In criminal justice, particularly in North America, correction, corrections, and correctional, are umbrella terms describing a variety of functions typically carried out by government agencies, and involving the punishment, treatment, and supervision of persons who have been convicted of crimes. These functions commonly include imprisonment, parole, and probation. A typical correctional institution is a prison. A correctional system, also known as a penal system, thus refers to a network of agencies that administer a jurisdiction's prisons, and community-based programs like parole, and probation boards. This system is part of the larger criminal justice system, which additionally includes police, prosecution and courts. Jurisdictions throughout Canada and the US have ministries or departments, respectively, of corrections, correctional services, or similarly-named agencies.
The Department of Corrections is the public service department of New Zealand charged with managing the New Zealand corrections system. This includes the operations of the 18 prisons in New Zealand and services run by Probation. Corrections' role and functions were defined and clarified with the passing of the Corrections Act 2004. In early 2006, Corrections officially adopted the Māori name Ara Poutama Aotearoa.
A probation or parole officer is an official appointed or sworn to investigate, report on, and supervise the conduct of convicted offenders on probation or those released from incarceration to community supervision such as parole. Most probation and parole officers are employed by the government of the jurisdiction in which they operate, although some are employed by private companies that provide contracted services to the government.
In criminal justice systems, a youth detention center, known as a juvenile detention center (JDC), juvenile detention, juvenile jail, juvenile hall, or more colloquially as juvie/juvy or the Juvey Joint, also sometimes referred to as observation home or remand home is a prison for people under the age of majority, to which they have been sentenced and committed for a period of time, or detained on a short-term basis while awaiting trial or placement in a long-term care program. Juveniles go through a separate court system, the juvenile court, which sentences or commits juveniles to a certain program or facility.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is the penal law enforcement agency of the government of California responsible for the operation of the California state prison and parole systems. Its headquarters are in Sacramento.
The California Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), previously known as the California Youth Authority (CYA), was a division of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation that provided education, training, and treatment services for California's most serious youth offenders, until its closure in 2023. These youths were committed by the juvenile and criminal courts to DJJ's eleven correctional facilities, four conservation camps and two residential drug treatment programs. The DJJ provided services to juvenile offenders, ranging in age from twelve to 25, in facilities and on parole, and worked closely with law enforcement, the courts, district attorneys, public defenders, probation offices and other public and private agencies involved with the problems of youth. The DJJ underwent reorganization as required by a court agreement and the California State Legislature after widespread criticisms of conditions at its youth prisons. The agency's headquarters were in Sacramento, California.
Boot camps are part of the correctional and penal system of some countries. Modeled after military recruit training camps, these programs are based on shock incarceration grounded on military techniques. The aggressive training used has resulted in deaths in a variety of circumstances. Boot camps are also criticized around the world for their lack of behavioral change and for the way extreme force can traumatize children and teenagers.
The Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections (IDJC) is a state agency of Idaho that operates three juvenile correction centers and works closely with county probation departments to provide accountability, community protection, and rehabilitation to justice involved juveniles in Idaho. The three facilities are: Juvenile Corrections Center Lewiston (JCC-L), Juvenile Corrections Center Nampa (JCC-N), and Juvenile Corrections Center St. Anthony (JCC-SA). The agency has its headquarters in Boise.
The Singapore Prison Service (新加坡监狱署) or SPS is a government agency of the Government of Singapore under the purview of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The service runs 14 prisons and drug rehabilitation centres in Singapore. Its responsibilities encompass the safe custody, rehabilitation and aftercare of offenders, and preventive education.
The Yellow Ribbon Project started on 2 October 2004, is a community initiative organised by the Community Action for Rehabilitation of Ex-offenders (CARE) Network in Singapore. The Yellow Ribbon Project advocates a second chance for ex-offenders and their families through concerted efforts and for ex-offenders to reintegrate into society.
The Department of Prisons is a department of the Government of Sri Lanka responsible for the incarceration and rehabilitation of convicted criminal offenders and terror suspects, coming under the purview of the Ministry of Justice and National Integration. The Commissioner-General of Prisons reports to the Subject Minister, who is in turn responsible to the Parliament of Sri Lanka.
A diversion program, also known as a pretrial diversion program or pretrial intervention program, in the criminal justice system is a form of pretrial sentencing that helps remedy the behavior leading to the arrest. Administered by the judicial or law enforcement systems, they often allow the offender to avoid conviction and include a rehabilitation program to prevent future criminal acts. Availability and the operation of such systems differ in different countries.
The Wisconsin Department of Corrections (WIDOC) is an administrative department in the executive branch of the state of Wisconsin responsible for corrections in Wisconsin, including state prisons and community supervision. The secretary is a cabinet member appointed by the governor of Wisconsin and confirmed by the Wisconsin Senate.
Fort Augusta Adult Correctional Centre, formerly Fort Augusta Prison, is Jamaica's only prison for women. It was built to accommodate 250 female inmates but has held over 280 on occasions. It has been known to run short of food. It is operated by the Department of Correctional Services for the Ministry of National Security.
The Department of Correctional Services, Jamaica (DCS) is a department of the Ministry of National Security of Jamaica, headquartered in Kingston. The department operates prisons and jails in Jamaica. The current Commissioner of Corrections is Brigadier Radgh Mason.
The Ministry of National Security (MNS) is a statutory under the government of Jamaica responsible for maintaining national safety through the enforcement of law and order. It has its headquarters in the North Tower of the NCB Towers in Kingston. It is also charged with preserving the security of Jamaica’s borders. Previously known as the Ministry of National Security and Justice it was then separated in 2001 to ensure that both ministries ran efficiently within their respective purviews. To accomplish its roles and responsibilities the ministry has multitude of divisions within its organization ranging from the Jamaican Constabulary Force (JCF) the official policing force of Jamaica to the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) which safeguards its borders. The salary of this cabinet position is JMD $8,031,788 annually.
The New Zealand Parole Board is an independent statutory body established in 2002 that considers offenders for parole. Its task "is to undertake an assessment of the risk that long-term sentenced offenders might pose to the safety of the community if they were to be released before the end of their sentence". The Board also sets conditions of release for offenders so their reintegration back in to the community can be effectively managed. Once the conditions are set it becomes the responsibility of Community Corrections to manage the offender." 'Long term' is defined as more than 24 months. Short-term prisoners are automatically released after serving half their sentence.
Incarceration in Canada is one of the main forms of punishment, rehabilitation, or both, for the commission of an indictable offense and other offenses.
Norway's criminal justice system focuses on the principles of restorative justice and the rehabilitation of prisoners. Correctional facilities in Norway focus on maintaining custody of the offender and attempting to make them functioning members of society. Norway's prison system is renowned as one of the most effective and humane in the world.
