the Correctional Service of Canada. Executive Summary.
26
10.1.
Business Plan
Rationale and Overview
The impressive array of interdisciplinary forensic expertise that exists across multiple Colleges
at the University of Saskatchewan, combined with the federal presence of the Regional
Psychiatric Centre, which provides unique research, training and educational opportunities for
faculty, clinicians and students, offers a distinctive opportunity for the University of
Saskatchewan to respond to ongoing demands for more scholarly activity pertaining to the
criminal justice system, and to play a leadership role in seeking solutions to criticial issues
related to crime, justice and corrections.
The Centre will provide the formal structure to enhance collaborative opportunities both within
the University and with private and public sector partners and serve as a recognizable entity
through which government and other public and private sector organizations can access the
wealth of research and training expertise that exists at the University of Saskatchewan.
Mission: To serve as the gateway to a unique array of interdisciplinary research, education
and engagement activities that will serve to build capacity in the creation and use of new
knowledge, identify best practices, and act as a catalyst for evidence-based policy change
program/service provision as it pertains to crime, justice, and corrections.
The mandate and activities of the Centre will be three-fold:
 Promoting issues-based interdisciplinary research addressing critical issues of crime
and justice, including those specific to the operation of the criminal justice system and
the care of offenders, as well as exploring alternatives through a focus on crime
prevention, conflict resolution, restorative justice and community health;
 Facilitating the sharing of educational resources and expertise across existing collegebased programs in order to create enhanced forensic training and education
opportunities, such as the development and delivery of multidisciplinary forensic
courses at graduate and/or undergraduate levels, post-doctoral or research fellowship
programs, and a unique post-graduate program developed in partnership with
provincial Corrections targeted to professionals already working in that field;
 Building on existing partnerships within the criminal justice system and enhancing
linkages with various in-patient and out-patient clinical services and community-based
agencies through a variety of outreach and engagement activities (e.g.
presentations, workshops, consultations, and collaborative projects) in order to ensure
that the issues and areas of greatest priority for these stakeholders continue to inform,
and be informed by, the work of the Centre.
In order to serve its mandate, the Centre will act as a conduit for many different forms of
collaboration, including but not limited to those in the domains of research, education and
outreach already noted. This will include responding to Requests for Proposal frequently
issued by various justice-related government departments or other forms of potential
collaboration with government, private agencies and/or community organizations.
27
Operating Plan
Staffing
Funds secured through the Correctional Service of Canada-Regional Psychiatric Centre (CSCRPC) for a five-year period includes annual salary for part-time administrative/centre
operations support. To fill this role, a Coordinator has been hired at 0.5 FTE. An additional 0.5
FTE in clerical staffing is included in the proposed budget to further support Centre operations,
and allow the Coordinator more time to focus on critical research and development support.
Finally, funding for the Forensic Initiative (proposed Centre), provided by the Division of Social
Sciences includes an allowance for the Centre Director’s time, equivalent to a 3 credit unit
release from teaching/administrative duties.
Space
The Division of Social Sciences has made a contribution of office/meeting space for the
Forensic Initiative (proposed Centre) that is sufficient to meet the initial needs of the Centre
and allow for some growth. Located in Arts 110B, the office has been set up and provides
dedicated workspaces for the Coordinator and the Director, as well as 3 shared computer
workstations for use by faculty and/or student members of the Centre, and a common meeting
area. The workspace available in the Centre will complement that which is available to faculty
and students within their home departments/colleges, providing another option that together
should ensure sufficient accommodation, particularly for graduate students whose work is
supported by the Centre. The dedication of space in a high-traffic area on campus increases
the visibility of the Centre and has already begun to facilitate interaction among contributing
disciplines, scholars and students. A further allowance for office furnishings and/or minor
renovations for the space is provided in the agreement signed in October 2010 with the
Saskatchewan Ministry of Corrections, Public Safety and Policing.
Equipment
Computer and other equipment to set up the office have been purchased using Centre
development funds provided for in the CSC-RPC agreement, and an allowance for
replacement in a five-year timeframe has been included in the proposed Centre budget.
Communication and networking support is currently provided by the College of Arts & Science
IT support staff. A website for the Centre will also be developed with the help of the Arts &
Science IT group.
Activities
The Centre’s research mandate will be carried out by Centre members initially using
seed/development funds available from its MOA with CSC-RPC, research/evaluation revenues
from CSC-Performance Assurance or other similar fee-for-service agreements, and funds
designated for research from a third agreement recently signed with Saskatchewan
Corrections, Public Safety and Policing (see below). It is anticipated that a combination of post28
doctoral fellows, graduate or undergraduate students and/or research assistants will be
recruited to work on a wide variety of Centre-initiated or -sponsored projects supported through
these various sources.
In further support of the Centre’s research mandate, the five-year agreement with CSC-RPC
provides a yearly allowance to support graduate student research. These funds, available to
any U of S graduate student or student in a professional training program, such as medicine,
law and business, whose research interests fall within the domains of forensic behavioural
sciences and justice studies have been made available through two types of competitive
awards. Specifically, a Research Assistantship award of up to $18,000 per year is available to
eligible students nominated by a University faculty member. Receipt of this award involves a
work commitment of up to 10 hours per week, half of which will be devoted to the Forensic
Centre to support its own research activities, and the remaining half to the student’s
(sponsor’s) home department. A Research Award of up to $6,000 is also available to students
in need of financial assistance to help cover direct research expenses.
Finally, it is expected that as collaborative relationships develop, both internally and with a
