2019 data on inmates in Ontario
Get 2019 data on inmate segregation, restrictive confinement and deaths in correctional facilities.
Human rights-based data collection for inmates in segregation
The ministry is committed to publicly releasing data annually regarding the use of segregation for all individuals in Ontario’s adult correctional system, excluding those on lockdown and to also include the following in the report:
- the duration of time each inmate spent in segregation, including continuous and total days over the last year (365 days)
- the reason the inmate was placed in segregation
- the number of inmates who had a suicide alert or suicide watch alert placed by clinical staff
Furthermore, the ministry has disaggregated the data based on:
- individuals with mental health disabilities (including risk of suicide or self-harm) whether identified through mental health alerts, mental health screening and reassessment, or by being reported and confirmed
- sex/gender
- facility/institution
- region
The 2019 review also covers human rights-based data for inmates in segregation between July 1, 2018, and June 30, 2019.
The data has also been disaggregated on additional data related to gender, race, age and religion, consistent with the Ontario Human Rights Code. On April 1, 2020, the ministry will be required to report on race and religion following the requirements in the anti-racism data standards under Ontario's Anti-Racism Act to monitor systemic racism.
Disclosure on data collection method
Segregation is currently defined by the ministry’s policy as any type of custody where an inmate is highly restricted in movement and association with others for 22 hours or more a day (excluding circumstances of unscheduled lockdown), which can occur anywhere in an institution. Prior to July 6, 2018, segregation was defined as a specific area within an institution and the definition did not include a minimum requirement for time out of cell. As a result, the data collected covers both definitions.
To collect the data, a report was generated through the ministry’s Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS) to identify any individuals recorded as being in segregation between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019. A record is created each time an inmate meets the conditions of segregation and closed when the inmate no longer meets those conditions.
OTIS is an electronic database used to track individuals under the supervision of the ministry and includes demographic, institutional housing and placement history. Individual information is entered into OTIS manually and, due to technology limitations, may be recorded through other means and entered into OTIS at a later time.
The report generated through OTIS identified all individuals with a segregation placement within the identified time period. For these inmates, the report captured:
- the number of placements
- the duration of placements
- reasons for placements
- demographic information
- alerts for mental health concerns, suicide risk and suicide watch
The ministry has identified instances where the duration of individual placements in segregation are recorded as “zero days”. This represents inmates who were restricted in movement and association for less than 22 hours, and as a result, do not meet the ministry’s current definition of segregation. However, the ministry has included them in the review to provide a full view of all segregation placements.
Demographic information entered into OTIS is largely self-reported or is reliant upon information provided to the ministry by police agencies or the courts and therefore is subject to change over time. OTIS displays the most recent details for an inmate and maintains a record of information previously entered into the system. The report generated for this release captured demographic information that was active at the time of an inmate’s most recent period of supervisions.
The information on race and religion extracted from OTIS have been mapped to align with the data standards.
OTIS currently records inmates’ gender as either “male” or “female”. Additional expressions of gender are recorded by a “transgender alert”. Where an inmate has a transgender alert, the gender field in OTIS will reflect the individual’s preferred gender identity and is subject to change over time.
The identification of inmates with mental health conditions is based on the presence of a mental health alert that is recorded in OTIS. Mental health alerts do not indicate a confirmed mental health diagnosis. However, they signal the presence of potential mental health concerns and are the trigger for assessment for appropriate healthcare supports.
As of November 27, 2018, the ministry implemented a policy requiring all mental health alerts to be consistently verified by mental health professionals. Health care staff are required to assess individuals and verify mental health alerts in OTIS within 48 hours of the alert being entered. As such, the data for this release includes both verified and unverified mental health alerts present on the inmate’s file for the current period of supervision.
The ministry is currently developing definitions of mental illness and serious mental illness to better align with parameters used by community health services. These definitions will be implemented into policy in 2020, and the mental health alert system will be updated to more appropriately and accurately reflect the presence of a mental illness.
Review of all inmates in segregation between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019
At the time of the review, seven per cent of the total inmate population is in segregation conditions on any given day, compared to nine per cent in the 2018 reporting period. There were 12,059 inmates identified as having at least one placement in segregation between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019, out of a population of 36,066 (33%) total inmates. Fifty-eight per cent of inmates had a single placement in segregation. In total, there were 24,220 segregation placements during this time period. This excludes inmates with an intermittent sentence.
