The Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies (CAEFS) is a federation of 26 community organizations working with marginalized, victimized, criminalized, and incarcerated women and girls. "We are extremely concerned about the government's so-called public order policies, particularly its regressive legal reform proposals and the risk of interference with parole accessibility..." announced Me Lucie Joncas, President of the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies.

Kim Pate, Executive Director of CAEFS, explains that the organization "works tirelessly to try to stem the rapid increase in the number of incarcerated women in the country." She is worried about the trend of the proposed reforms, a trend exacerbated by current socio-economic and health policies, which can only increase the number of incarcerated women, particularly Indigenous women or those otherwise discriminated against racially, as well as those with mental health issues. "Prisons cannot refuse to admit individuals referred to them by the courts. Yet, they are increasingly being used for people who need treatment, support, or other social and health services…" laments Ms. Pate.

"The high-level committee Minister Day has tasked with examining correctional activities in the country and proposing further reforms…" notes Dr. Ailsa Watkinson, member of the executive committee of CAEFS. "If this committee recommends a reduction in supervised release options and the construction of federal super-prisons, it will only make things worse, in addition to increasing the human and fiscal costs of the criminal justice system. Incarceration is expensive—much more so than other crime prevention methods. Keeping someone behind bars in Canada costs between $50,000 and $250,000 per year, depending on the nature of the facility and the needs of each detainee. In contrast, investing even half of the seven billion dollars currently spent on incarceration into social services such as welfare, housing, health, education, and others would benefit the entire population, not just the incarcerated individuals."

Contact:
Me Lucie Joncas, President;
Dr. Ailsa M. Watkinson; or
Kim Pate, Executive Director, at 613-298-2422

October 17, 2007 (Ottawa)