variety of potential external research partners, Centre members and/or associates will
contribute to the development of interdisciplinary research grant proposals for submission to
provincial and federal granting agencies, awards from which will further support and sustain
the Centre’s research mandate. The University’s Research Acceleration Program, Proposal
Development Awards or other sources of indirect research cost support, will be sought to help
support research group establishment and proposal development.
The Centre’s education mandate will be carried out by Centre members and associates who,
as interest and level of engagement permits, will be encouraged to support the development
and delivery of interdisciplinary forensic and justice-related courses, initially within existing
college-based programs, with the potential to work towards the development of a cross-college
minor in forensic behavioural sciences as time and resources allow.
The joint development with CPSP of a specialized training program for professionals/
practitioners in the field of corrections also has the potential to provide some revenue
generation, the Centre’s portion of which could be used towards the development of other
education and training opportunities. While the specifics of program content and delivery have
yet to be defined, some use of distributive learning technologies may be anticipated. In order
to maximize efficiencies, use of centrally available rather than dedicated resources, will be
encouraged.
Finally, the Centre’s outreach mandate will be carried out through a variety of Centresponsored seminars, workshops and/or research forums which will include/involve
representatives from government and community-based agencies/organizations and the
general public. To this end, the CSC-RPC agreement provides an annual allowance for
supporting and encouraging academic and public dialogue. Alternative sources of funding such
as the University Conference Fund or Visiting Lecturers Fund may also be sought to support
such initiatives.
29
Communications
A communications plan to promote the Centre, once established, will include launch of the
Centre’s website, announcement of Centre approval and ongoing notification of Centre
activities to an established and growing email list of interested faculty, government and
community stakeholders, in addition to initial and periodic articles/new items in various
University publication and communications vehicles (e.g. University and/or College websites,
newsletters, PAWS). It is also anticipated that one or more signing ceremonies will take place
as agreements with new and/or existing funding partners are realized, such as that recently
signed with Saskatchewan Corrections, Public Safety and Policing, at which a broad spectrum
of stakeholders had an opportunity to interact with Centre faculty and students.
Financial Plan
Financial contributions that will support the development and activities of the proposed Centre
have been secured from the following external partners:
 Correctional Service of Canada – Regional Headquarters/Regional Psychiatric
Centre (signed November, 2009)
Memorandum of Agreement valued at $120,000 per year for 5 years, 2009-2014, provides
funding to support Centre development (operations, administrative support), graduate
student stipends and seed funds to stimulate further justice and forensic science research
and training.
 Correctional Service of Canada – Performance Assurance Sector (signed December,
2009)
Memorandum of Understanding valued at up to $200,000 per year for 5 years, 2009-2014,
provides framework through which the Correctional Service of Canada may engage the
UofS and fund specific research and evaluation projects related to the priorities of CSC
and its Performance Assurance Sector.
 Saskatchewan Ministry of Corrections, Public Safety and Policing (signed October
2010)
Memorandum of Agreement in development, valued at $150,000 per year for 10 years,
2010-2020, to provide enhanced research and training opportunities including a joint
specialized training program for practitioners in the field.
In addition to the above, the Division of Social Sciences has provided $20,000 in seed funding
for the Forensic Initiative (proposed Centre) for various operations and development support,
as well as ongoing support in the form of a teaching buy-out (equivalent to a 3 credit unit
course) for the Centre Director and sharing of research overhead generated through Centre
activities (together valued at $15,000 per year). In-kind support from the College of Arts and
Science includes the allocation of dedicated office space for the proposed Centre and general
IT support (respectively valued at $61,785 and $5,250 annually), as well as initial website
development and support (valued $3,500 over a period of 18 months).
30
Similarly, the College of Medicine has committed $20,000 per year for 3 years as support for
Centre development and activities that will mutually further the research interests of its faculty,
and the College of Law has committed up to $10,000 per year for a combination of support for
Law faculty research projects related to the proposed Centre and a portion of its visiting
speaker’s budget. Finally, the College of Nursing has committed to provide a one-time
contribution of up to $20,000, consisting of one graduate student scholarship valued at
$10,000 to support the thesis research of a Registered Psychiatric Nurse or Registered Nurse,
and up to $10,000 to support College of Nursing faculty who, as principal applicants, are
developing Tri-Council or other national grant proposals in this area.
The following budget details the known and anticipated sources of funding and proposed use
of funds for the period 2009-10 through 2014-15.
31
Proposed Budget: Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies
Sources of Funding
CSC‐RPC MOA
CSC‐Perform Assurance MOUa
Saskatchewan CPSP MOUb
UofS Research Acceleration Program
External fee‐for‐service agreements
Social Sciences seed funding
University overhead recoveryc
2009‐10
2010‐11
2011‐12
2012‐13
2013‐14
$ 120,000
$ 120,000
$ 120,000
$ 120,000
$ 120,000
$ 20,000
$ 50,000
$ 100,000
$ 200,000
$ 150,000
$ 150,000
$ 150,000
$ 150,000
$ 17,250
$ 34,500
$ 51,750
$ 13,098
$ 1,500
$ 10,000
$ 10,000
$ 5,541
$ 7,083
$ 9,276
Social Sciences 3‐cu teaching buy‐outd
$ 6,084
$ 6,328
$ 6,580
$ 6,843
College of Law contributione
College of Medicine contribution
$ 10,000
$ 20,000
$ 10,000
$ 20,000
$ 10,000
$ 20,000
$ 10,000
$ 450,356
$ 551,691
College of Nursing contributionf
Total Sources of Funding
$ 131,500
$ 341,625
$ 20,000
$ 400,661
University In‐Kind Contribution
Arts&Science Space ‐ Arts 110B
Arts&Science IT support
$ 61,785
$ 5,250
$ 61,785
$ 7,750
$ 61,785
$ 6,250
$ 61,785
$ 61,785
$ 48,000
$ 48,000
$ 48,000
$ 48,000
Uses of Funding
Director time relief
Centre developmentg
Graduate Student Support
Needs Assessment
Research Development Grants
Admin Support/Centre Operationsh
$ 10,254
$ 56,969
$ 35,000
$ ‐
$ 40,000
$ 40,000
$ 40,000
$ 40,000
$ 7,257
$ 27,000
$ 27,000
$ 27,000
$ 27,000
Conference supporti
$ 2,500
$ 5,000
$ 5,000
$ 5,000
$ 5,000
$ 2,610
$ 15,650
$ 6,520
$ 29,730
$ 13,040
$ 68,860
$ 26,090
$ 147,120
$ 19,564
$ 30,000
$ 71,250
$ 19,564
$ 19,564
$ 19,564
