Truth About Mass Incarceration in Canada
When we think of mass incarceration, the American context often takes the spotlight. However, Canada has its own set of issues within its prison system, including concerns about conditions, systemic racism, and mass incarceration in general. While Canada may not have the shockingly high incarceration rates seen in the United States, it still ranks as the 6th highest incarcerator in the Western world, according to the Department of Public Safety in 2017. In the 2017/2018 period, there were approximately 38,786 adults held in provincial or federal custody on any given day, with an additional 103,947 adults under community supervision, including parole, probation, and conditional sentences (Statistics Canada, 2019). Surprisingly, despite a 4% decrease in national incarceration rates, spending on incarceration has actually increased by 7%, reaching a staggering total of $5 billion in the 2017/2018 fiscal year after adjusting for inflation (Statistics Canada, 2019).
Federal vs. Provincial Prison Administration
In Canada, the responsibility for prison administration is divided between federal and provincial or territorial governments. The Correctional Service Canada (CSC) oversees the federal system, which includes adults serving sentences of 2 years or more, while provincial correctional services manage adults serving sentences of less than 2 years and those in remand. Notably, male-identifying individuals constitute 86% of custody admissions in provincial institutions and a striking 92% of those in custody in federal institutions (Chu, 2019).
Addressing Racism in the Criminal Justice System
The impact of mass incarceration disproportionately affects marginalized groups, with Indigenous people bearing a particularly heavy burden. Despite making up only 4% of the population, Indigenous adults accounted for approximately 30% of admissions to provincial and federal custody in 2017/2018 (Statistics Canada, 2019). Similarly, the incarceration rate of Black adults in Canada increased by a staggering 70% between 2005 and 2016, with Black individuals comprising 9% of federal inmates despite representing only about 3% of the overall population (Chan, Chuen, & McLeod, 2017). This alarming trend is consistent with the over-policing of Indigenous and Black Canadians, as reported by Chuen et al. (2017).
The Struggle with Mental Health Challenges Among the Incarcerated Population
The challenges of mass incarceration in Canada are further compounded by the high prevalence of mental illness among the incarcerated population. Over 70% of male offenders and 79% of female offenders in federal custody meet the criteria for a current mental disorder (Beaudette, Power, & Stewart, 2015; Brown, Barker, McMillan, Norman, Derkzen, & Stewart, 2018). Shockingly, for Indigenous women in federal custody, this rate soars to an astonishing 95.6% (Brown et al., 2018). Among male federal offenders, the most prevalent mental health disorder is alcohol and substance use disorders, with nearly 50% meeting the diagnostic criteria (Beaudette et al., 2015).
Substance Use and Its Connection to Incarceration
Drug and alcohol use, as well as the transmission of diseases and overdoses, are significant concerns within federal and provincial prisons. Upon admission to federal custody, nearly 70% of adults are assessed as having issues related to substance use (Correctional Service Canada, 2015). Furthermore, surveys indicate that 34% of adult offenders admitted to using injection drugs before their incarceration, and 11% reported using injection drugs while in custody (Correctional Service Canada, 2015).
In line with community trends, the rates of overdoses have been steadily rising within federal custody over the past decade (Correctional Service Canada, 2019). Additionally, the incidence of offenders suffering from infectious diseases, such as HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C, has seen a dramatic increase over the same period (Correctional Service Canada, 2015).
In response to these issues, Correctional Service Canada (CSC) has introduced initiatives such as the Prison Needle Exchange Program (PNEP) in two federal prisons (Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, 2018). Another noteworthy program is the establishment of the first prison Overdose Prevention Site in Alberta’s Drumheller Institution (Browne, 2019). While these developments are welcome, concerns persist regarding the transparency of program implementation, and there has been notable resistance from correctional officers.
From Imprisonment to Prison Abolition: Rethinking the Future
While it is crucial to address the challenges within the current prison system, it is increasingly evident that prison reform alone cannot effectively tackle mass incarceration and the interconnected issues of racism, colonialism, mental health, exploitation, and social inequality. Rather than relying solely on punitive measures, which often exacerbate harm to individuals and communities, it is imperative that we reimagine how we approach societal challenges and consider alternative models of restorative justice.