Juristat Article on Adult Correctional Services in Canada, 2008/2009

Juristat, a publication of the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, today published an article about Adult Correctional Services in Canada, 2008/2009.

Among the highlights:

• In 2008/2009, in the 12 jurisdictions that reported data, there were almost 371,800 adults admitted to correctional services. Most admissions were to remand (41%), followed by probation (23%), and provincial and territorial sentenced custody (22%)
• Approximately 2% of admissions were to federal custody
• In 2008/2009, admissions to community supervision increased from the previous year, driven by increases in probation (+3%) and conditional sentences (+4%). The number of admissions to conditional sentences grew for the second consecutive year. Just over 18,400 adults were admitted to conditional sentences in 2008/2009
• In 2008/2009, the operating costs to provide correctional services in Canada, which includes custodial services, community supervision, headquarters and central services, provincial parole boards and the National Parole Board (NPB), totalled almost $3.9 billion. This amount was 7% more than the previous year when controlling for inflation. Operating costs increased in both the provincial and territorial system (+6%) and the federal system (+8%)
• Aboriginal adults continued to account for a notable share of admissions to correctional programs, including remand (21%), provincial and territorial sentenced custody (27%), federal custody (18%), probation (18%) and conditional sentences (20%).4 In contrast, Aboriginal people represented 3% of the Canadian adult population according to the 2006 Census
• In 2008/2009, women accounted for 6% of admissions to federal custody, 12% of admissions to provincial and territorial sentenced custody and 13% of admissions to remand. Among the provinces and territories, there were variations in the proportion of women admitted to sentenced custody. The proportion of female admissions to provincial and territorial sentenced custody ranged from 6% in Nunavut to 15% in Saskatchewan
  

Adult offenders sentenced to custody terms of two years or more fall under the federal penitentiary system.

Custody sentences of less than two years, remand (custody before or during trial or sentencing) and community-based sanctions (such as probation and conditional sentences) are all the responsibility of the provinces and territories.