Univ O/H ‐ CSC Perform Assur MOUj
Research Personnel
Univ O/H ‐ SK CPSP MOUk
Office Set up and Furnishing
Research Personnel
Program Development Costsl
Student/Faculty Research Support
Research/Administrative Assistantm
Travel & Accommodation
Research meetings
Univ O/H ‐ external FFS agmts
Research personnel
Computer replacement
Director time relief
Law faculty research support
Medicine faculty research support
Nursing faculty research support
Nursing graduate student scholarship
Centre Partnership development
Centre office materials & supplies
Centre admin/mgmt supportn
communications: website/advertising
$ 5,850
$ 97,850
$ 100,786
$ 103,809
$ 8,000
$ 11,186
$ 22,586
$ 19,650
$ 16,627
$ 10,000
$ 10,000
$ 10,000
$ 10,000
$ 4,500
$ 21,000
$ 3,000
$ 6,580
$ 8,000
$ 20,000
$ 6,750
$ 31,500
$ 3,000
$ 6,843
$ 8,000
$ 3,000
$ 1,000
$ 2,250
$ 10,500
$ 3,000
$ 6,328
$ 8,000
$ 20,000
$ 10,000
$ 10,000
$ 3,000
$ 2,500
$ 3,000
$ 2,500
$ 3,000
$ 2,500
$ 2,156
$ 1,000
$ 30,872
$ 1,000
$ 32,852
$ 4,500
$ 34,892
$ 4,500
$ 413,700
$ 1,054
$ 403
$ 6,084
$ 8,000
$ 20,000
Total Uses of Funding
$ 119,287
$ 329,500
$ 457,832
$ 544,195
Annual Surplus (Deficit)
Accumulated Surplus (Deficit)
$ 12,213
$ 12,213
$ 12,125 ‐$ 13,039 ‐$ 7,476
$ 24,338 $ 11,299 $ 3,823
$ 7,496
$ 11,319
32
Notes: a
MOU valued at up to $200,000/year including 15% overhead; anticipate reaching max by 2013‐14 b
MOU valued at $150K/year including 15% overhead; includes provision to review annual contribution in recognition of potential increases in project requirements/expenses over time. c
represents Centre portion of projected overhead related to CSC‐Perform Assurance and CPSP MOUs d
e
annual projections include 4% increase over preceding year contribution valued at up to $10K per year from internal research funds and speaker budget f g
contribution valued at up to $20K for Nursing faculty grant development support and one Nursing scholarship represents purchase of computers and other office equipment h
value for 2009‐10 represents 0.5 FTE salary & benefits for Jan‐Mar only; subsequent years based on 12 months represents support for Violence & Aggression Symposium/Custody & Caring Conference held in alternating years j
i
represents 15% University overhead on CSC‐Performance Assurance MOU k
represents proportion of annual $150,000 payment that is University overhead l
related to post‐graduate training program for corrections professionals m
represents contribution to admin salary costs associated w CPSP‐funded initiatives represents additional salary & benef costs to bring Centre admin/management support to 1.0 FTE beginning May 2011 n
33
10.2.
Consultation Forms
The following signed consultation forms are attached:
 Information Technology services
 University Library
 Facilities Management
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
Update: Project Request Form was submitted in August 2010 and project
details worked out between September and November 2010.
Update: No project staging will be required; total estimated cost is within the $30K in funding
provided by SK Corrections, Public Safety and Policing (see item 4 below)
51
52
10.3.
Letters of Support
Letters of support are provided from the following individuals:
 Peter Stoicheff, Dean, College of Arts & Science
 Harley Dickinson, Vice-Dean, Division of Social Sciences, College of Arts &
Science
 Lorna Butler, Dean, College of Nursing
 Beth Bilson, Acting Dean, and Martin Phillipson, Associate Dean Research and
Graduate Studies, College of Law
 Lou Qualtiere, Associate Dean Research, College of Medicine
 Robert Buckingham, Executive Director, School of Public Health
 Michael Atkinson, Executive Director, Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of
Public Policy
 Karen Chad, Vice-President Research, University of Saskatchewan
 Provost’s Committee on Integrated Planning
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
School of Public Health
107 Wiggins Road
Saskatoon SK S7N 5E5 Canada
Telephone: (306) 966-8544
Facsimile: (306) 966-7920
Email: school.publichealth@usask.ca
www.usask.ca/sph
September 27, 2010
RE: Support for the Forensic Behavioural Sciences Centre and Justice Initiative
To: University of Saskatchewan Council (Planning & Priorities Committee)
The School of Public Health (SPH) lends its support to the proposed Forensic Behavioural
Sciences Centre and Justice Initiative intended to develop an interdisciplinary centre that will
promote research and graduate training in the areas of justice and forensic sciences. The
addition of such a centre to the University of Saskatchewan’s research and graduate degree
offerings will further enhance the expanding role of interdisciplinarity on this campus.
Clearly, there are great demands for scholarly activity pertaining to the criminal justice system.
These demands include the need for research, training and evaluation concerning the law and
justice systems, personnel and inmates, crime prevention, conflict resolution, and community
health issues. The School fully supports the initiative’s direction to meet these demands, and
expects to benefit greatly from the linkages to Public Health.
Thank you for your consideration of this proposal.
Warm regards,
Robert W. Buckingham, DrPH
Executive Director
School of Public Health
University of Saskatchewan
61
www.schoolofpublicpolicy.sk.ca
University of Saskatchewan campus
101 Diefenbaker Place
Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B8 Canada
November 3, 2010
Dr. Brett Fairbairn, Chair
Provost’s Committee on Integrated Planning
Dear Brett:
The Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (JSGS) is pleased to support the proposed
Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies at the University of Saskatchewan, an
interdisciplinary centre that will promote research, graduate training, evaluation, and outreach related
to crime, justice, and corrections. This multi-college collaboration is a unique venture that will:
1) assemble existing campus research and training expertise currently dispersed across campus in
multiple academic units, and 2) provide the formal structure to enhance collaborative opportunities
both within the university community and with external partners at the provincial, national, and
international levels.
The JSGS is fully supportive of the general concept of the Forensic Centre and eager to connect the
work of our faculty with initiatives that will be undertaken by the Centre. The Centre will foster
collaboration across discipline and college boundaries, a role that the School fully supports. In
addition, the School welcomes the opportunities that will be created to engage in large-scale, multidisciplinary research programs.
Faculty in the School come from a broad range of disciplines, and the types of research they conduct
are varied. Specifically, we have two faculty members whose work could potentially connect up to
the Centre. Lihui Zhang, an assistant professor at the School’s U of R campus, conducts research on
crime economics, economics of family and children, and poverty and inequality public policy. The
work she is doing would, I believe, fit extremely well with the mandate of the Forensic Centre.
Daniel Béland, a Canada Research Chair located at the U of S campus, is an expert in social policy.
