Overrepresentation of Indigenous Offenders
Classification: Unclassified
Branch/Agency: CSC
Proposed Response:
- The overrepresentation of Indigenous peoples in correctional institutions is complex and challenging and the Correctional Service of Canada is working hard to address it.
- The Correctional Service of Canada is supporting the reintegration of previously-incarcerated Indigenous people through the Indigenous Community Corrections Initiative, which funds community-based culturally-relevant projects that provide reintegration services and alternatives to incarceration.
- The Correctional Service of Canada has renewed and strengthened agreements for healing lodges run by Indigenous communities.
- The Correctional Service of Canada will continue to pursue policies and programs aimed at enhancing the correctional system. Police, governments, courts and communities all have a role to play.
Background:
The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) continues to observe an increase in the number of federally sentenced Indigenous offenders. To mitigate this trend, CSC has developed a suite of programs and services to facilitate the rehabilitation of Indigenous offenders.
Programs for Indigenous Offenders
CSC continues to observe an increase in the number of federally sentenced Indigenous offenders. As of the end of December 2019, Indigenous offenders represented 30% of the total incarcerated offender population (inmates) and Indigenous women offenders represented 42% of the total women incarcerated offender population (inmates).
CSC is working to respond to the disproportionate representation of Indigenous peoples in custody, through a variety of programs such as:
- The National Indigenous Plan which includes streamlining existing Indigenous resources and services to ensure that those offenders choosing to access the Indigenous Continuum of Care interventions are prioritized for placement at specific sites.
- Indigenous Interventions Centres (IICs) are a key component of regional Indigenous action plans. The IICs integrate intake, programs and interventions, and engage Indigenous communities at the start of an Indigenous offender’s sentence, or at least two years before their first eligibility date.
- CSC has implemented the Pathways Initiative for offenders who are committed to following an intensive traditional path of healing which includes the active involvement of Elders. The Indigenous Women’s Pathways Continuum provides opportunities for Indigenous women to engage in intensive healing interventions supported by Elders through specific activities.
- The Indigenous Women Offender Correctional Programs, which includes program continuum unique to Indigenous women offenders.
Office of the Correctional Investigator’s News Release
CSC is currently reviewing the Office of the Correctional Investigator’s news release about the increase of Indigenous offenders under our custody. The Service continues to examine and review findings to adapt to evolving needs of offenders under our care and the expectation of Canadians.
The overrepresentation of Indigenous offenders in federal prisons is a complex and systemic issue that CSC cannot address alone. Addressing the overrepresentation of Indigenous offenders in CSC institutions requires ongoing and sustained collaboration among the various levels of government, Indigenous people, as well as many criminal justice partners and community stakeholders. CSC is one of many government departments taking action to correct systemic disparities with respect to Indigenous people in Canada and will continue to play an important role in this process as part of a whole of government approach.
CSC works collaboratively with criminal justice partners, agencies, organizations, and community stakeholders to support the rehabilitation and safe reintegration of Indigenous offenders into the community. This includes the engagement and collaboration between CSC and Indigenous communities on section 81 agreements under the Corrections and Conditional Release Act for Healing Lodges. The number of beds in Healing Lodges has increased by 50 over the last five years, offering over 450 beds in total, allowing Indigenous offenders to reintegrate in a culturally-relevant setting.
Indigenous Community Corrections Initiative
Through budget 2017, Public Safety (PS) was allocated $10M over five years for the Indigenous Community Corrections Initiative. PS awarded contribution funding to 16 eligible recipients to implement projects that provide culturally-relevant and community-based reintegration support and alternatives to incarceration for Indigenous offenders. It is expected that these projects will facilitate improved access to services and more successful reintegration outcomes for project participants.
Results
Decisions with respect to sentencing are outside of CSC’s control. However, CSC does influence the time Indigenous offenders spend in custody by providing culturally responsive programs and interventions to address an Indigenous offender’s risk, provide effective rehabilitation and foster successful community reintegration. There has been a significant increase in the percentage of discretionary releases for Indigenous offenders, from 23.5% in Fiscal Year 2013-2014 to 44.3% in Fiscal year 2018-2019.
Contacts:
Prepared by: Raj Oberoi, Officer, Parliamentary Relations, 613-943-1726
Approved by: Kirstan Gagnon, Assistant Commissioner, Communications and Engagement, 613-995-6867
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