Population breakdown
Location | Female inmates | Female placements | Male inmates | Male placements | Total inmates | Total placements |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maplehurst Correctional Complex | 1 | 1 | 1,691 | 3,231 | 1,692 | 3,232 |
Ontario Correctional Institute | n/a | n/a | 21 | 26 | 21 | 26 |
Toronto East Detention Centre | n/a | n/a | 772 | 1,446 | 772 | 1,446 |
Toronto South Detention Centre | 5 | 30 | 1,424 | 2,534 | 1,429 | 2,564 |
Vanier Centre for Women | 889 | 1,684 | 2 | 4 | 891 | 1,688 |
Central Region | 895 | 1,715 | 3,910 | 7,241 | 4,805 | 8,956 |
Brockville Jail | n/a | n/a | 88 | 174 | 88 | 174 |
Central East Correctional Centre | 122 | 222 | 737 | 1,240 | 859 | 1,462 |
Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre | 132 | 230 | 878 | 1,799 | 1,010 | 2,029 |
Quinte Detention Centre | 114 | 239 | 624 | 1,283 | 738 | 1,522 |
St. Lawrence Valley Centre | n/a | n/a | 52 | 149 | 52 | 149 |
Eastern Region | 368 | 691 | 2,379 | 4,645 | 2,747 | 5,336 |
Algoma Treatment and Remand Centre | 26 | 42 | 156 | 290 | 182 | 332 |
Central North Correctional Centre | 35 | 47 | 993 | 2,335 | 1,028 | 2,382 |
Fort Frances Jail | 4 | 7 | 31 | 75 | 35 | 82 |
Kenora Jail | 87 | 214 | 109 | 217 | 196 | 431 |
Monteith Correctional Centre | 26 | 84 | 141 | 383 | 167 | 467 |
North Bay Jail | 43 | 135 | 159 | 415 | 202 | 550 |
Sudbury Jail | 20 | 53 | 190 | 648 | 210 | 701 |
Thunder Bay Correctional Centre | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 10 |
Thunder Bay Jail | n/a | n/a | 144 | 269 | 144 | 269 |
Northern Region | 246 | 587 | 1,928 | 4,637 | 2,174 | 5,224 |
Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre | 166 | 287 | 557 | 1,054 | 723 | 1,341 |
Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre | 111 | 236 | 447 | 1,223 | 558 | 1,459 |
Niagara Detention Centre | n/a | n/a | 272 | 449 | 272 | 449 |
Sarnia Jail | 29 | 53 | 190 | 359 | 219 | 412 |
Southwest Detention Centre | 85 | 156 | 456 | 857 | 541 | 1,013 |
Stratford Jail | n/a | n/a | 20 | 30 | 20 | 30 |
Western Region | 391 | 732 | 1,942 | 3,972 | 2,333 | 4,704 |
Total inmates | 1,900 | n/a | 10,159 | n/a | 12,059 | n/a |
Total placements | n/a | 3,725 | n/a | 20,495 | n/a | 24,220 |
Of the 12,059 inmates who were in segregation between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019, 1,900 identified as female and 10,159 identified as male. These numbers include 92 inmates who self-identified as transgender during this period.
Of the overall population in provincial institutions, 39% of females in custody and 33% of males in custody experienced at least one placement in segregation.
Number of placements
Number of times placed in segregation | Females | Males | Total number of inmates |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 1,109 | 5,885 | 6,994 |
2 | 391 | 2,005 | 2,396 |
3 | 184 | 929 | 1,113 |
4 | 83 | 551 | 634 |
5 | 43 | 310 | 353 |
6-10 | 73 | 406 | 479 |
11 or greater | 17 | 73 | 90 |
Total number of inmates | 1,900 | 10,159 | 12,059 |
There were 6,994 inmates (58%) with a single segregation admission during the time period, while 5,065 (42%) had been placed in segregation two or more times. The highest number of times an inmate was placed in segregation was 37.