He may have future projects that could link in with the Forensic Centre.
Please consider the JSGS a full supporter of this endeavour. We encourage PCIP and the Planning
and Priorities Committee to support this initiative, in part to further demonstrate the University’s
unequivocal support for work that reaches beyond traditional disciplines and organization structures.
Yours truly,
Michael Atkinson
Executive Director
62
MMA/alm
c: Bob Tyler, Chair, Planning and Priorities Committee, University Council
Steve Wormith, Acting Director, Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies Initiative
The Johnson‐Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, with campuses at the University of Regina and the University of Saskatchewan, is an interdisciplinary centre for public policy research, teaching, outreach and training. 63
64
10.4.
Forensic-Related Programs and Centres in Canada
Carleton University
The Institute of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Carleton University offers an
undergraduate degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice designed to provide students with a
comprehensive and inter-disciplinary approach to the study of crime and administration of criminal
justice.
Students acquire an in-depth understanding of the definition and causes of crime, criminal, antisocial and harmful behaviour, criminal law and its administration, public policy and society’s
reaction to crime. The disciplines of Law, Psychology and Sociology provide the insights needed
to master this complex field.
The criminology and criminal justice program also offers the opportunity to acquire deeper
knowledge in one of the three disciplines that are part of the program, such specialization being
reflected as a concentration within the undergraduate degree. The Honours program also provides
a valuable basis for further study at the graduate level.
Source:
http://www2.carleton.ca/criminology/about/
University of Ottawa
The Department of Criminology, housed within the Faculty of Social Sciences, is home to the
Laboratory for Justice Studies and Research and is associated with the Institute for the Prevention
of Crime. It supports research in areas as diverse as policing, violence against women, drug
policy, sex work, prisons, youth, media representations of crime, political violence, human rights
and cybercrime. Undergraduate programs within the Department include an Honours with
specialization in criminology, a Major in Criminology and a Minor in Criminology. Graduate
programs include a Master of Arts in Criminology, a Master of Arts in Criminology (Applied) and a
Ph.D. in Criminology.
The Laboratory for Justice Studies and Research is a multidisciplinary and bilingual
institutional hub consisting of researchers studying the discourses and processes of “justice”.
The laboratory collaborates with institutions here and abroad and civil society in seeking to
enhance academic, practitioner and popular understandings of the structures, processes and
habits of mind that threaten and contribute to justice.
The Institute for the Prevention of Crime at the University of Ottawa is an endeavor of the
Faculty of Social Sciences with a goal of strengthening Canada’s capacity to use evidence and
knowledge to prevent crime and victimization. The Institute encourages excellence in crime
prevention by enhancing opportunities for Masters and Doctoral students to develop expertise
on, and contribute to, harnessing knowledge to prevent crime and enhance community safety.
Source:
http://www.sciencessociales.uottawa.ca/lab/lerj/eng/index.asp
http://www.sciencessociales.uottawa.ca/ipc/eng/ipc.asp
65
University of New Brunswick
The Centre for Criminal Justice Studies is a multidisciplinary organization that encourages
collaboration with community agencies for the purposes of sharing knowledge, community
awareness, continuing education for professionals, and developing research partnerships.
The Centre has a wealth of expertise in various criminal justice issues, extending from public policy
to applied and basic research pertinent to understanding crime, criminal behaviour, and the many
elements of the correctional/legal system. This understanding is offered from psychological,
sociological, political and historical perspectives.
The Centre does not provide university courses or specific university-level training in criminal
justice, but offers professional workshops and lectures designed to add to the educational
development of individuals working within criminal justice-related fields and professions.
Undergraduate and graduate students interested in criminal justice research are welcome to
conduct research under the supervision of the Centre Director or a faculty member on the Advisory
Board and to attend the professional workshop/lecture series when available.
For those interested in training in criminal justice topics, UNB offers a Criminal Justice minor within
the Faculty of Arts as well as various course related to social deviance, criminal behaviour and
crime in many disciplines and departments across campus.
At the graduate level, UNB offers a Masters degree in Experimental Psychology as well as
Doctoral degrees in Applied and Experimental Psychology and Clinical Psychology.
Source:
http://www.unbsj.ca/ccjs/aboutus.html
Simon Fraser University
The School of Criminology is the largest in Canada and on the Pacific Rim and is one of the
leading criminology and criminal justice teaching and research centres in the world. It offers
undergraduate and graduate programs leading to the degrees of Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts,
Master of Arts in Applied Legal Studies, and Ph.D. The School and/or its faculty is also affiliated
with a number of research institutes and centres, including the Criminology Research Centre, the
Centre for Restorative Justice, the Institute for Studies in Criminal Justice Policy, the International
Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy and the Mental Health, Law and Policy
Institute.
The Criminology Research Centre was established in 1978 to facilitate criminological
research by faculty and graduate students. Funds to establish and maintain the Centre are
provided by contracts and grants from the federal Solicitor General's department, other federal,
provincial and private sources. The Centre publishes a series of working papers based on
reports and other manuscripts generated by the various research projects, and also maintains
a modest library for use by faculty and students.
66
The Centre for Restorative Justice is an initiative of the Simon Fraser School of Criminology,
funded by the Correctional Service of Canada. In partnership with individuals, the community,
justice agencies and the University, the Centre exists to support and promote the principles
and practices of restorative justice. The Centre provides education, innovative program
models, training, evaluation and research through a resource centre and meeting place that
facilitates outreach, promotion, dialogue and advocacy.
The Institute for Studies in Criminal Justice Policy was established with the initial support
of the Donner Foundation in 1980. The purpose of the Institute is to contribute to the
