BackThe 39th Annual Report of the Office of the Correctional Investigator was recently tabled in Parliament. In releasing his report, the Correctional Investigator of Canada, Mr. Howard Sapers, called attention to the dramatic increase in the number and prevalence of serious self-injury incidents in federal prisons. “The number of self-injury occurrences has almost tripled in the last five years. My concern extends beyond just the numbers, and goes to the response and capacity of the Correctional Service of Canada to manage prison self-injury appropriately and not primarily as security incidents,” stated Mr. Sapers.
In 2011-12, the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) recorded 912 incidents of self-injury, involving 303 offenders. Aboriginal offenders accounted for 45% of all self-injury incidents in federal penitentiaries. Women offenders accounted for just over one-quarter of self-injury incidents in 2011-12. Types of self-harm include slashing, head banging, self strangulation, swallowing harmful objects and other forms of self-mutilation.
The Office maintains that self-injury is often a symptom of an underlying or untreated mental health issue. While safety and security requirements are always a consideration in a prison setting, the report concludes that there are safer and more therapeutic options available to correctional authorities in managing the most serious and complex cases of self-injury. “The Correctional Service does not have adequate specialized physical and human resources to meet the needs of inmates who seriously and chronically self-harm. Recognizing this fact and acting on recommendations to seek alternatives to segregation and the use of restraints will reduce trauma, preserve life and lessen staff burnout,” stated Mr. Sapers.
Please find the full version of the press release and the Annual Report as download below.
Source: Correctional Investigator