Duration of time spent in segregation
Location | Maximum number of days - females | Median (days) - females | Mode (days) - females | Maximum number of days - males | Median (days) - males | Mode (days) - males | Median (days) - overall | Mode (days) - overall |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Central Region | 296 | 3 | 1 | 523 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
Eastern Region | 190 | 3 | 1 | 838 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
Northern Region | 50 | 2 | 1 | 509 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
Western Region | 101 | 3 | 1 | 422 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
Overall | 296 | 3 | 1 | 838 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
Across all regions, the consecutive length of segregation placements for males ranged from a minimum of one day to a maximum of 838 days. Consecutive placement lengths for females ranged from one to 296 days. The median number of days consecutively spent in segregation was three days for females and four days for males, with an overall median of four consecutive days. The most frequent, or mode, consecutive placement length was one day. These placement lengths include time that was spent in segregation prior to July 1, 2018 if the placement continued into the July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019 time period.
Ministry policy requires that inmates placed in segregation be reviewed within 24 hours, and every five days thereafter. Currently, inmates who have been in segregation for 30 days or more must have their placement reviewed by the superintendent and the regional director for the inmate to continue in segregation. In the case of inmates with mental health conditions, alternatives may only be rejected if significant health and safety concerns would arise if they are placed outside of segregation.
As part of the ministry’s ongoing work to track and monitor inmates’ conditions of confinement, the segregation review and documentation processes are undergoing revisions.
Location | Maximum number of aggregate days in segregation - females | Median (days) - females | Mode (days) - females | Maximum number of aggregate days in segregation - males | Median (days) - males | Mode (days) - males | Median (days) - overall | Mode (days) - overall |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Central Region | 315 | 4 | 1 | 365 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
Eastern Region | 166 | 5 | 1 | 365 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
Northern Region | 141 | 4 | 1 | 365 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 1 |
Western Region | 175 | 4 | 1 | 342 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
Overall | 315 | 4 | 1 | 365 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
Across all regions, the aggregate number of days for segregation placements ranged from a minimum of one day to a maximum 365 days for males and from a minimum of one day to a maximum of 315 days for females. The overall median aggregate number of days was seven, and the most frequent aggregate number of days spent in segregation was one.
Aggregate days are calculated based on the total number of days in segregation during the 365-day reporting period. The total number of aggregate days in segregation were counted to June 30, 2019.
As of February 15, 2018, reports of inmates in segregation for 30 continuous days that are provided directly to the Assistant Deputy Minister of Institutional Services and the Solicitor General. These reports include additional details about the circumstances of each individual’s segregation placement and the alternatives to segregation considered to the point of undue hardship. This level of detail also applies to the 60-day aggregate reports that go to the Assistant Deputy Minister.
Reasons for placement in segregation
The ministry’s policy during this time period required that segregation only be considered for an inmate if they:
- need protection such as security or medical concerns
- have requested to be segregated
- pose a security or safety risk to others
- are under medical observation or isolation
- have committed alleged misconduct
- require confinement following misconduct
Reason | Total number | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Inmate requested to be segregated | 7,627 | 32% |
Inmate requires protection for medical concerns | 6,631 | 27% |
Inmate committed alleged misconduct | 5,332 | 22% |
Inmate poses a security or safety risk to others | 3,428 | 14% |
Inmate requires protection for other concerns | 2,339 | 10% |
Inmate requires confinement following misconduct | 1,533 | 6% |
Inmate poses a security or safety risk to others for medical reasons | 855 | 4% |
Total | 27,745* | n/a |
*One placement in segregation may include more than one associated reason. Therefore, the total number of placements in this table exceed the actual number of segregation placements.
Throughout a segregation placement, the reason for the placement may change. Of the 24,220 placements, 21,200 (88%) had one associated reason, while 3,000 (12%) had more than one reason associated with segregation placements (e.g. an inmate may be placed in segregation for their own protection and subsequently request to remain in those conditions once approved for release). The most frequent reasons for segregation placement included:
- 7,627 (32%) occurrences where inmates requested to be placed in segregation
- 6,631 (27%) placements as a result of medical reasons such as observation, isolation and safety
- 5,332 (22%) placements as a result of an alleged misconduct
Further breakdown of this information by region, institution and gender, is available in the downloadable dataset.
