A new report released by the Ontario Chief Coroner’s Office suggests deaths among incarcerated populations have “increased dramatically” in recent years, painting a picture of a criminal justice system struggling to uphold basic human rights.
The report, authored by Ontario’s chief coroner’s expert panel on deaths in custody, examines inmate deaths that are not homicides between 2014 and 2021.
In total, there were 186 deaths during this period, with 19 deaths in 2014, 25 in 2019, and 46 in 2021. The leading causes of death are identified as accidental overdose, suicide, and “natural.” When deaths by homicide are taken into account, in the past eight years 192 inmates have died while in provincial facilities.
“Any death that occurs in the custody of a provincial correctional facility is too many,” the panel members said in their opening statement. “People who come into custody have […] every reason to hope that those who assume control over so many aspects of their lives will, at the very least, protect them from harm and discomfort.”
However, the report suggests that the system is struggling to deliver on basic promises such as providing adequate and up-to-date medical care, ensuring that corrections officers have comprehensive training in emergency care, mental health, trauma and violence-informed practices, and providing support programming. to the inmates.
“With one very rare exception, almost all of the lives lost in our sample could be considered a preventable death,” he says.
The panel says the report ultimately revealed “a lot about” a criminal justice system struggling to deliver on basic promises. […]and a reality in custody that in its current state is increasingly ineffective and insecure.”
“The image ranges from opaque to amazingly clear. Solutions range from simple to frustratingly complex. The need for action is simply pressing and urgent,” the report says.
Dr. Jerry Flores, an associate professor of sociology at the University of Toronto who has studied incarcerated populations for more than a decade, told CTV News Toronto on Tuesday that while the numbers may not seem large at first, the growing trend is cause for alarm.
“I think what’s even more worrying is why they’re increasing,” Flores said. “Nearly 40 percent of these deaths have been attributed to acute drug toxicity, and I think that points to a couple of bigger issues.”
But, Flores says, for better or worse, illicit drugs have found their way into Ontario’s prisons.
“I think the next step is to really understand how we can stop some of these deaths and the way that we stop some of these deaths is by having access to quality healthcare,” he said.
In its report, the panel made 18 recommendations on how to improve inmate well-being and reduce the number of deaths inside correctional facilities, including setting new quality standards for correctional health care services consistent with best practices. of professional associations and organizations
“To prevent a segment of the population from accessing health, human rights begin to be violated,” said Flores. “How do we ensure that all incarcerated people have access to high-quality healthcare that is guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms?”
The panel’s recommendations go beyond improving correctional health care services: they also include, among others, moving away from maximum-security facilities when not necessary, reducing the number of people in custody in pre-trial stages and improving the registry mantenance. and public transparency.
“Many of the facilities where these people are housed are designed as maximum security facilities, really highly structured and guarded places,” Flores said. “However, the majority of Canada’s prison population is there for non-violent drug-related crimes, so many of these facilities are not currently set up for that.”
When contacted for comment, the Attorney General’s Ministry, which oversees the operations of Ontario’s correctional facilities, said it thanks the chief coroner and panel for the insights provided in the report, and “will take the time to review all recommendations and respond to the chief medical examiner within the requested six months”
“We must do everything we can to prevent deaths in custody, and we are focused on building a better, safer and healthier prison system in Ontario,” Andrew Morrison, spokesman for the ministry, said in an emailed statement to CTV News Toronto. .
“We know that the people who died in custody were spouses, parents, children, grandchildren, siblings, friends, and that they were important to everyone they loved and were loved by,” he said.
Morrison said much work is already underway to address the problems identified in the report, but the government will continue to improve training for frontline staff and make strategic investments in infrastructure, personnel and healthcare.
Meanwhile, Flores said all levels of government must increase funding and access to prison facilities, along with funding for research on incarcerated populations.
“There are many able-bodied people in various sociology and criminology departments in Canada who can help find evidence-based solutions to these problems,” he said.
“So I think we need to continue to do everything we can to make these spaces more accessible, more open, and continue to lead the investigation into some of the root causes of what’s happening.”