Adult and youth correctional statistics in Canada, 2016/2017

In Canada, the administration of correctional services is a shared responsibility between the federal and provincial and territorial governments. The Correctional Service of Canada is responsible for the federal system and has jurisdiction over adult offenders (18 years and older) serving custodial sentences of two years or more and is responsible for supervising offenders on conditional release in the community (such as parole or statutory release). The provincial and territorial correctional services programs are responsible for adults serving custodial sentences that are less than two years, those who are being held while awaiting trial or sentencing (remand), as well as offenders serving community sentences, such as probation. For youth, the provinces and territories are responsible for administering correctional services for both custody and community sentences, including youth being held while awaiting trial or sentencing (pre-trial detention).

This Juristat article provides an overview of adult and youth correctional services in Canada for 2016/2017. The use of correctional services is described in this article using three measures: average counts, initial entry, and admissions. Average counts provide a snapshot of the correctional population and represent the number of adults and youth in custody or under community supervision on any given day. Initial entry represents the number of individuals entering the corrections system for a period of supervision. Admissions are counted each time an individual begins or moves to a new type of custody or community supervision. The same person can be included several times in the admissions counts whenever the individual moves from one type of legal status to another thereby providing an indication of the flow of persons through the correctional system (see Text box 1).

The data for this article come from the Adult Correctional Services Survey, the Youth Correctional Services Survey, the Corrections Key Indicator Report for Adults and Youth, the Integrated Correctional Services Survey and the Canadian Correctional Services Survey. Data coverage for these surveys for some years is incomplete. Exclusions are noted where applicable.

Adult correctional services

Rate of adults in correctional services continues to decline

• In 2016/2017, there were, on average, 117,645 adult offenders supervised in either a custody or community program on a given day in the 11 reporting provinces and territories.^Note This represents a rate of 422 offenders per 100,000 adult population, a decline of 3% from the previous year, and a decrease of 17% from 2012/2013 (Table 1).
• Correctional Service Canada supervised an average of 23,006 adult offenders in a custody or a community program in 2016/2017, representing a rate of 79 offenders per 100,000 adult population, a decrease of 1% from the previous year, and a decline of 6% from five years earlier (Table 1).
• The declines in the rate of adults under correctional supervision over the most recent five-year period, are comparable to the trend in police-reported data which show that the rate of adults charged by police decreased 7% between 2012 and 2016.^Note In the shorter term, the results are more difficult to compare because of the time lag between the various stages of the justice process.  In particular, the rate of adults charged by police increased in both 2015 and 2016, while the rate of adults in correctional services decreased every year from 2012/2013 to 2016/2017.
• In 2016/2017, 8 of the 11 reporting provinces and territories saw a decline in the total correctional services rate compared to 2015/2016. Prince Edward Island had the largest decrease at -11%, followed by Alberta at -8% (Table 1).
• As with previous years, the majority (79%) of adults in provincial and territorial correctional services in 2016/2017 were supervised in the community (Table 1).

Adult incarceration rate declines slightly

• On an average day in 2016/2017, there were, 39,873 adults in custody including provincial/territorial and federal custody. This translates into an adult incarceration rate of 136 adults per 100,000 adult population, a 2% decrease from 2015/2016 and a 4% decrease from 2012/2013. The incarceration rate has been declining steadily since 2012/2013, with the exception of a slight increase in rate from 2014/2015 to 2015/2016. There were, a total of 25,448 adults in provincial and territorial custody and 14,425 in federal custody on an average day in 2016/2017 (Table 1).
• The incarceration rate for adults decreased in seven provinces and territories, with Yukon marking the largest decrease (-12%) from the previous year (Table 1).
• The adult incarceration rate varied considerably among provinces; Manitoba recorded the highest incarceration rate of 240 per 100,000 adult population, while Nova Scotia recorded the lowest at 62 per 100,000 adult population. The three territories recorded the highest incarceration rates. They had a large number of incarcerated adults relative to their small overall adult populations (Table 1).

