ICPA Welcomes Daryl Churney as Strategic Advisor

The International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Daryl Churney as Strategic Advisor. Daryl brings nearly eight years of leadership experience with the Parole Board of Canada (PBC), most recently serving as Deputy Chairperson and chief operating officer, where he oversaw national operations, policy development, and strategic partnerships across Canada's parole system. 

 

Throughout his career, Daryl has championed evidence-based approaches to community corrections, working to strengthen relationships with Indigenous organizations, victims' advocates, the voluntary sector, and international partners. His work has included comprehensive policy renewals, expanding culturally responsive hearing options for Indigenous and Black offenders, and fostering cross-border learning through organizations like the American Probation and Parole Association and the Association of Paroling Authorities International. 

 

"International collaboration is essential as corrections systems worldwide face similar pressures," said Daryl. "While there are no one-size-fits-all solutions, there are strong practices and templates that can inspire adaptation to local contexts. I'm excited to contribute to ICPA's mission of building bridges between policy and practice, and between jurisdictions that have much to learn from one another." 

 

In his new role, Daryl will focus on elevating community-based supervision and reintegration supports, strengthening coherence across ICPA's global network, and promoting the critical but often overlooked role of clemency, pardons, and expungement programs in long-term reintegration success. 

 

 

After nearly eight years with the Parole Board of Canada (PBC), there’s a lot to draw on and it’s hard to single out just one experience, so for me, it’s really about the collection of reforms, shifts in thinking and efforts to build a stronger, more resilient and safer parole system that stands out. Parole is often misunderstood as some kind of “get out of jail free” card and that’s just not been my experience with the system, which is structured, deliberate and grounded in science – as much as it can be when predicting human behavior.  

 

As Executive Director General and later as Deputy Chairperson, I had the privilege of contributing to a broader vision championed by former PBC Chairperson Jennifer Oades — who, fittingly, was ICPA’s first Executive Director. We shared a deep belief in the importance of safe, structured reintegration and in the power of strong partnerships across the system. 

 

Together with our dedicated team, we worked to broaden the Board’s outreach and rebuild relationships with partners whose engagement is essential to effective community corrections: the voluntary sector, academia, Indigenous organizations, victims and victim advocates, 2SLGBTQ+ organizations, and many others.  

 

Re‑establishing these connections — and forging new ones — helped ground our work in lived experience, community expertise, and diverse perspectives. We also expanded opportunities for victim participation in the parole process, leveraging the unique circumstances of the pandemic to make engagement more accessible.  

 

Building on the Board’s longstanding commitment to Culturally Responsive Hearings for Indigenous offenders, we introduced a parallel option for Black offenders to better support Board members in understanding cultural context and its relevance to structured decision‑making. 

 

Another major undertaking was the comprehensive renewal of the Board’s policy framework. Over three years, we aligned our policies with evolving Canadian jurisprudence and strengthened their clarity, coherence, and fairness. In parallel, we conducted a focused review of women’s experiences in the parole process, leading to a principled approach that better tailor hearings to their needs while upholding the common legal standards that apply to all offenders. 

These efforts — grounded in collaboration, evidence, and respect for the people and communities we serve — represent the most meaningful part of my time with the Parole Board of Canada. They shaped my understanding of how independent decision‑making bodies can advance safer, more humane correctional systems, and they continue to inform my work with ICPA today. 

 

 

International connections have always played an important role in shaping my perspective on parole and corrections. In Canada just as elsewhere, it’s easy to become absorbed in your own domestic pressures and simply the daily business of administering a complex regime governed by a prescriptive legislative framework. What I’d say though is, while other jurisdictions often look to Canada for inspiration, we are equally looking outward. Staying connected internationally helps guard against complacency; it reminds us that innovation is happening everywhere, and that we strengthen our own system by learning from others. 

 

This is why the Parole Board of Canada maintains close relationships with organizations such as the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) and the Association of Paroling Authorities International (APAI). These networks expose us to emerging practices, research, and operational approaches that broaden our thinking and help us refine our own. 

 

On a more personal level, one of the most influential international experiences I’ve had came during a visit to the SAFER Foundation in Chicago, perhaps sometime around 2009, where I first met Diane Williams — now ICPA’s Treasurer and then the President of SAFER. I was struck by the sheer breadth of SAFER’s community‑based programming and by how intentionally they addressed the practical barriers people face when returning to the community. 

 

At one point during my visit, a SAFER van pulled up to take clients to obtain government identification. It was such a simple activity, yet it was an organized, intentional and recurring way to address a challenge that can be nearly impossible to navigate from inside prison walls. That moment crystallized for me how profoundly small, practical supports can influence a person’s ability to rebuild their life. It also demonstrated what community corrections can look like when dignity, respect, and accountability are woven into every interaction. 

 

That visit has stayed with me ever since. SAFER remains, in my mind, a model of what community‑centred reintegration can achieve when systems focus on wellbeing, partnership, and the real‑world needs of the people they serve. Experiences like that continue to shape how I approach my work and why I believe so strongly in the value of international collaboration. 

 

What I’m most excited to bring to ICPA is a policy‑driven perspective shaped by years of working at the intersection of legislation, evidence, and operational reality.  