examination of criminal justice policy by providing a setting in which academics and justice
system personnel can assemble to apply scholarly research to policy development and
analysis. The Institute undertakes projects on its own initiative, as well as under contract.
The International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy was
established in 1991 as a joint initiative of Simon Fraser University, the University of British
Columbia and the Society for the Reform of Criminal Law, and is housed at the University of
British Columbia. The International Centre's association with Simon Fraser University and the
University of British Columbia allows it to marshal effective interdisciplinary teams for work in
criminal law and criminal justice policy research and education. The Centre is involved in the
furthering of graduate courses and research in the areas of criminal law and justice policy with
an international/comparative focus The International Centre's primary role is to provide advice
and assistance on matters related to the reform of criminal law and criminal justice policy. The
Centre also launches an increasing number of national and international education and training
initiatives. These include the design and delivery of training in human rights and justice
administration as well as the organization of international exchange programs and workshops.
The Mental health, Law and Policy Institute was established in 1991 to promote
interdisciplinary collaboration in research and training in areas related to mental health, law
and policy. Its membership is drawn from the Department of Psychology and the School of
Criminology at Simon Fraser University, as well as government and community agencies. The
Institute has received federal and provincial grants for a variety of research projects in the area
of mental health and law, and also sponsors lectures and workshops.
Source:
http://www.sfu.ca/criminology/index.html
http://www.sfu.ca/criminology/research/index.html#CLR
67
10.5 Evaluation Report: MOA between UofS and CSC 1999/00-2004/05
Executive Summary provided below.
68
_______________________________________________
Evaluation Report
Memorandum of Agreement between University of Saskatchewan and Correctional
Service of Canada
File # 394-2-29
Evaluation and Review Branch
Performance Assurance Sector
December 14, 2004
69
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The evaluation and review team wish to thank all who facilitated with the creation of this
report. Specifically, we are grateful to Marie-Lynne Beriau, Hongchao Wang and
Hongping Li for their efforts in coding and inputting data resulting from the interviews
conducted over the course of the project. The evaluation team would also like to express
their appreciation to the staff of the University of Saskatchewan and the Regional
Psychiatric Centre, Prairies, for their valuable assistance during the evaluation,
facilitating the identification of key stakeholders and ensuring timely access to staff.
EVALUATION TEAM MEMBERS
Mark Nafekh
Senior Evaluation and Review Manager
Evaluation and Review Branch, Performance Assurance
Correctional Service Canada
Nicole Allegri
Analytical Assistant
Evaluation and Review Branch, Performance Assurance
Correctional Service Canada
70
Evaluation Report
Memorandum of Agreement between University of Saskatchewan and Correctional
Service of Canada
SIGNATURES
Cheryl Fraser
Assistant Commissioner
Performance Assurance
Original signed January 10, 2005
Date
Thérèse Gascon
Director General
Evaluation and Review Branch
Original signed December 15, 2004
Date
71
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Introduction
On July 1st, 1999, the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) and the University of
Saskatchewan collaboratively entered into an agreement 3 to introduce graduate level
training in Forensic Psychology in the Prairie Region. The agreement was designed to
enhance the level of Forensic Psychology services and research in the Prairies. The
agreement emphasized the need to train and recruit forensic psychologists, in particular,
those of Aboriginal descent, and the need to provide specialized psychological services
and conduct research related to Aboriginal correctional issues.
This report provides findings concerning the evaluation and review of the position of
Chair in Forensic Psychology at the University of Saskatchewan. The report measures the
achievements and outcomes per the Memorandum of Agreement between CSC and the
University. The report also provides a means to assess the viability of continued funding
of the Chair, based on ongoing activities and future plans for development and
enhancement of services indicated in the Memorandum.
Evaluation Strategy
The evaluation was conducted collaboratively with the Department of Psychology,
University of Saskatchewan, and the Evaluation and Review Branch, Correctional
Service of Canada. Aspects of both the formative and summative approaches were
combined to facilitate the assessment of the evaluation objectives. The evaluation
objectives focused on relevancy, success, cost-effectiveness, implementation and
unintended effects associated with the implementation of the Agreement.
The evaluation and review utilized both qualitative and quantitative methodology.
Information was collected through interviews, data collection (e.g., student enrolment
data), and a review of relevant documentation (e.g., annual reports produced throughout
the duration of the Memorandum, the Systematic Program Review Report on
Undergraduate and Graduate Programs in Psychology, the Canadian Psychological
Association Accreditation Panel for Doctoral Programs and Internships in Professional
Psychology: Site Visit Report). Interviews were conducted by the evaluation team in
person and by telephone during the months of July, August and September, 2004. The
interview process included a site visit to the University of Saskatchewan and the
Regional Psychiatric Centre from August 4th to 6th, 2004.
Financial Expenditures:
3
The Memorandum of Agreement was effective for a five year period starting July 1, 1999. A one year
extension of the Memorandum was effected subsequent to the initial agreement.
72
Budget requirements for the position of Chair in Forensic Psychology, as outlined in
Schedule A of the Memorandum of Agreement, were comprised of a salary and a student
fellowship/research assistantship component. Both components increased annually by
3%. In addition, there was an initial relocation fee as well as a yearly career development
and fringe benefit increments. The total budget was funded 75% by CSC and 25% by the
University. CSC payments were listed in the Main Estimates 4 as a “Grant to the
University of Saskatchewan, Department of Psychology for a Chair in Forensic
Psychology”. Actual expenditures were as in the table below:
CSC Allocation
U of S Allocation
External Funding
Acquired by the Chair
Total
1999-00
114,500
38,167
152,667
2000-01
110,489
36,830
2001-02
115,039
38,346
2002-03
119,764
39,921
2003-04
124,669
41,556
Total
584,461
194,820
24,900
45,400
32,996
28,948
132,244
172,219
198,785
192,681
195,173
911,525
KEY FINDINGS:
The following results are presented under their respective Evaluation Objectives.
Objective 1: Relevancy:

