Adult and youth correctional statistics in Canada, 2017/2018

In Canada, the administration of correctional services is a shared responsibility between the federal, 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). Those adults that are serving custodial sentences that are less than two years, or who are being held while awaiting trial or sentencing (remand), and those serving community sentences, such as probation, fall under the purview of the provincial and territorial correctional services programs. 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 in 2017/2018.^Note  The use of correctional services is described using three measures: average counts, admissions and initial entries. 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. Admissions are counted each time an individual begins or moves to a new type of custody or community supervision over the fiscal year: the same person can be included numerous times in the admissions count, as he/she move from one type of supervision to another. As such, the count of admissions provides an important indicator of the flow of persons through the correctional system for a given year. For youth specifically, initial entries represent the number of youth entering the correctional system for a period of supervision (for additional information see Text box 1).

The measures presented in this article provide an overview of the current state of correctional populations and the workload of correctional services in Canada, and highlight changes over time. This Juristat article also provides information regarding the characteristics of persons admitted in order to identify those most represented in the correctional system. This information aims to bring to light how correctional populations have changed, and highlight matters in need of further consideration.

Adult correctional services

Adult incarceration rate continues to decline

The adult incarceration rate represents the average number of adults in custody per day for every 100,000 individuals in the adult population (18 years and older). It includes adults in sentenced custody, remand and other temporary detention.

• The number of people in custody is closely monitored for various reasons including the costs associated with keeping an inmate under supervision (John Howard Society of Canada 2018) and concerns regarding potential overcrowding (Public Services Foundation of Canada 2015). In Canada, on average in 2017/2018, there were 38,786 adults in provincial/territorial or federal custody per day. Of this number, 24,657 adults were in provincial/territorial custody (a rate of 83 adults per 100,000 adult population), while 14,129 were in federal custody (a rate of 48 adults per 100,000 population). In 2017/2018, the national incarceration rate was 131 adults per 100,000 population, a 4% decrease from 2016/2017 (Table 1).
• While the national incarceration rate has fluctuated over 25 years, it has declined every year over the last five years.^Note  Between 2016/2017 and 2017/2018, the incarceration rate decreased in 7 of the 10 provinces.^Note  Of the remaining three provinces, rates in Prince Edward Island (+9%) and New Brunswick (+5%) increased while Newfoundland and Labrador saw no change. In the territories, the incarceration rate decreased in Yukon (-30%) and the Northwest Territories (-4%), while in Nunavut it increased 7% (Table 1).
• In 2017/2018, 7 of the 10 provinces^Note  had an incarceration rate lower than the average provincial/territorial rate of 83 adults per 100,000 population. The three provinces that had rates higher than the average adult provincial and territorial incarceration rate were Manitoba (231 adults per 100,000 population), Saskatchewan (207 adults per 100,000 population) and Alberta (111 adults per 100,000 population) (Table 1).
• The incarceration rate in all three territories was well above the provincial and territorial average (83 adults per 100,000 population). In particular, the Northwest Territories (527 adults per 100,000 population) and Nunavut (621 adults per 100,000 population) had high incarceration rates in 2017/2018 due to a large number of incarcerated adults relative to their small overall adult populations (Table 1). The total adult population in the three territories numbered approximately 88,800 adults in 2017, representing less than 1% of the overall Canadian population.^Note 