Mental health alerts
A mental health alert is recorded in an inmate’s file by staff including correctional, medical and clinical staff, if the inmate:
- discloses a mental illness
- is showing signs of, or has disclosed thoughts about self-harm or suicide
- is demonstrating behaviour that may suggest a mental illness
The ministry’s policy requires an initial mental health screening to be completed within 48 hours of an inmate being admitted to an institution. All active mental health alerts are required to be consistently verified by mental health professionals within 48 hours of the alert being entered into OTIS. If an inmate screens positive for a possible mental health condition, they are further assessed by health care professionals and may be referred to a psychiatrist or physician. Additionally, inmates are also reassessed for mental health care needs at least once every six months of continuous custody. Mental health professionals are required to add mental health alerts, verify new and existing mental health alerts and expire inactive alerts as appropriate throughout an individual’s stay in custody.
Of the 12,059 inmates identified as being placed in segregation over the period of July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019, 5,558 (46%) had a mental health alert on file. There were 58% (n=1,099) of females in segregation and 44% (n=4,459) of males in segregation had a mental health alert. Of the overall population in provincial institutions, 46% (n=2,219) of all females in custody and 28% (n=8,659) of all males in custody had a mental health alert.
Gender | No alert | Suicide risk alert | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Females | 801 | 1,099 | 1,900 |
Males | 5,700 | 4,459 | 10,159 |
Total | 6,501 | 5,558 | 12,059 |
Further breakdown of this information by region, institution and gender, is available in the downloadable dataset.
Suicide risk alerts
A suicide risk alert is recorded in an inmate’s file by facility staff including operational or healthcare staff when they require enhanced supervision or if they are at risk of posing harm to themselves. Suicide risk alerts are broken down into the following categories:
- enhanced supervision
- previous suicide attempt(s)
- suicide watch
Of the 12,059 inmates covered in the review, 4,278 (35%) had a suicide risk alert recorded in their file. There were 38% of females (n=729) and 35% of males (n=3,549) in segregation had a suicide risk alert. In comparison, 27% of females (n=1,308) in the overall custodial population and 20% of males (n=6,292) had a suicide risk alert.
Gender | No alert | Suicide risk alert | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Females | 1,171 | 729 | 1,900 |
Males | 6,610 | 3,549 | 10,159 |
Total | 7,781 | 4,278 | 12,059 |
A suicide watch is a type of a suicide risk alert that indicates when an inmate requires increased supervision due to a high risk of suicide or self-harm. Of the 12,059 inmates included in the review, 1,965 (16%) were on suicide watch. Seventeen per cent of females (n=317) in segregation and 16% of males (n=1,648) in segregation had a suicide watch alert. Overall, 9% of females (n-420) and 7% of males (n=2,250) in custody had suicide watch alerts.
Ministry policy requires that an assessment, monitoring and documenting process including frequent in-person checks, occur at least once every 10 minutes. Between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., correctional staff are required to interact verbally with the inmate on an hourly basis.
Gender | No alert | Suicide watch alert | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Females | 1,583 | 317 | 1,900 |
Males | 8,511 | 1,648 | 10,159 |
Total | 10,094 | 1,965 | 12,059 |
Intermittent sentences
When the court imposes a sentence of imprisonment of 90 days or less on a convicted offender, the court may order that the sentence be served intermittently, based on the age and character of the offender, the nature of the offence and/or the motive. An intermittent sentence is a custodial sentence that is served during specific recurring days and times, rather than all at once (for example: every Friday at 6 p.m. to Monday at 7 a.m. for five weeks.).
Inmates who were serving an intermittent sentence any time during the reporting period have been removed from the above data but are included below for separate review. Additionally, inmates may have had multiple incarceration types or status during the reporting period. Segregation lengths may exceed the general length of an intermittent sentence, as some inmates may have been serving an intermittent sentence which was later changed to a non-intermittent sentence.
In total, there were 3,601 individuals who served an intermittent sentence between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019. Of these 3,601 individuals, there were 642 (18%) who had a mental health alert on file, 463 (13%) with a suicide risk alert and 117 (3%) who were on suicide watch.
Of the 3,601 individuals serving an intermittent sentence, 1,003 (28%) had at least one placement in segregation. Of these 1,003 inmates, there were 269 (27%) who had a current or previous mental health alert on file, 204 (20%) who had a suicide alert, and 69 (7%) who were on suicide watch.
