Pre-Trial Custody
If you have been charged with committing a crime and ordered to remain in until trial, you will be held in a provincial correctional centre. These centres are operated by the B.C. Corrections Branch of the Ministry of Justice.
Provincial correctional centres have different levels of security and control. These centres house people who are:
- remanded while they await their trial or sentence;
- detained under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act while waiting for a court decision; or
- serving a jail sentence of less than two years.
If you are sentenced to two years or more in jail, you may spend up to 15 days in a provincial correctional centre until you are transferred to a federal correctional centre.
Corrections officers are required to treat people held in custody with dignity and respect. They provide safe and secure custody and programs to reduce criminal behaviour and promote public safety.
What to Expect in Pre-Trial Custody
If you are being held in custody while you wait for your trial or sentencing, you are in remand. Remanded people are considered innocent until proven guilty.
If you are remanded, you will remain in custody until one of the following occurs:
- the charges are dismissed;
- you are granted bail;
- you are found not guilty; or
- you are sentenced and begin serving your sentence.
While you are not required to work or participate in correctional centre programs while in remand, you may participate if space is available. Sentenced offenders are given priority.