Adults in remand outnumber those in provincial/territorial sentenced custody

• For every year since 2004/2005, the average number of adults awaiting trial or sentencing (remand population), has been greater than the provincial/territorial adult sentenced custody population (Correctional Services Program 2017). In 2017/2018, on average per day there were about 50% more adults (14,812) in remand than were in provincial/territorial sentenced custody (9,543) (Table 2).
• The rate of adults in provincial/territorial sentenced custody decreased 18% (from 39 to 32 adults per 100,000 adult population) between 2013/2014 and 2017/2018 (5 years), while the rate of adults in remand increased by 2% (from 46 to 47 adults per 100,000 population) over the same period in twelve reporting jurisdictions (Chart 1).^Note 
• A greater number of adults in remand than in sentenced custody in provincial/territorial correctional facilities can lead to various challenges associated with providing services to inmates, such as rehabilitation and housing, due to the uncertainty regarding their length of stay (John Howard Society of Ontario 2007). The increase in the number of adults being remanded in Canada has been linked to a cultural shift in the justice system. The view here is that in order to minimize the risk of danger to the general public, including the risk of reoffending, courts choose to remand more accused as they wait for their trial/sentence (Webster 2015).
• Among the provinces and territories in 2017/2018, eight jurisdictions had a higher proportion of remanded adults versus those in sentenced custody: Alberta (70%), Ontario (69%), Manitoba (69%), Nova Scotia (65%), British Columbia (65%), Yukon (62%), the Northwest Territories (58%) and Nunavut (55%) in remand (Chart 2).
• In 2017/2018, the rate of adults in remand decreased 5% compared to the previous year, while the rate of adults in sentenced custody decreased 3%. The rate of adults in remand decreased in 6 of the 10 provinces^Note  with Quebec marking the greatest decrease (-10%) from 2016/2017. Three of the four remaining provinces saw increases in the rate of adults in remand; Prince Edward Island (+23%) had the largest increase, while Nova Scotia (+3%) and New Brunswick (+6%) reported smaller increases over the same time period. Saskatchewan reported no change. The rate of adults in remand decreased in Yukon (-22%) and the Northwest Territories (-3%), while Nunavut noted an 11% increase (Table 2).
• In 2017/2018, the rate of adults in sentenced custody decreased compared to the previous year in 6 of the 10 provinces,^Note  with Nova Scotia having the greatest decrease (-14%). Meanwhile, the remaining provinces showed increases ranging from 2% to 6%.^Note  In the territories, the rate decreased in Yukon (-40%) and the Northwest Territories (-5%), while Nunavut noted a 5% increase compared to 2016/2017 (Table 2).
• Similar to the change in rate in provincial/territorial correctional services, the rate of offenders in federal sentenced custody decreased 3% compared to 2016/2017 (Table 2).

Most adults are under community supervision

• The Criminal Code mandates that all sanctions other than imprisonment are to be considered for all offenders. Historically, persons sentenced to community supervision have been shown to have a reduced risk of recidivism, when compared to those sentenced to custody (Smith et al. 2002). On any given day in 2017/2018, in the 10 provinces and territories for which community supervision data were reported,^Note  there was an average of 94,904 adult offenders under supervision through community programs such as probation, conditional sentences and provincial parole, representing 80% of the correctional population. Additionally, at the federal level, the Correctional Service of Canada supervised an average of 9,043 offenders per day on day parole, full parole and statutory release (Table 1).
• In 2017/2018, the rate of adults under community supervision^Note  in the provinces and territories was 337 adults per 100,000 population. This represented an increase of 1% from the previous year but a 14%^Note  decrease compared to five years prior. The rate of federal offenders under community supervision increased 4% from the previous year, with a rate of 31 adults per 100,000 population in 2017/2018 (Table 1).
• In provincial/territorial correctional services, probation was by far the most common supervision program. On average, there were 87,342 adult offenders on probation on any given day in 2017/2018, representing 92%^Note  of the population under community supervision and 74%^Note  of all adults under correctional supervision in the 10 reporting provinces and territories (Table 2).^Note 
• In 2017/2018, the rate of adults on probation increased 2% compared to 2016/2017 (Table 2). The rate increased in 4 of the 8 reporting provinces^Note  with Saskatchewan (+17%) and Alberta (+13%) marking the most notable increases. The Northwest Territories and Nunavut saw decreases of 7% and 4%, respectively, compared to the previous year (Table 2).^Note 

Admissions to adult correctional services decrease slightly

An admission is counted each time an individual begins any type of custody or community supervision program therefore it is a measure of activity within the correctional services programs. The same person may be included several times in the admission counts where he/she moves from one correctional program to another (e.g., from remand or pre-trial detention to sentenced custody) or re-enters the system later in the same year.

• In 2017/2018, there were 391,692 admissions to provincial/territorial adult correctional services and 14,470 admissions to federal corrections for a total of 406,162 admissions. Overall, the total number of admissions was down 3% compared to the previous year. Provincial/territorial admissions decreased 3%, while federal admissions were down 2% (Table 3).
• In 2017/2018, admissions to custody decreased by 4% overall, while admissions to community supervision decreased by 1%. The number of admissions to correctional services overall decreased in 5 of the 13 jurisdictions^Note  with Yukon recording the largest decrease (-13%). In contrast, the Northwest Territories recorded the largest increase (+7%) which could be attributed to a large increase (+13%) in community admissions over the previous year (Table 3).
• At the federal level, admissions to custody increased by 1%, while admissions to community supervision decreased by 5% (Table 3).

