Indigenous inmates over 30 per cent of prison population: correctional investigator

Indigenous inmate population has increased by 43.4 per cent since April 2010

Indigenous inmates over 30 per cent of prison population: correctional investigator

A federal government report laments the worsening “Indigenization” of the country’s correctional system, with Indigenous inmates comprising over 30 per cent of the prison population, up from 25 per cent from four years ago.

Although Indigenous people make up only five per cent of the Canadian population, they are increasingly over-represented in prisons. And while the non-Indigenous inmate population has decreased by 13.7 per cent since April 2010, the Indigenous population has risen by 43.4 per cent, with 42 per cent of female inmates are Indigenous women.

These statistics hint at “disturbing and entrenched imbalances,” Dr. Ivan Zinger, Correctional Investigator of Canada, said in a news release last week. He attributed these trends to a number of systemic issues, and noted that Indigenous people are more likely to be assigned to maximum security institutions and to solitary confinement units. They also generally wait longer to be granted parole.

The news release additionally states that “Indigenous people reoffend or are returned to custody at much higher levels, as high as 70 per cent for Indigenous men in the Prairie region.”

Zinger warned that, at current rates, the percentage of Indigenous inmates in prisons may increase to 33 per cent within three years. “It is not acceptable that Indigenous people in this country experience incarceration rates that are six to seven times higher than the national average,” Zinger said. “Bold and urgent action is required to address one of Canada’s most persistent and pressing human rights issues.”

The Office of the Correctional Investigator outlined solutions proposed by various government bodies and advocacy organizations to deal with this problem, including the delegation of responsibility to Indigenous groups and communities, the appointment of a deputy commissioner for Indigenous corrections, and the devotion of resources to reintegration services.

Perry Bellegarde, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, stated in a news release a day after the Office of the Correctional Investigator had released its findings that the report was an “alarming wake-up call” for Canada to confront the discrimination and apathy ingrained into its correctional system.

“We need a justice system that embraces First Nations legal traditions and puts First Nations laws on the same footing as civil law and common law,” Bellegarde said. “Additionally, judges and crown attorneys need to be more responsive to the circumstances of Indigenous offenders and offer alternatives to incarceration.”

Bellegarde added that he intended to meet with Canada’s correctional investigator and the relevant federal ministers in order to discuss a plan of action.

Recent articles & video

Parliament looks at adding coercive control to the Criminal Code

Judge decries excessive fees for family law case determining consent to send child on vacation

New Saskatchewan law aims to sever ties of financial coercion for human trafficking victims

SCC finds cannabis found in traffic stop should be included in evidence in Zacharias case

Latham & Watkins expands private credit practice with double partner hire in London

Mastermind Toys blames Competition Bureau for impeding sale and forcing bankruptcy proceedings

Most Read Articles

Mastermind Toys blames Competition Bureau for impeding sale and forcing bankruptcy proceedings

Laurentian restructuring prompts feds to exclude post-secondary institutions from CCAA proceedings

Osgoode project keeps an eye on Canadian mining companies abroad

Roundup of law firm hires, promotions, departures: November 27, 2023 update