Gap between remanded and provincial/territorial sentenced population increases

• Provincial and territorial correctional services programs face challenges providing services, such as rehabilitation and housing, for an increasing proportion of remanded individuals because of uncertainty regarding their length of stay.^Note There can also be increased costs associated with the security and transportation requirements of remanded offenders as-well as many other challenges^Note (see Text box 2).
• The total number of adults in remand (awaiting trial or sentencing) has exceeded the provincial/territorial adult sentenced custody population since 2004/2005.
• On a typical day in 2016/2017, adults in remand outnumbered those in sentenced custody by a ratio of 1.5 to 1 in the provinces and territories.^Note The ratio of adults in remand versus those in sentenced custody has been increasing since 2013/2014, when it was 1.2 to 1. The widening of this gap reflects both an increase in the remand population and a decrease in the sentenced population. The average number of adults in remand in 2016/2017 increased 3% when compared to the previous year and increased 7% when compared to 2012/2013. In contrast, the average number of offenders in sentenced custody in the provinces and territories decreased 4% compared to 2015/2016 and was down 13% from 2012/2013 (Chart 1).
• In 2016/2017, 8 of 13 jurisdictions had a higher proportion of remanded offenders versus those in sentenced custody: Alberta (72%), Ontario (70%), Manitoba (68%), British Columbia (65%), Nova Scotia (60%), Northwest Territories (57%), Yukon (56%) and Nunavut (53%) (Table 2).
• Despite the overall trend, the rate of remand decreased in 3 of the 13 jurisdictions: Yukon (-21%), Quebec (-4%) and Ontario (-1%) (Table 2).

Most adults enter correctional services in remand

• An initial entry represents the first point at which an adult commences an uninterrupted period of supervision within the adult correctional system. In 2016/2017, there were 97,044 initial entries into the adult correctional system in the six reporting jurisdictions.^Note This was up 1% from the previous year. Initial entries into custody were down 2%, but they were up 6% for community supervision (Table 3).
• Remand made up the largest proportion of total initial entries at 41% among the six reporting jurisdictions in 2016/2017, and probation was next at 27%. Although only two of the reporting jurisdictions (Saskatchewan and British Columbia) supervise bail, bail accounted for 12% of initial entries (Table 3).

Admissions to adult correctional services increase slightly

• An admission is counted each time an individual begins any type of custody or community supervision program. In 2016/2017, there were 402,780 admissions to provincial and territorial adult correctional services and 14,750 admissions to federal corrections for a total of 417,530 admissions. The total number of admissions was up 2% compared to the previous year. Provincial and territorial admissions increased 2%, while federal admissions were down 2% (Table 4).
• Admissions to custody increased by 1% among the provinces and territories, while admissions to community supervision increased by 3% in 2016/2017. The largest overall decrease in correctional supervision was recorded by Yukon (-8%). In contrast, Nunavut recorded the largest relative increase (+21%) which can be attributed to a large increase in community admissions (Table 4).
• Federal admissions to custody (sentenced custody and other temporary detention) decreased by 5% while community supervision was unchanged (Table 4).

Males and younger adults are overrepresented in custody admissions

• In 2016/2017, males accounted for 83% of adult admissions to correctional services in the provinces and territories. Males made up a slightly larger proportion of custody admissions, accounting for 86% of custody admissions in the provinces and territories versus 79% of community supervision admissions. For federal corrections males account for 92% of custody and community admissions (Table 5).
• Adults under 35 years of age made up a large proportion (59% provincial/territorial and 53% federal) of custodial admissions in 2016/2017 (Chart 2). These adults are overrepresented given that individuals between 18 and 34 years of age represent 23% of the adult population aged 18 and older.^Note

Adults who are an Aboriginal person are overrepresented in the correctional system

• The Criminal Code mandates that all sanctions other than imprisonment are to be considered with particular attention to the circumstances of Aboriginal offenders.^Note In 2016/2017, Aboriginal adults accounted for 28% of admissions to provincial/territorial correctional services and 27% for federal correctional services, while representing 4.1% of the Canadian adult population (Table 5).^Note In comparison to 2006/2007, the proportion of admissions of Aboriginal peoples to correctional services was 21%^Note for provincial and territorial correctional services and 19% for federal correctional services.
• Aboriginal adults accounted for 30% of admissions to custody and 25% of admissions to community supervision among the provinces and territories in 2016/2017. Aboriginal adults accounted for 27% of admissions to custody and 26% of admissions to community supervision in federal correctional services (Table 5).
• The proportion of Aboriginal admissions to adult custody has been trending upwards for over 10 years. It has increased steadily from 2006/2007 when it was 21%^Note for provincial and territorial correctional services and 20% for federal correctional services.
• Among the provinces, Aboriginal adults made up the greatest proportion of admissions to custody in Manitoba (74%) and Saskatchewan (76%). These two provinces also have the highest proportion of Aboriginal adults among their provincial populations at 15% for Manitoba, and 14% for Saskatchewan.
• Aboriginal males accounted for 28% of admissions to custody in the province and territories, whereas non-Aboriginal males accounted for 72%, in 2016/2017. Aboriginal females made up a greater proportion of custody admissions than their male counterparts, accounting for 43% of admissions, while non-Aboriginal females accounted for 57% (Table 6).