Location | Females | Males | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Maplehurst Correctional Complex | n/a | 38 | 38 |
Toronto East Detention Centre | n/a | 23 | 23 |
Toronto South Detention Centre | 1 | 318 | 319 |
Vanier Centre for Women | 37 | n/a | 37 |
Central Region | 38 | 379 | 417 |
Brockville Jail | n/a | 4 | 4 |
Central East Correctional Centre | 29 | 28 | 57 |
Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre | 10 | 33 | 43 |
Quinte Detention Centre | 8 | 99 | 107 |
St. Lawrence Valley Centre | n/a | 1 | 1 |
Eastern Region | 47 | 165 | 212 |
Algoma Treatment and Remand Centre | 2 | 4 | 6 |
Central North Correctional Centre | n/a | 49 | 49 |
Fort Frances Jail | n/a | 3 | 3 |
Kenora Jail | 2 | 2 | 4 |
Monteith Correctional Centre | 1 | 22 | 23 |
North Bay Jail | 3 | 26 | 29 |
Sudbury Jail | 2 | 21 | 23 |
Thunder Bay Jail | n/a | 3 | 3 |
Northern Region | 10 | 130 | 140 |
Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre | 11 | 170 | 181 |
Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre | n/a | 20 | 20 |
Niagara Detention Centre | n/a | 23 | 23 |
Sarnia Jail | n/a | 3 | 3 |
Southwest Detention Centre | 4 | 3 | 7 |
Western Region | 15 | 219 | 234 |
Total | 110 | 893 | 1,003 |
Further information and breakdowns on the intermittent population can be found in the downloadable dataset.
Demographics
Demographic factors were extracted as they were recorded in OTIS at the time of the period of supervision and therefore does not reflect where the information may have changed over time.
Age
Age ranges and gender | Central Region | Eastern Region | Northern Region | Western Region | Total number of inmates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
18 to 24 years old | 1,086 | 549 | 505 | 476 | 2,616 |
Female | 167 | 90 | 65 | 92 | 414 |
Male | 919 | 459 | 440 | 384 | 2,202 |
25 to 49 years old | 3,290 | 1,898 | 1,525 | 1,676 | 8,389 |
Female | 668 | 250 | 178 | 282 | 1,378 |
Male | 2,622 | 1,648 | 1,347 | 1,394 | 7,011 |
50 years or older | 429 | 300 | 144 | 181 | 1,054 |
Female | 60 | 28 | 3 | 17 | 108 |
Male | 369 | 272 | 141 | 164 | 946 |
Total number of inmates | 4,805 | 2,747 | 2,174 | 2,333 | 12,059 |
The average age amongst all inmates at the start of their placement in segregation was 33 years old.
Race
Race | Central Region | Eastern Region | Northern Region | Western Region | Total number of inmates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
White | 2,185 | 1,866 | 1,244 | 1,601 | 6,896 |
Black | 1,130 | 250 | 117 | 187 | 1,684 |
Indigenous | 266 | 250 | 618 | 251 | 1,385 |
Middle Eastern | 119 | 56 | 13 | 36 | 224 |
Another racial origin | 129 | 39 | 13 | 33 | 214 |
East or southeast Asian | 127 | 29 | 7 | 13 | 176 |
South Asian | 134 | 13 | 6 | 15 | 168 |
Latino | 89 | 24 | 16 | 23 | 152 |
Unknown or not reported | 626 | 220 | 140 | 174 | 1,160 |
Total number of inmates | 4,805 | 2,747 | 2,174 | 2,333 | 12,059 |
Of the 12,059 inmates covered in the review, 6,896 (57%) self-identified as white, 1,684 (14%) self-identified as black, and 1,385 (11%) self-identified as Indigenous. There were 224 inmates (2%) who identified as Middle Eastern, 214 (1.8%) as another racial origin, 176 (1.5%) as east or Southeast Asian, 168 (1.4%) identified as South Asian and 152 (1.3%) as Latino. There were 1,160 inmates (10%) who did not report this information or it was unknown.