 

Much of my formative career was spent leading law‑reform initiatives that required balancing political direction with the best available research on what actually works in corrections. I’ve always been drawn to the challenge of aligning systems — thinking through the frameworks, values, and structures that support better outcomes and ensure that reforms strengthen, rather than erode, what is already working well. 

 

Another thread that has shaped my career from the very beginning is my connection to the voluntary sector. My first role in government was as liaison to Canada’s network of not‑for‑profit organizations working with people in conflict with the law. That experience left me with deep respect for the dedication, creativity, and compassion these organizations bring to their work, often with limited resources but extraordinary commitment. Volunteers and community organizations are, in many ways, the unsung heroes of our system. I’m eager to continue elevating their perspectives internationally and, in turn, bringing global best practices back to support their efforts at home. 

 

Coming from a paroling organization, I also bring extensive experience with clemency, pardons, and expungement programs — mechanisms that help individuals close a chapter in their lives once they have met certain conditions or fulfilled their carceral requirements. These programs open doors to employment, housing, and community participation, and they play a critical role in long‑term reintegration success. I would like to see their importance more fully recognized and reflected across international corrections practice. 

 

Finally, much of my work at the Parole Board of Canada focused on harmonizing practices across a vast and diverse country. Regional differences can produce innovative approaches, but they can also lead to inconsistencies that become more visible when viewed nationally. Supporting alignment while respecting local realities is a balance I’ve worked with for many years, and I see a clear parallel with ICPA’s global network. I’m excited to contribute to efforts that strengthen coherence across chapters and regions while appreciating the unique contexts in which they operate. 

 

Together, these experiences shape how I hope to contribute to ICPA: by helping build bridges between policy and practice, between national systems and community partners, and between jurisdictions that have much to learn from one another. 

 

 

Looking ahead, I see many meaningful opportunities in the international parole and corrections landscape. One of the most important areas, in my view, is strengthening the global focus on community corrections and the continuum of reintegration supports that surround it. Across jurisdictions, we know that effective discharge planning—paired with access to housing, employment pathways, and healthcare—creates the conditions for safer communities and more sustainable outcomes for individuals returning from custody. 

 

At a time when views on justice are hardening - often in response to real and troubling incidents that deserve thoughtful attention and coherent action – it’s still critical to reinforce the economic and public‑safety value of community‑based supervision tailored to their level of risk. These programs reduce pressure on institutional corrections and support long-term desistance far more effectively than custody alone.  

 

A key challenge is the persistent gap between public perception and the day‑to‑day reality of parole and corrections work. High‑profile incidents tend to dominate headlines, while the thousands of quiet successes go largely unnoticed. This imbalance can erode public trust and drive reactive policy decisions that don’t always align with evidence. One of the opportunities I see through ICPA is to help elevate a more accurate narrative—one that reflects the professionalism, rigour, and positive outcomes that characterize most correctional and parole practice worldwide. 

 

What gives me optimism is the level of collaboration already happening across ICPA’s networks and regions. There is a shared sense of mission, urgency, and openness to learning that transcends borders. I’m excited to contribute to that work. 

 

 

International collaboration in parole and corrections is becoming more essential as systems around the world confront similar pressures, even if their contexts differ.  

 

One of the most important realities of global corrections is that there are no one‑size‑fits‑all solutions – but there are very strong practices and templates to be inspired by. Policy and programs need to be adapted to local needs, shaped by the communities they serve, and responsive to the elected officials who set the legal framework. At the same time, shared international standards—such as the Mandela Rules and the Bangkok Rules—remain critical anchors that help ensure dignity, proportionality, and human rights across jurisdictions. 

 

Some of the most valuable lessons, in my view, come from countries that have broadened their partnerships beyond traditional correctional actors. Systems that work closely with the voluntary sector, peer networks and people with lived experience, academia, social enterprises, and social‑service agencies tend to demonstrate a more holistic, wrap‑around approach. These models treat incarceration, supervision and reintegration as community issues rather than solely correctional ones, and they often achieve stronger, more sustainable outcomes as a result. 

 

As collaboration deepens across borders, I see enormous potential for countries to learn from one another’s innovations—whether in community engagement, evidence‑informed practice, or cross‑sector partnerships. International networks like ICPA create the space for that exchange, helping systems evolve while staying grounded in shared principles and local realities. 

 

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Daryl Churney is a seasoned Canadian public sector executive who was most recently Deputy Chairperson of the Parole Board of Canada (PBC). The Deputy Chairperson is the most senior public servant within the organization serving as chief operating officer, responsible for all Board policy, programs, planning, national operations and the provision of corporate services. Prior to this role, Daryl served in executive roles with the Canadian ministries of transport and public safety. He has worked in criminal justice policy since beginning his career in the Government of Canada in 2001 as a Policy Analyst with the Department of the Solicitor General. Daryl has appeared as an expert witness before committees of the Canadian House of Commons and Senate, has worked extensively with Cabinet appointees, parliamentarians, victims of crime and voluntary sector partners. He has served on the Board of Directors of the St. Leonard’s Society of Canada, a national not-for-profit active in criminal justice, and holds degrees from the University of Western Ontario and Carleton University.