USask’s Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science and Justice Studies receives $3M investment

At the June 9 event hosted at the CFBSJS, the research centre celebrated a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Correction Services Canada (CSC) that will provide a total of $2 million in investment over the next 10 years. CSC and CFBSJS have had three previous funding agreements that greatly helped establish the centre and advance its training and research strategies.

Additionally, the CFBSJS entered into a collaborative research agreement (CRA) with the Government of Saskatchewan. This CRA extends a strong partnership that began many years ago with the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety (CPPS) and will provide CFBSJS with a total of $1 million over the next five years. 

This investment in the centre will help support specific research projects that focus on topics important to the province and will be identified collaboratively between USask and the ministry.

“This continued partnership with the university and the centre is incredibly valuable to our ministry,” said Deputy Minister of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety, Denise Macza. “Their expertise and research help guide our work in justice, corrections, and policing and support us in building safer and stronger communities across Saskatchewan.”

The investment received from the Government of Saskatchewan and the Government of Canada will help CFBSJS sustainably achieve its goals and continue to advance its impactful, collaborative research that benefits communities and individuals.

“The important interdisciplinary research conducted through the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science and Justice Studies is an example of how collaboration between researchers can help shape policies and provide tangible solutions to communities. Strengthening our research relationships with both the federal and provincial government helps us continue this great work and be the university the world needs,” said Dr. Baljit Singh (PhD), USask’s vice-president of research.

Research conducted thorough CFBSJS is truly interdisciplinary and begins at the intersection between criminal justice, policing and social matters, with researchers from USask’s College of Medicine, College of Nursing, College of Law, and College of Arts and Science.

The unique centre provides insight into crime prevention and the health and mental health needs of individuals entering the justice system. Research initiatives also help identify interventions and support needed for individuals when they return to their communities.

“This continued investment by CSC and CPPS will help support the longevity of the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science and Justice Studies and allow us to expand our training, continue our collaborative research, and sustainably support our operations,” said Dr. Mansfield Mela (MBBS), director of CFBSJ.

Mela, a top forensic psychiatrist and professor of psychiatry in USask’s College of Medicine, has overseen CFBSJS’s operations for the past five years. Over that period, he has enhanced its mandate and expanded research efforts through increased funding opportunities and collaboration. In 2024, Mela stepped into the second term of his role, enabling him to continue his impactful work.

The MOA with CSC will provide support for graduate student awards, summer internships and post-doctoral fellowships. The CRA also helps fund a Postgraduate Degree Specialization Certificate in Corrections, a USask training program designed to provide advanced knowledge and skills to support evidence-based corrections programming.

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For media inquiries, contact:   

Victoria Dinh   
USask Media Relations     
victoria.dinh@usask.ca   
306-966-5487