Tougher Sentencing Laws Mean Return to Double-Bunking

This is a follow-up to the June 22, 2010 Library Boy post entitled Parliamentary Budget Officer Predicts Stiff Price Tag Because of Tougher Sentencing Laws.

That post described a report by the Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page who estimates that the federal government's tougher sentencing laws will mean more than doubling the costs of correctional services by 2015-2016 with many of the extra costs being shifted to the provincial purse. Tougher sentences will translate into more people ending up in jail for longer periods. Ergo, more jails will need to be built and that costs money. Most of which the provinces will have to cough up.

Columnist Richard Cleroux writes today in the weekly Law Times that the feds are reintroducing the practice of double-bunking - two beds to each cell - in federal prisons.

Public Safety Minister Vic Toews says double-bunking all the extra prisoners will cost maybe $2 billion over five years. Page estimates the tough-on-crime policies will come closer to an extra $5 billion.

Independent bean-counter vs. political minister. "La guerre des chiffres" as they call in in French. The numbers war.