Prison watchdog says more than a quarter of federal inmates are aboriginal people

FIRST NATIONS

Howard Sapers, Canada’s correctional investigator, says efforts to curb high numbers not working

CBC NewsPosted: Jan 14, 2016 12:21 PM ETLast Updated: Jan 14, 2016 3:23 PM ET

For the first time, more than a quarter of inmates in Canadian prisons are aboriginal people.

“The most current figure we have is quite shocking,” said Correctional Investigator of Canada Howard Sapers, the country’s prison ombudsman.

“In federal corrections, 25.4 per cent of the incarcerated population are now of aboriginal ancestry.”

Howard Sapers, Canada’s prison watchdog, says he’s shocked by the growing number of aboriginal inmates. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)

Of 14,624 inmates across the country, 3,723 are aboriginal people. In the Prairie provinces, 48 per cent of federal inmates are aboriginal people.

For aboriginal women, the numbers are even higher. According to the most recent statistics, more than 36 per cent of…

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