Majority of adults spend less than a month in provincial and territorial custody

• The length of time offenders spend in provincial and territorial custody tends to be short. In 2016/2017, just over half (52%) of adults released from remand were held for one week or less and around three-quarters (76%) were held for one month or less (Chart 3).
• For adults released from sentenced custody in 2016/2017, 30% were there for one week or less, while 59% spent one month or less in custody, from the 10 reporting provinces and territories. These figures were unchanged from 2015/2016 (Chart 3).

Little change in operating expenditures for adult corrections

• In 2016/2017, operating expenditures for adult correctional services in Canada totaled over $4.7 billion, a 1% increase from the previous year after adjusting for inflation.
• Total operating expenditures for correctional services was equivalent to $130 for each person in the Canadian population. Of this amount, a little less than half ($62) was spent on federal correctional services, with the remainder spent on provincial and territorial correctional services (Table 7).
• In the provincial and territorial system, custodial services accounted for 81% of all correctional expenditures in 2016/2017 (Table 7), even though the custodial population accounted for 22% of the correctional services population (Table 1). Community supervision expenditures accounted for 15% of total expenditures (Table 7).
• The costs for keeping adults in custody are typically higher for the federal system. On average, in 2016/2017, institutional expenditures amounted to around $288 per day for federal offenders, or $105,286 per year, compared with $213 per day for provincial and territorial offenders, or $77,639 per year (Table 7).

Youth correctional services

Rate of youth in correctional services continues to decline

• The Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA), enacted in 2003, is the legislation that governs how youth aged 12 to 17 years are to be dealt with by the Canadian justice system. The Act provides for a separate youth justice system based on the principle of diminished moral blameworthiness or culpability of youth.
• In 2016/2017, there were, on an average day, 7,616 youth supervised in custody or a community program in the 10 reporting jurisdictions.^Note This represents a rate of 44 per 10,000 youth population, a 10% decrease from the previous year and a 37% decrease from 2012/2013 (Table 8).
• All 10 reporting jurisdictions noted a decline in the total correctional rate (Table 9). Alberta had the largest decrease among the provinces at 25%, while Northwest Territories had the largest decrease among the territories at 47% (Table 9).
• The declines are similar to what is found in police-reported data where the rate of youth charged by police decreased 27% between 2012 and 2016.^Note
• As with previous years, the large majority (89%) of youth in the 10 reporting jurisdictions were under community supervision on an average day in 2016/2017 (Table 9).

Youth incarceration rate continues to decline

• On an average day in 2016/2017, there were 897 youth in custody in the 12 reporting jurisdictions,^Note representing a rate of 5 per 10,000 youth population, a 12% decrease from the previous year and a 33% decrease from 2012/2013 (Table 8). The incarceration rate decreased for 9 of the 12 reporting jurisdictions, with Yukon reporting the largest decrease of 59% (Table 9).
• British Columbia had the lowest incarceration rate at 2 per 10,000 youth population, while Manitoba had the highest rate at 22 per 10,000 youth (Table 9).

Majority of youth continue to enter correctional services under community supervision

• Initial entry measures the number of youth commencing an uninterrupted period of correctional supervision and provides an indication of new workload entering the corrections system. Under the YCJA, the youth criminal justice system supports crime prevention by referring young persons to community programs or agencies when appropriate to address offending behaviour.^Note
• In 2016/2017, there were 5,937 youth that began a period of supervision in correctional services in the eight reporting jurisdictions,^Note an 8% decrease from the previous year and a 44% decrease from 2012/2013 (Table 10). Among those entering the corrections system, 68% began their period of supervision in the community (Table 10). This was virtually unchanged from the previous year.

Youth admissions to correctional services decline

• In 2016/2017, the total number of youth admissions to correctional services among the 10 reporting jurisdictions totalled 19,069.^Note This was a decrease of 10% when compared to 2015/2016. Admissions to community supervision decreased by 11% while admissions to custody decreased by 8% (Table 11).
• There were decreases in total admissions for 6 of the 9 reporting jurisdictions in 2016/2017.^Note Nunavut had the largest increase in total admissions at 80%, whereas Yukon had the largest decrease in admissions at 52% (Table 11). It is important to note that the number of youth admissions within the territories are small. As a result, small changes in the count can lead to large year-over-year percentage changes.

