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Federal and Provincial sentences differ by the length of time the sentenced is. Provincial sentences are anytime up to a maximum of two (2) year. A federal sentence is anytime more than 2 years and includes a dangerous offender classification, an indeterminate sentence or life sentence.
Provincial sentences are served in Provincial jails and they range in scope on how they are served. Provincial sentences can be served full time, on weekends, few days a week or on probation or house arrest. The decision is generally between the accused, the lawyers, crown attorney and the judge.
All Federal sentences are served in federal penitentiaries. When a judge imposes a federal sentence, the inmate is removed from the Provincial prison and placed into Federal custody (A penitentiary). In Ontario, Federal inmates go to Joyceville Assessment Unit Kingston (for men) & Grand Valley – Kitchener (for women).
At the Assessment Unit, inmates are screened on health, physical, mental and emotional standing. An assessment of his/her criminal history, lifestyle and community standing is also done. This screening and assessment process usually takes between 3 months – 9 months, and once the reports are completed the inmate is transferred to the institution where he/she will serve their sentence (mother institution) and this can be either a Maximum, Medium, or Minimum security facility.
With the transfer to the mother instruction, he/she will be assigned a correctional plan. This correctional plan is a set of recommended rehabilitating programs that the assessment deems necessary to prepare he/she for an eventual release back to the community. Once the inmate arrives at his/her mother institution, he/she will be required to get an institutional job, to follow the recommended correctional plan, to remain charge and incident free and respect the rules and policies of the facility he/she is in.