Adults who identify as an Aboriginal person are overrepresented in custody

• Section 718.2 of the Criminal Code, as well as the Supreme Court of Canada in R v. Gladue (1999), instructs judges that sentences should consider all available sanctions other than imprisonment with particular attention to the circumstances of Aboriginal^Note  offenders. The “Gladue” sentencing principle seeks to recognize and address the overrepresentation of Aboriginal Peoples in custody (Legal Services Society 2018).^Note  In 2017/2018, Aboriginal adults accounted for 30% of admissions to provincial/territorial custody and 29% of admissions to federal custody, while representing approximately 4% of the Canadian adult population (Table 4).^Note  In comparison, ten years ago Aboriginal adults represented 21%^Note  of admissions to provincial/territorial custody and 20% of federal custodial admissions (Table 4).
• Among the provinces in 2017/2018, Aboriginal adults represented three-quarters of admissions to custody in Manitoba (75%) and Saskatchewan (74%) (Table 4). These two provinces also had the highest proportion of Aboriginal adults among their provincial populations, with 15% for Manitoba and 14% for Saskatchewan.^Note 
• In 2017/2018, Aboriginal males accounted for 28% of male admissions to custody in the provinces and territories. Aboriginal females made up a greater proportion of custody admissions than their male counterparts, accounting for 42% of female admissions, while non-Aboriginal females accounted for 57%. In comparison to 2007/2008, the number of admissions of Aboriginal males to provincial/territorial custody increased 28% while the number of admissions of Aboriginal females increased 66% in the provinces and territories (Table 5).
• Compared to 2007/2008, admissions of Aboriginal males increased the most in British Columbia (+83%, from 3,932 to 7,181), Quebec (+69%, from 1,128 to 1,903) and Manitoba (+60% from 10,651 to 17,066) in 2017/2018. Admissions of Aboriginal females increased the most in Quebec (+219%, from 127 to 405), Manitoba (+139%, from 2,182 to 5,214), New Brunswick (+128%, from 67 to 153) and Saskatchewan (+106%, from 924 to 1,900) (Table 5).
• For the province of Saskatchewan, the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics (CCJS) now has the capacity to report the number of unique persons^Note  (as opposed to admissions which is previously reported in this publication) who have entered custody in order to get a more accurate indication of the proportion of people who come into contact with custodial services. The number of unique persons who have entered custody is defined as the count of individuals entering into custody during a specific time period. Persons are counted only once regardless of their number of contacts with custody within the referenced time period.
• In Saskatchewan, among adults over a three year period, the number of unique Aboriginal females who entered custody has increased from 1,008 in 2015/16 to 1,098 in 2017/2018, which represents an increase of 9% over this period. In contrast, the number of unique non-Aboriginal females who entered custody over the same period has increased from 166 to 233, which represents an increase of 40%. The number of unique females of unknown Aboriginal identity decreased 64%, from 47 to 17.^Note 
• For adult males in Saskatchewan, over a three year period, the number of unique Aboriginal males who entered custody has decreased from 4,137 in 2015/16 to 4,080 in 2017/2018, which represents a decrease of 1% over this period. In contrast, the number of unique non-Aboriginal males who entered custody during the same period has decreased from 1,621 to 1,492, which represents a decrease of 8%. The number of unique males of unknown Aboriginal identity decrease 19%, from 296 to 241.^Note 

Younger male adults are overrepresented in custody admissions

• In 2017/2018, males accounted for 85% of adult admissions to provincial/territorial custody and 92% of adult admissions to federal custody (Chart 3; Chart 4).
• Overall, males aged 20 to 39 years made up a large proportion (58% of provincial/territorial and 59% of federal) of custodial admissions in 2017/2018 (Chart 3; Chart 4). In comparison to the number of adults charged by police, males aged 20 to 39 years accounted for 51% of adults charged in 2017.^Note  These adults are overrepresented given that they represent 17% of the adult population aged 18 years and older.^Note 
• Females aged 20 to 39 years made up a much smaller proportion (11% of provincial/territorial and 5% of federal) of custodial admissions in 2017/2018, in comparison to male counterparts (Chart 3; Chart 4). Females aged 20 to 39 who were charged by police in 2017 accounted for 15% of all adults charged.^Note 

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

• In 2017/2018, about half (51%) of adults released from remand were held for one week or less and three-quarters (75%) were held for one month or less.^Note 
• For adults released from sentenced custody in 2017/2018 in the 11 reporting provinces and territories, 31% had served one week or less, while 60% had served one month or less.^Note 
• Females tend to spend less time in remand and sentenced custody than their male counterparts. In 2017/2018, 83% of females released from remand were held for one month or less compared to 74% of males. For sentenced custody, 68% of females were held for one month or less compared to 59% of males (Chart 5). Among those accused of police-reported crime in 2017, 25% of females were accused of violent crime compared to 28% of males (Savage 2019).

