
Meeting at its Annual General Assembly, the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies (CAEFS) has firmly committed to tirelessly opposing the proliferation of mandatory minimum sentences, the reduction of conditional sentences, and any interference with parole opportunities. CAEFS is a federation of 25 local community service agencies working with and on behalf of victimized, criminalized, and incarcerated women and girls.
"The Harper government refuses to acknowledge the wealth of international research that disproves the effectiveness of such legal reforms. Mandatory minimum sentences may seem appealing to citizens who are uninformed about the complexities of the criminal world and to politicians who wish to be seen as tough on crime," states Dr. Ailsa Watkinson, President of the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies. "Canada already has around 45 mandatory minimum sentences; more of these sentences will mean that individuals trapped in the prison system will likely remain there much longer."
"Most people understand that more mandatory minimum sentences and the reduction of conditional sentences, sometimes called house arrest, will significantly increase the cost of the criminal justice system. Imprisonment is expensive – much more costly, in fact, than many other means of crime prevention. It costs between $50,000 to $250,000 per year to incarcerate someone in Canada, depending on the nature of the facility and the individual's needs. If only half of the seven billion dollars currently spent on imprisoning people were invested in social assistance, housing, health, education, and other basic community services, these resources would benefit entire communities, not just criminalized individuals," adds Dr. Gillian Balfour, member of CAEFS' Social Action Committee.
"Based on the American experience, there is every reason to believe that imposing additional mandatory sentences related to firearms in Canada will have the same consequences: increasing injustice in law enforcement, prompting wrongful convictions, and devastating the African-Canadian community through the disproportionate incarceration of young men. Mandatory minimum sentences and reduced parole opportunities will likely exacerbate the over-incarceration of Indigenous people, particularly Indigenous women," states Kim Pate, Executive Director of CAEFS. "The United Nations Human Rights Committee has already expressed grave concern over Canada's treatment of incarcerated women. These measures will only worsen the situation for the women our members work with."
Contacts :
Ailsa Watkinson, Ph.D., President
Gillian Balfour, Ph.D.,
or Kim Pate, Executive Director at 613-298-2422
May 29, 2006 (Ottawa)