Barred – Over-incarceration of Indigenous people in Canada’s criminal legal system, the health implications, and opportunities for decarceration

The over-incarceration of Indigenous people in Canada’s criminal legal system is a systemic public health crisis that requires immediate attention and action. There is growing momentum for decarceration – that is, efforts to reduce and remove the number of Indigenous people in prison and instead employ community-based sentencing alternatives – and its benefits toward Indigenous peoples’ health, safety, and well-being. However, it is Indigenous-led approaches to decarceration that federal, provincial, and territorial correctional services, governments, and organizations must learn from. Through an environmental scan of academic and grey literature, Barred: Over-incarceration of Indigenous people in Canada’s criminal legal system, the health implications, and opportunities for decarceration confronts this public health crisis and explores avenues to decarceration through policy, legislation, and community-based programs.

The report begins by describing the population metrics and health implications of incarceration. It then reviews opportunities for decarceration in federal legislation as well as the strengths and challenges of three community-based alternatives, including diversion programs, Indigenous courts, and healing lodges. The report concludes by identifying knowledge gaps and offering final reflections to ground the findings and inform future work.

View or download the report (PDF)

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