The Memorandum of Agreement between CSC and the University of Saskatchewan
for the position of Chair in Forensic Psychology is consistent with CSC priorities.
The Agreement realistically addresses the need to provide specialized psychological
services and to conduct research related to Aboriginal correctional issues. As such,
the Agreement is consistent with CSC’s Mission Statement, Core Values and
Corporate Objectives 5 .
Objective 2: Success:
Efficiency:

4
The expenditure of financial resources by CSC and the University of Saskatchewan,
as well as the external funding acquired by the Chair, has been sufficient to the extent
that funds were appropriately allocated per Schedule A of the Agreement.
Specifically, funding was allocated to staff the position of Chair in Forensic
Psychology, including faculty salary, benefits and career development increments.
Total funding was also sufficient to supply Graduate Teaching Fellowships that
The Main Estimates are government documents providing a detailed breakdown of government spending
for the upcoming fiscal year.
5
The Correctional Service of Canada’s Mission Statement, Core Values and Corporate Objectives can be
referenced at http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca.
73
supported and retained an average of 4 high calibre students per year in the Forensic
Psychology area.

External funding has been acquired by the Chair through contractual arrangements
with provincial agencies for research services.

The level of access to appropriate research and administrative support at the Regional
Psychiatric Centre (RPC) and other CSC institutions was rated high amongst graduate
students, the Chair of Forensic Psychology, and CSC staff members.