Males and older youth account for the majority of youth admissions

• In 2016/2017, over three-quarters (76%) of youth admitted into correctional services were male. Female youth accounted for 24% of custody admissions and 24% of community supervision admissions, virtually unchanged from 2012/2013 (Table 12).
• The majority (55%) of youth admissions to correctional services in 2016/2017 involved youth aged 16 and 17 at the time of admission. This was particularly true for custody admissions where 16- and 17-year-olds accounted for 59% of admissions, while the proportion for community admissions was lower at 51%. Youth aged 12 and 13 accounted for 4% of admissions to correctional services (Table 12).
• Females account for a greater proportion of admissions to correctional services at younger ages. In 2016/2017 females aged 12 and 13, represented 35% of admissions for that age. This proportion decreased with each following year, reaching 21% by age 17 (Chart 4).

Aboriginal youth continue to be overrepresented in the correctional system

• Aboriginal youth accounted for 46% of admissions to correctional services in 2016/2017,^Note while representing 8% of the Canadian youth population (Table 12).^Note For the jurisdictions who have reported consistently over time the proportion of Aboriginal youth admissions to correctional services went from 21% in 2006/2007 to 35% in 2015/2016 and reached 37% in 2016/2017.^Note
• Aboriginal youth are overrepresented in both custody and community supervision, making up 50% of custody admissions and 42% of community admissions (Table 12).
• Aboriginal male youth accounted for 47% of male youth admissions to custody in the provinces and territories in 2016/2017. As with adults, Aboriginal females made up a greater proportion of custody admissions among youth relative to their male counterparts, accounting 60% of admissions, while non-Aboriginal females accounted for 40% in 2016/2017 (Table 13).

Time spent under correctional supervision continues to be short

• Youth tend to be supervised in correctional services for short periods of time. In 2016/2017, the majority (78%) of youth released from pre-trial detention in the 8 reporting jurisdictions were there for one month or less (Chart 5).
• For youth released from sentenced custody in 2016/2017, 41% were there for one month or less and 90% spent six months or less (Chart 5). These figures are similar to those from 2012/2013, when 45% were there for one month or less and 91% spent six month or less.
• Overall, females tend to be under correctional supervision for shorter periods of time than males. In 2016/2017, 85% of female youth released from pre-trial detention were released after one month or less compared to 76% of male youth. Similarly, for sentenced custody, 59% of females were released after one month or less, compared to 37% of males.

Charts

Detailed data tables

Table 1 Average daily counts of adults in correctional services, by type of supervision and jurisdiction, 2016/2017

Table 2 Average daily counts of adults under correctional supervision, by type of supervision and jurisdiction, 2016/2017

Table 3 Initial entry of adults into correctional services, by type of supervision, selected jurisdictions 2016/2017

Table 4 Admissions to adult correctional services, by type of supervision and jurisdiction, 2016/2017

Table 5 Admissions to adult correctional services, by characteristic of persons admitted, type of supervision and jurisdiction, 2016/2017

Table 6 Admissions to adult custody, by Aboriginal identity, sex and jurisdiction, 2006/2007 and 2016/2017

Table 7 Operating expenditures of the adult correctional system, by jurisdiction, 2016/2017

Table 8 Average daily counts of youth in correctional services, selected jurisdictions, 2016/2017

Table 9 Average daily counts of youth in correctional services, by type of supervision and jurisdiction, 2016/2017

Table 10 Initial entry of youth into correctional services, by type of supervision, selected jurisdictions, 2016/2017

Table 11 Admissions of youth to correctional services, by type of supervision and jurisdiction, 2016/2017

Table 12 Admissions of youth to correctional services, by characteristics of the person admitted and type of supervision program, selected jurisdictions, 2016/2017

Table 13 Admissions of youth to custody, by Aboriginal identity, sex and jurisdiction, 2016/2017

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Key terminology and definitions

Community portion of custody sentence: This is the portion of the young person’s custody sentence (intensive rehabilitative custody and conditional supervision, custody and conditional supervision, or custody and community supervision) that must be served in the community under supervision. The Youth Criminal Justice Act stipulates that the final one-third of most custody sentences shall be served under community supervision.

Conditional sentences: This is an adult sentencing option where the person is given a conditional sentence of imprisonment that is served in the community. According to the terms of the conditional sentence, the offender will serve the term of imprisonment in the community provided that he/she abides by conditions imposed by the court as part of the conditional sentence order. If the offender violates these conditions, he/she may be sent to prison to serve the balance of that sentence.