Operating expenditures increased in adult correctional services

• In 2017/2018, operating expenditures for adult correctional services in Canada totaled over $5 billion,^Note  a 7% increase from the previous year after adjusting for inflation (Table 6).
• Per capita expenditures were $70 for provincial/territorial correctional services, and $68 for federal correctional services (Table 6).
• Custodial services expenditures totaled over $2 billion accounting for 81% of correctional expenditures from reporting provinces and territories in 2017/2018 (Table 6). Meanwhile, community supervision expenditures totaled over $360 million, accounting for 14% of total expenditures (Table 6).
• The costs for keeping adults in custody are typically higher for the federal system. On average, in 2017/2018, custodial services expenditures amounted to around $330 per day per federal offender, or $120,571 annually, compared to $233 per day for provincial/territorial offenders, or $84,915 annually (Table 6).

Youth correctional services

In Canada, 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.

Rate of youth in correctional services continues to decline

• In 2017/2018, on average per day there were, 7,052 youth supervised in custody or a community program in the nine reporting jurisdictions.^Note  This represented a rate of 41 youth per 10,000 population, a 7% decrease from the previous year and a 34% decrease from 2013/2014 (Table 7).
• Compared to the previous year, eight of the nine reporting jurisdictions^Note  with available data for 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 noted a decline in the overall correctional rate. Prince Edward Island had the largest decrease among the provinces (-20%). British Columbia (-14%) and Alberta (-11%) also had notable decreases, whereas Saskatchewan noted no change. Nunavut had the largest decrease among the territories (-21%) (Table 7).
• The national rate of youth charged by police has also decreased in recent years, with a 21% decrease between 2013 and 2017 (Allen 2018).^Note 
• As with previous years, the large majority (89%) of youth correctional population in the nine reporting jurisdictions^Note  were under community supervision on an average day in 2017/2018 (Table 7).

Youth incarceration rate continues to decline

• In 2017/2018, there were 792 youth in custody on average per day in the 11 reporting jurisdictions,^Note  representing a rate of 4 youth per 10,000 population, a 12% (Table 7) decrease from the previous year and a 29% decrease from 2013/2014.^Note 
• In 2017/2018, the youth incarceration rate fell from the previous year in 9 of the 11 reporting jurisdictions with available data. Among the provinces, the largest declines were seen in Alberta (-21%), followed by Saskatchewan (-15%), Manitoba (-14%) and New Brunswick (-11%). The incarceration rate also fell in Nunavut (-48%) and the Northwest Territories (-13%) compared to the previous year (Table 7).
• In 2017/2018, the highest youth incarceration rates were seen in Manitoba (19 youth per 10,000 population), Saskatchewan (16 youth per 10,000 population), Northwest Territories (14 youth per 10,000 population) and Nunavut (9 youth per 10,000 population). In each of the remaining provinces, the incarceration rate was less than 5 youth per 10,000 population (Table 7).

Majority of youth 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 correctional system. Under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, the youth criminal justice system supports crime prevention by referring young persons to community programs or agencies when appropriate to address offending behaviour.

• In 2017/2018, there were 5,640 youth that began a period of supervision in correctional services in the seven reporting jurisdictions. This represented a 5% decrease from the previous year and a 32% decrease from 2013/2014 (Table 8).^Note 
• The majority of youth entered correctional services under community supervision. In 2017/2018, 71% of initial entries were to community supervision in the reporting jurisdictions, a decrease of 1% from the previous year. These youth were primarily entering a period of probation (47% of all initial entries) or other community supervision (22% of all initial entries), which includes non-residential programs, fine options, orders for restitution, compensation or other community or personal services, and other sentences deemed appropriate by the youth justice court (Table 8).
• The remaining 29% of initial entries for youth in the reporting jurisdictions in 2017/2018 were into custody (predominantly pre-trial detention, at 28% of all initial entries). This represented a decrease of 13% from the previous year and a 25% decrease from five years prior (Table 8).

Youth admissions to correctional services decline

In contrast to an initial entry, which measures an uninterrupted period of correctional supervision, admissions are counted each time a person begins any period of supervision in a correctional institution or in the community. The same person may be included several times in the admission counts when moving from one correctional program to another (e.g., from remand or pre-trial detention to sentenced custody) or re-enters the system later in the same year.

