PBC QuickStats

Parole, Pardons and Clemency

  1. Approximate Number of Offenders Under Federal Custody
  2. Federal Conditional Release Population
  3. Number of Reviews and Hearings
  4. Number of Elder Assisted Hearings Conducted
  5. Parole Grant Rate
  6. Number of Appeal Decisions
  7. Outcomes of Conditional Release
  8. Number of PBC Contacts with Victims
  9. Number of Victim Statements Presented at Hearings
  10. Number of Observers at Hearings
  11. Number of Decisions Released
  12. Number of Pardons Granted
  13. Number of Prerogatives of Mercy Granted
  14. Number of offenders who have had a judicial review

(Note: Unless otherwise noted, the following statistics are for the 2009-2010 fiscal year.)

1. Approximate Number of Offenders under Federal Custody

Incarcerated - 13,531

Conditional Release - 8,709

(Conditional Release includes those federal offenders conditionally released on day parole, full parole and statutory release and those on long term supervision orders including those paroled for deportation and temporary detainees whether detained in a penitentiary or a provincial jail.)

2. Federal Conditional Release Population

  • Canada: 8,709
  • Atlantic region: 908
  • Quebec region: 2,215
  • Ontario region: 2,335
  • Prairies region: 1,909
  • Pacific region: 1,342

3. Number of Reviews

16,992 (both pre- and post-release)

This number represents both federal level reviews (16,049) and provincial level reviews (943) where the PBC is responsible to hear provincial cases.

Note: A review could be by way of a file review in the office or by way of a panel hearing with the offender in the institution.

4. Number of Elder Assisted Hearings Conducted

The number of Elder Assisted Hearings: 428

Note: The purpose of Elder Assisted Hearings is to create an environment that facilitates a culturally-sensitive hearing process for Aboriginal offenders.

5. Parole Grant Rate

Federal day parole: 66%

Federal full parole: 41%

6. Number of Appeal Decisions by the Appeals Division of the PBC

Federal cases: 621 decisions were rendered with the initial decision being affirmed in 96 percent

Provincial cases: 58 decisions were rendered with the initial decision being affirmed in 100 percent

7. Successful Completion Rates for Federal Conditional Release

Day parole: 87,4%

Full Parole: 76,5%

Statutory Release: 62,4% (Note: SR is a release by law and is not a PBC decision)

Offenders released on statutory release were far more likely to have had their releases revoked because of a breach of condition than federal offenders on day parole or full parole during each of the last five years.

8. Number of PBC Contacts with Victims

In 2009-2010: 22,181

Last five years: 100,822

9. Number of Victim Statements Presented at Hearings

In 2009-2010: 231 presentations at 127 hearings.

Last five years: 1,088 presentations at 641 hearings

10. Number of Observers at Hearings

In 2009-2010: 2,234

Last five years: 8,785

11. Number of Decisions Released

In 2009-2010: 5,721

Last five years: 28,953

12. Number of Pardons Granted

In 2009-2010: 24,139 with a grant rate of 98%

Last five years: 111,910

Note: Since 1970, more than 400,000 Canadians have received pardons. 96 percent of these are still in force, indicating that the vast majority of pardon recipients remain crime-free in the community.

13. Number of Royal Prerogative of Mercy Granted

In 2009-2010: 37 requests received, 1 granted.

14. Number of offenders who have had a judicial review (Section 745 Criminal Code - also known as the Faint Hope Clause)

Judicial Reviews began in 1987. As of October 10, 2010, 1,508 offenders were eligible to apply for a judicial review. Of those eligible, there have been 181 court decisions, and 146 of these have resulted in an offender becoming eligible for earlier parole. Of these, 135 offenders have been granted parole.