Monday, May 4, 2020

Carceral Depopulation During the COVID-19 Pandemic (v2.0)

OVERALL

Provincial-territorial prison population decline = 4,363 
Federal prison population decline = 275
Federal migrant detention population decline = 206 
Total adult prisoner population decline = 4,844

Note: These figures have been compiled from media reports published over the past month and a half. Recent average daily counts for some jurisdictions, which would allow for a determination of the percentage of prison population decline that has occurred during the pandemic, were not reported in some cases. Where such figures are not available, one can still gain a sense of the significance of jurisdictional prison population reductions by looking at the average daily counts for 2017-2018 published by Statistics Canada (e.g. the provinces and territories held an average of 24,355 prisoners on any given day in 2017-2018 and if these numbers remained relatively stable until recently, it is estimated that more than 1 in 6 provincial-territorial prisoners have been released during the pandemic). It is important to note that the declines in prison populations reported may not necessarily be linked to COVID-19 prevention measures (for example, see the recent analysis of the Correctional Service Canada case by journalist Justin Ling).

Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) 
Prisoners as of mid-March 2020 = no search results
Prisoners as of 3 May 2020 = no search results
Prison count reduction reported = down 65 prisoners / percentage unknown
Source: 3 May 2020 - National Post

Prince Edward Island (PEI)
Prisoners as of mid-March 2020 = no search results
Prisoners as of 7 April 2020 = no search results
Prison count reduction reported =  down 53 prisoners / percentage unknown
Source: 9 April 2020 - CBC News

Nova Scotia (NS) 
Prisoners as of 18 March 2020 = 452
Prisoners as of 21 April 2020 = 251
Prison count reduction reported = down 201 prisoners / 44.5%
Source: 22 April 2020 - CBC News

New Brunswick (NB)
No search results

Quebec (QC) 
Prisoners as of 9 March 2020 = 4,369
Prisoners as of 9 April 2020 = 3,759
Prison count reduction reported =  down 610 prisoners / 14%
Source: 16 April 2020 - La Presse

Ontario (ON) 
Prisoners as of mid-March 2020 = 8,344
Prisoners as of 1 May 2020 = 5,623
Prison count reduction reported = down 2,721 prisoners / 32.6%
Source: 1 May 2020 - Vice

Manitoba (MB)
Prisoners as of mid-March 2020 = no search results
Prisoners as of 9 April 2020 = no search results
Prison count reduction reported = down 21 prisoners / percentage unknown
Source: 9 April 2020 - Global News

Saskatchewan (SK)
Prisoners as of 15 March 2020 = 2,062
Prisoners as of 14 April 2020 = 1,527
Prison count reduction reported = down 535 prisoners / 25.9%
(as of 17 April 2020 - Saskatoon Star Phoenix

Alberta (AB) 
Prisoners as of mid-March 2020 = no search results
Prisoners as of 24 April 2020 = no search results
Prison count reduction reported = down 32 prisoners / percentage unknown
Source: 24 April 2020 - Edmonton Journal

British Columbia (BC) 
Prisoners as of  1 March 2020 = no search results
Prisoners as of 2 April 2020 = no search results
Prisoner count reduction reported = down 95 prisoners / percentage unknown
Source: 2 April 2020 - CTV News

Nunavut (NU) 
Prisoners as of  mid-March 2020 = no search results
Prisoners as of 9 April 2020 = no search results
Prisoner count reduction reported = down 23 prisoners / percentage unknown
Source: 9 April 2020 - Nunavut News

Northwest Territories (NWT) 
Prisoners as of  mid-March 2020 = no search results
Prisoners as of 7 April 2020 = no search results
Prisoner count reduction reported =  down 7 prisoners / percentage unknown
Source: 7 April 2020 Justice / CBC News

Yukon (YK)
No search results

Federal - Correctional Service Canada
Prisoners as of beginning of March 2020 = 14,175
Prisoners as of 27 April 2020 = 13,900
Prisoner count reduction reported = down 275 prisoners / 1.9%
Source: 27 April 2020 - Winnipeg Free Press

Federal - Canadian Border Services Agency
Migrant detainees as of 17 March 2020 = 353
Migrant detainees as of 19 April 2020 = 147
Migrant detainee count reduction = down 206 prisoners / 58.4% 
Source: 25 April 2020 - Global News

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