Corrections Branch Archives

Parole Board bearing (1 to 1): F.C. Boyes, Oscar L Erickson, J.D. Rickaby, V.H. Goad, H.C. Grant (1930s)

Refining probation and parole

Facilities for the Probation Branch were
expanded in 1957 with a move to offices in the
B.C. Estates Building on Melville Street in
Vancouver. However, additional strain was
created when more inmates were sentenced to
Haney Correctional Institution for a definite
and indeterminate period. There was also an
increase in inmates on conditional release from
the Young Offenders Unit under supervision of
the Probation Branch.

The tremendous expansion of probation
setvices required a more co-ordinated system to
standardize operations. The first Probation
Supervisor, Dick Clark, was appointed in 1957
to co-ordinate and increase contact between
branch offices.

An increase in young adult offenders placed on
parole required greater uniformity of Parole
Board activities and operation of the parole
supervision system.

As a tesult:

« Maitland Stade transferred from New Haven
and was given the permanent position of
secretary of the Provincial Parole Board at
Corrections Branch headquarters.

» A policy manual was developed for the board.
It improved procedures and served as an
official framework for the board, institutional
staff, and probation officers supervising
parolees.

In 1958, Kim Nelson left the Corrections
service and returned to the University of
Southern California. John W. Braithwaite, at the
age of 28, became warden at Haney
Correctional Institution. He was noted in the
press as the youngest warden in Canada and
probably the youngest warden in North

America. He started work in corrections at
Oakalla Prison Farm:

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Corrections in British Columbia