Deferred custody and supervision: Similar to a conditional sentence within adult sentencing, deferred custody is a community-based alternative to a custodial sentence for youth. Under a deferred custody order, the young person will serve his/her sentence in the community under a set of strict conditions. If these conditions are not followed, the young person may be sent to custody to serve the balance of that sentence.

Intensive support and supervision: Similar to probation, an intensive support and supervision order is a youth sentencing option that is served in the community under conditions, but provides closer monitoring and support than a probation order to assist the young person in changing his/her behavior. This is an “opt-in” sanction under the YCJA, meaning that provinces and territories may choose not to implement this option.

Intermittent sentences: This refers to an adult sentence to custody which is to be served periodically over an extended period of time (e.g., weekend only or selected days of the week).

Pre-trial detention: This is the temporary detention of a youth in custody, while awaiting trial or sentencing.

Probation: A common type of community-based sentence, where the young person or adult is placed under the supervision of a probation officer or other designated person. There are mandatory conditions (e.g., keep the peace) and there may be optional conditions that are put in place for the duration of the probation order.

Provincial Director Remand: When a young person is serving the community portion of a custody and supervision order or a deferred custody and supervision order, and the provincial director has reasonable grounds to believe that the young person has breached, or is about to breach, a condition of the young person’s conditional supervision, the provincial director may issue a warrant of apprehension to suspend the conditional supervision and remand the young person in an appropriate youth facility.

Remand: Remand is the detention of an adult temporarily in custody, while awaiting trial or sentencing.

Sentenced custody (youth): Youth being held in sentenced custody can be held in secure or open facilities.

Secure custody: A facility is considered “secure” when youth or adult offenders are detained by security devices, including those facilities which operate with full perimeter security features and/or where youth are under constant observation. The extent to which facilities are “secure” varies across jurisdictions.

Open custody: A facility is considered “open” when there is minimal use of security devices or perimeter security. The extent to which facilities are “open” varies across jurisdictions. Open custody facilities include community residential centres, group homes, childcare institutions, forest or wilderness camps, etc.

Survey description

The Adult Correctional Services Survey (ACS) collects aggregate data on the number and characteristics (e.g., sex, age group, Aboriginal identity, length of time served) of admissions to and releases from adult correctional services. The following jurisdictions responded to the ACS in 2016/2017: Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Manitoba, Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

The Adult Corrections Key Indicator Report collects aggregate data on average daily custody counts and month-end supervised community corrections counts in the provincial/territorial and federal adult systems. The following exclusions are noted for historical data: Newfoundland and Labrador (2009/2010 for data on community supervision); Prince Edward Island (2005/2006); Nova Scotia (2006/2007 to 2015/2016 for data on community supervision); Alberta (2013/2014 all data and 2014/2015 for data on community supervision); and, the Northwest Territories (2003/2004 to 2007/2008 for data on community supervision).

The Youth Corrections Key Indicator Report collects aggregate data on average daily custody counts and month-end supervised community corrections counts for youth under correctional supervision. The following exclusions are noted for historical data: Prince Edward Island (2005/2006 for data on community supervision); Nova Scotia (2006/2007 to 2015/2016 for data on community supervision); New Brunswick (2004/2005 to 2015/2016 for data on community supervision); Quebec (2011/2012 to 2015/2016); Alberta (2013/2014 for data on both custody and community supervision and 2014/2015 for data on community supervision); the Northwest Territories (2004/2005 to 2007/2008 for data on community supervision).

The Youth Custody and Community Services Survey (YCCS) collects aggregate data on the number and characteristics (e.g., age, sex, Aboriginal identity) of youth admissions to and releases from youth correctional services. The following jurisdictions reported survey data in 2016/2017: Prince Edward Island, Manitoba, Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

The Integrated Correctional Services Survey (ICSS) collects microdata on adults and youth under the responsibility of the federal and provincial/territorial correctional systems. Data include socio-demographic characteristics (e.g., age, sex, Aboriginal identity) as well as information pertaining to correctional supervision, including admissions and releases by legal hold status (e.g., remand, sentenced, probation). The following jurisdictions responded to the ICSS in 2016/2017: Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario, and Correctional Service Canada.

The Canadian Correctional Services Survey (CCSS) was designed as a replacement for the ICSS. It also collects microdata on adults and youth under the responsibility of the federal and provincial/territorial correctional systems. Data include socio-demographic characteristics (e.g., age, sex, Aboriginal identity) as well as information pertaining to correctional supervision, including admissions and releases by legal hold status (e.g., remand, sentenced, probation). The following jurisdictions responded to the CCSS in 2016/2017: Saskatchewan, Alberta (adults only) and British Columbia.