• In 2017/2018, the number of youth admissions to correctional services among the nine reporting jurisdictions totalled 16,664.^Note  This was a decrease of 12% compared to 2016/2017. Admissions to community supervision decreased by 9% while admissions to custody decreased by 16%, between 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 (Table 9).
• In 2017/2018, there were decreases in total youth admissions for seven of the nine jurisdictions with available data^Note  compared to the previous year.^Note  Among the provinces, Prince Edward Island (-25%), Manitoba (-17%), Saskatchewan (-14%) and Ontario (-14%) had large decreases in the number of admissions to correctional services compared to 2016/2017 (Table 9).
• Nunavut had the largest decrease in total admissions (-51%), whereas the Northwest Territories had the largest increase in admissions (+32%) in 2017/2018 (Table 9). It is important to note that the number of youth admissions in the territories is small. As a result, small changes in the count can lead to large year-over-year percentage changes.

Aboriginal youth continue to be overrepresented in the correctional system

• The Youth Criminal Justice Act states that measures taken against young persons who commit offences should respond to the particular needs of aboriginal youth. This provision for youth seeks to counteract overrepresentation of aboriginal youth in custody. In 2017/2018, Aboriginal youth made up 43% of admissions to correctional services in the nine reporting jurisdictions,^Note  while representing about 8% of the Canadian youth population (Table 10).^Note 
• For the eight jurisdictions that have reported consistently over time, the proportion of Aboriginal youth admissions to correctional services has risen from 26% in 2007/2008 to 43% in 2017/2018.^Note 
• Aboriginal youth are overrepresented in both custody and community supervision, making up 48% of custody admissions and 39% of community admissions in 2017/2018 in the reporting jurisdictions (Table 10).

Males and older youth account for the majority of youth admissions

• In 2017/2018 in the reporting provinces and territories,^Note  over three-quarters (76%) of youth admitted into correctional services were male. Male youth accounted for 76% of custody admissions and 76% of community supervision admissions (Table 10). These proportions were virtually unchanged from 2016/2017.
• The majority (54%) of youth admissions to correctional services in 2017/2018 involved youth aged 16 to 17 years at the time of admission. Youth of this age range accounted for an even larger proportion of custody admissions (60%), while they represented just under half (49%) of community admissions (Table 10).
• In 2017/2018, males aged 16 to 17 years accounted for 42% of total youth admissions to correctional services. In comparison, females of the same age group represented 12% of youth admissions (Chart 6).

Time spent in custody is brief among youth

• Youth are typically supervised in correctional services for short periods of time. In 2017/2018, the majority (78%) of youth released from pre-trial detention in the six reporting jurisdictions^Note  had been there for one month or less (Chart 7). For youth released from sentenced custody in 2017/2018, 40% had been there for one month or less while 89% had spent six months or less in custody.
• The youth on probation tended to be supervised for longer periods of time, with 94% being supervised for more than six months (Chart 7).

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Charts

Detailed data tables

Table 1 Average daily counts of adults in correctional services, by type of supervision and jurisdiction, 2017/2018

Table 2 Average daily counts of adults under correctional supervision, by type of supervision and jurisdiction, 2017/2018

Table 3 Admissions to adult correctional services, by type of supervision and jurisdiction, 2017/2018

Table 4 Admissions to adult custody, by Aboriginal identity, jurisdiction, 2007/2008 and 2017/2018

Table 5 Admissions to adult custody, by sex, Aboriginal identity and jurisdiction, 2017/2018

Table 6 Operating expenditures of the adult correctional system, by jurisdiction, 2017/2018

Table 7 Average daily counts of youth in correctional services, by type of supervision and jurisdiction, 2017/2018

Table 8 Initial entry of youth into correctional services, by type of supervision, selected jurisdictions, 2017/2018

Table 9 Admissions of youth to correctional services, by type of supervision and jurisdiction, 2017/2018

Table 10 Admissions of youth to correctional services, by characteristics of the person admitted and type of supervision program, selected jurisdictions, 2017/2018

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 with 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 Youth Criminal Justice Act, 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 select 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 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 2017/2018: Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Manitoba, Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

The Adult Corrections Key Indicator Report (CKIR-A) 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 following jurisdictions responded to the CKIR-A in 2017/2018: Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

The Youth Corrections Key Indicator Report (CKIR-Y) 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) and the Northwest Territories (2004/2005 to 2007/2008 for data on community supervision). The following jurisdictions responded to the CKIR-Y in 2017/2018: Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

The Youth Custody and Community Services Survey (YCCS) collects aggregate data on the number and characteristics (e.g., sex, age, Aboriginal identity) of youth admissions to and releases from correctional services. The following jurisdictions reported survey data in 2017/2018: 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., sex, age, 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 2017/2018: Newfoundland and Labrador (adults only), Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario, and Correctional Service of 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, 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 2017/2018: Newfoundland and Labrador (youth only) Saskatchewan, Alberta (adults only) and British Columbia.

References

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Criminal Code of Canada. RSC, 1985, c. C-46. (Current to December 12, 2018).

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