In relation to the expenditure of resources available, activities were prioritized in such
a way that there was success in producing planned outputs identified in the
Agreement. Specifically, training in Forensic Psychology and research was provided
to 19 students over the 5 year agreement period, prior to which such training was not
available at any university in the Prairie Provinces. To date, two students who have
graduated at the Masters level are of Aboriginal descent, and one Aboriginal forensic
psychologist has been recruited to work with CSC in the Prairie Region. Currently,
there are 5 graduate students employed with CSC. Also, there have been a substantial
number of research contributions that address a range of criminal justice issues.
Effectiveness:

As a result of the Agreement, there has been a substantial contribution to quality
research on criminal justice issues central to the Correctional Service of Canada and
the Prairie Provinces. The Chair has effectively liaised with the Aboriginal
community to develop research that has an Aboriginal focus, as well as with faculty
members and students of other relevant academic departments. In general, there is a
continuing need for community engagement and Aboriginal-specific approaches
towards research.

When compared to the general student population at the University, the enrolment
rate of Aboriginal students in the area of Forensic Psychology was rated as average.
A new initiative addressing this issue will begin in September 2004.

The Chair’s availability to share expertise in correctional programs and research has
been a resource to the RPC (Prairies) and the Prairie Region generally. Stronger links
between the University and Regional Headquarters (Prairies) have been initiated to
some degree over the past year in an effort to raise the level of information-sharing
and benefits resulting from the Agreement.

The Memorandum of Agreement between CSC and the University has enabled the
University to expand clinical and research training in Forensic Psychology, and has
attracted and retained high calibre forensic graduate students in the Prairie Region.
74
Objective 3: Cost Effectiveness:

The area of Forensic Psychology is cost-effective. Given the current financial
resources, the maximum number of graduate students is producing a good level of
benefits as defined in the agreement. Notably, enhanced economies of scale 6 may be
achieved through a marginal cost increment that would reflect the addition of only
two Graduate Teaching Fellowships.

The external funding that has been acquired by the Chair has, in effect, increased the
level of benefits resulting from the Agreement and enhanced the cost-effectiveness of
CSC’s and the University’s contributions.
Objective 4: Implementation

The activities of the Forensic Chair are linked to achieving effects in a valid and
logical way. Specifically, the Chair works in partnership with the appropriate parties
involved in the Memorandum of Agreement, and maintains sufficient levels of
contact, exposure and collaboration with the University, CSC, community partners,
provincial agencies and Aboriginal partners.

The position of Chair has strengthened the reputation and heightened the profile and
exposure of the Psychology Department at the University of Saskatchewan,
internally, nationally and internationally.
Objective 5: Unintended Findings

Aspects of the federal government hiring process, such as the timeliness of hiring or
bridging in of students, are not conducive to the goals of recruiting and retaining
Forensic Psychologists in the Prairie Region, as outlined in the Agreement.

Long-term benefits arising from the agreement are unstable given the dependency of
the position of Chair on the five year duration of the Agreement.

Benefits resulting from the agreement are dependent on the array of skills and
expertise offered by the Chair.
6
Economies of scale is a descriptive quantitative term that refers to a scenario in which the cost of
producing an additional output, in this case Forensic Psychology graduate experts, declines with the
number produced.
75
CONCLUSIONS

The Memorandum of Agreement between CSC and the University of Saskatchewan
has been successfully implemented. Further, the University, CSC, and the Chair of
Forensic Psychology have been operating in a way in which the goals and objectives
of the Agreement have been realistically met.

Action has been taken by CSC, the University and the Chair of Forensic Psychology
to work toward improving those areas of the Agreement specific to the enrolment,
retention and recruitment of Aboriginal forensic psychologists.

Evaluation results are consistent with external, independent reviews of the
Department of Psychology at the University of Saskatchewan.

Specific goals and objectives in the Agreement were broad in nature (e.g., contribute
to criminal justice issues relevant to the Prairie Region; liaise with the Aboriginal
community and CSC to develop research in Forensic Psychology that has an
Aboriginal focus). However, an approach towards achieving these goals has been
developed adequately by the current Chair. Specifically, the Chair has realistically
focussed the development of contributions and partnerships to work within the
resources allocated through the agreement.

