Profile of Aboriginal Offenders in Federal Facilities and Serving Time in the Community

• NCJ Number: 199214
• Journal: Forum on Corrections Research Volume: 14 Issue: 3 Dated: September 2002 Pages: 17-19
• Author(s): Shelley Trevethan; John-Patrick Moore; Christopher J. Rastin
• Date Published: September 2002
• Length: 3 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: Canada

Annotation

This study profiles Aboriginal offenders incarcerated in Canada's Federal correctional facilities and serving sentences in the community.

Abstract

Approximately 2,200 Aboriginal offenders are incarcerated in Canada's Federal correctional facilities on any given day, representing 18 percent of the incarcerated population. Approximately 1,100 Aboriginal offenders are serving time in the community, representing 12 percent of those on conditional release. Since Aboriginal people compose about 2 percent of the adult population of Canada, it is clear that Aboriginal people are overrepresented in the Federal correctional system. Although the largest proportion of both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal offenders are male, the Aboriginal offender population is composed of significantly more women than the non-Aboriginal offender population (4 percent versus 2 percent). Aboriginal offenders tend to be younger at admission to Federal custody than non-Aboriginal offenders, and a slightly larger proportion of Aboriginal offenders are single compared with non-Aboriginal offenders (51 percent versus 48 percent). Aboriginal offenders have lower levels of education than non-Aboriginal offenders. One-quarter of incarcerated Aboriginal offenders have less than an eighth-grade education upon admission to the institution, compared to 18 percent of non-Aboriginal offenders. Similarly, Aboriginal offenders are more likely to be unemployed at the time of admission. Further, Aboriginal offenders are more likely to be incarcerated for crimes against the person (84 percent compared to 77 percent). Aboriginal offenders tend to have more extensive criminal histories. Aboriginal offenders serving sentences in the community have similar sociodemographic and offense profiles as those incarcerated. Twenty-eight percent of the Aboriginal offenders serving sentences in the community were considered high risk to reoffend at the time of their release, compared to 15 percent of non-Aboriginal offenders. These findings point to the importance of providing appropriate programming for Aboriginal inmates in Federal facilities and upon release to address their needs. 2 figures and 8 notes