Research contributions to criminal justice issues accomplished through the
Agreement would be better aligned with CSC’s current priorities with stronger
linkages to National and Regional Headquarters (Prairies).
RECOMMENDATIONS:

To sustain capacity, the University of Saskatchewan and CSC should continue their
efforts in the spirit of the most recent Agreement. Priority should be placed on
making the initiative self-sufficient as soon as possible.

To ensure CSC research policy and procedures are followed (i.e. as outlined in
Commissioner’s Directive #009 “Research” and “Guidelines), future initiatives
conducted through the Agreement should be approved through CSC’s National
Research Program.

The Service should take full advantage of employment strategies to enable the
recruitment and retention of forensic psychologists in the Prairie Region, at the RPC
or within CSC in general, such as the use of bridging mechanisms for internship or
practicum students, as per the Public Service Commission policy.

The University should continue to work toward the recruitment of qualified
Aboriginal graduate students into the Forensic Psychology area.
76

If both the Service and the University wish to maintain the current direction of
funding in a future agreement, both parties should redefine the Memorandum’s
broader goals and objectives using the current model as a reasonable gage of
expectations and level of accomplishments.

If both the Service and the University wish to enhance the scope attained through the
current Agreement with respect to contributions, collaborations, and partnerships,
both parties should consider the following in the development of a new funding
structure:
i. funding to support additional graduate student research.
ii. funding for an additional two students in the area of Forensic Psychology
iii. an operational budget to support the Chair
iv. a review of the Chair’s salary and the Graduate Teaching Fellowships to
ensure these allocations are current and realistic.
v. consultations regarding the eligibility and feasibility of attaining external
funding, such as Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
funding.
vi. an expansion of collaborations with the academic community in the Prairie
Provinces (for example, the University of Regina and the First Nations
University), centering on Forensic Psychology issues relevant to the Prairie
Region.
vii. a higher level of engagement with the Aboriginal corrections community in
the Prairie Provinces (for example, the Stan Daniels Healing Centre, the
Native Counselling Services of Alberta, etc.), and Aboriginal-specific
community organizations, focusing on the holistic philosophies and
approaches towards risk assessment, crime prevention, intervention and
reintegration.
viii. the feasibility of having a person work alongside the incumbent Chair in order
to build expertise, retain knowledge and develop and maintain community
contacts and collaborations.
ix. a plan that would provide for longer-term sustainability of the position of
Chair.
77
10.6 References
Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics (CCJS). (2005). Returning to correctional
services after release. A profile of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal adults involved in
Saskatchewan Corrections from 1999/00 to 2003/04. June. Juristat, 25 (2).
Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics (CCJS).(2010). Police reported crime statistics in
Canada, 2009, July. Juristat, 30 (2).
Canadian Public Health Association. (2004). A health care needs assessment of federal
inmates in Canada. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 95 (Suppl. 1) (March-April).
Commission on First Nations and Métis Peoples and Justice Reform. (2004, June 21). Legacy of
hope: An agenda for change (Vol 1). Retrieved from http://www.justicereformcomm.sk.ca
Correctional Service Canada. (2009). Enhancing the role of Aboriginal communities in corrections.
[By Gina Wilson, Director General]. Aboriginal Issues, CSC. FORUM on Corrections
Research. Retrieved from http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/pblct/forum/e121/e121a-eng.shtml
Government of Saskatchewan. (2005, May). Action plan for improving health, justice, prosperity
and safety in Saskatchewan. Response to the final report of the Commission on First
Nations and Métis Peoples and Justice Reform. Saskatchewan Justice. Retrieved from
http://www.gov.sk.ca/news?newsId=7c64e4de-36f6-4a61-801d-8193db6d617a
Kirby, M. J. L., & Keon, W. J. (2006, May). Out of the shadows at last: Transforming mental health,
mental illness and addiction services in Canada. Ottawa: Standing Senate Committee on
Social Affairs, Science and Technology, Retrieved from
www.parl.gc.ca/39/1/parlbus/commbus/senate/com-e/soci-e/rep-e/rep02may06-e.htm
Office of the Correctional Investigator. (2009a, June 29). Annual Report of the Office of the
Correctional Investigator 2008-2009. The Correctional Investigator Canada. Retrieved
from http://www.oci-bec.gc.ca/rpt/annrpt/annrpt20082009-eng.aspx
Office of the Correctional Investigator. (2009b). Good intentions, disappointing results: A progress
report on federal Aboriginal corrections. Retrieved from http://www.oci-bec.gc.ca/rpt/othaut/oth-aut20091113-eng.aspx
University of Saskatchewan. (2008, May). The second integrated plan: Toward an engaged
University. 2008/09 to 2011/12. Full version. Retrieved from
http://www.usask.ca/ip/inst_planning/docs/UofS_Report_Booklet_final_LR.pdf
University of Saskatchewan (2010, April). University of Saskatchewan strategic directions update.
Retrieved from http://www.usask.ca/president/pdf/strategic_directions_update.pdf
78
University of Saskatchewan (2011, January). The Third Integrated Plan: Areas of Focus. Retrieved
from http://www.usask.ca/ip/docs/protected/AreasofFocus_FINALJan2011.pdf?ticket=ST462179-oLua25VjWODCvIbBmI62-%24HOST
Youth Criminal Justice Act (2002, c.1). Canada’s Youth Criminal Justice Act.
79