Religion
Religion or spiritual affiliation | Central Region | Eastern Region | Northern Region | Western Region | Total number of inmates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Christian | 1,239 | 801 | 641 | 644 | 3,325 |
No religion | 714 | 693 | 575 | 513 | 2,495 |
Muslim | 449 | 221 | 73 | 106 | 849 |
Indigenous spirituality | 189 | 198 | 172 | 162 | 721 |
Jewish | 31 | 28 | 6 | 17 | 82 |
Sikh | 54 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 64 |
Hindu | 42 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 50 |
Other religious or spiritual affiliation | 171 | 39 | 36 | 49 | 295 |
Unknown or not reported | 1,916 | 760 | 665 | 837 | 4,178 |
Total number of inmates | 4,805 | 2,747 | 2,174 | 2,333 | 12,059 |
There were 4,178 inmates (35%) covered in the review who did not report a religious affiliation or it was unknown, while 3,325 (28%) self-identified as being Christian, and 2,495 (21%) stated they had no religious or spiritual affiliation. There were 849 (7%) who self-identified as Muslim and 721 (6%) self-identified as having Indigenous spirituality. Of the remaining inmates, self-identified religions included: 82 (0.7%) Jewish, 64 (0.5%) Sikh and 50 (0.4%) Hindu. There were 295 inmates (2.4%) who reported “other religious or spiritual affiliations”.
Further demographic information including race and religion, as identified by the inmate, is available in the downloadable dataset.
Human rights-based data collection for inmates in restrictive confinement
The ministry is committed to publicly releasing data annually regarding its use of restrictive confinement for all individuals in Ontario’s adult correctional system, excluding those on lockdown, and to include the following in the report:
- the duration of time each inmate spent in restrictive confinement, including continuous and total days over the last year (365 days)
- the reason the inmate was placed in restrictive confinement
- the number of inmates who had a suicide alert or suicide watch alert placed by clinical staff
Download data
Furthermore, the ministry has disaggregated the data based on:
- individuals with mental health disabilities (including risk of suicide or self-harm) whether identified through mental health alerts, mental health screening and reassessment, or by being reported and confirmed
- sex/gender
- facility/institution
- region
The data has also been disaggregated on additional data related to race, age and religion, consistent with the Ontario Human Rights Code. On April 1, 2020, the ministry is required to report on race and religion following the requirements in the anti-racism data standards under Ontario's Anti-Racism Act to monitor systemic racism.
The ministry defines restrictive confinement as any type of confinement that is more restrictive than the general population but less restrictive than segregation. As a result, in consultation with the Independent Expert on human rights in corrections, the ministry is reporting on any case where an individual was held in a unit regularly scheduled to be locked down for 17 hours or more per day. This timeframe is considered more restrictive than that of the general population based on an assessment of provincewide lockdown times. Regularly scheduled lockdowns are daily routine times where movement out of a cell is restricted, such as during meal times and overnight.
The ministry is reporting on a three-month period between July 1 and September 30, 2019, based on consultation with the Independent Expert.
Disclosure on data collection method
To collect the information required, a report was generated through the ministry’s Offender Tracking Information System (OTISOTIS is an electronic database used to track individuals under the supervision of the ministry and includes demographic, institutional housing and placement history. Information is entered into OTIS manually and, due to technology limitations, may be recorded through other means and transferred into OTIS at a later time.
As an individual’s housing location may change on a daily basis, data on restrictive confinement was extracted for each day within the reporting period, rather than one single extraction, to provide more accurate data. Currently, the reason and number of placements or continuous days in restrictive confinement by individual cannot be tracked due to the limitations with the data collection method. The ministry recognizes the challenges in accurately tracking inmates within restrictive confinement and is currently developing a new tool to track inmate movement in and out of cells.
The data captured in this report excludes any cases where an inmate was held in a unit that was regularly locked down for 17 hours or more but was considered to be in segregation based on the information recorded in the inmate’s file.
Demographic information entered in OTIS is largely self-reported or reliant upon information provided to the ministry by police agencies or the courts and therefore is subject to change over time. OTIS displays the most recent details for an inmate and maintains a record of information previously entered into the system. The report generated for this release captured demographic information that was active at the most recent period of supervision.
OTIS currently records inmates’ gender as either “male” or “female”. Additional expressions of gender are recorded in a “transgender alert”. Where an inmate has a transgender alert, the gender field in OTIS will reflect the individual’s preferred gender identity and is subject to change over time. Also, the information on race and religion extracted from OTIS have been mapped to align with the data standards in this report.
The identification of inmates with mental health conditions is based on the presence of a mental health alert that is recorded in OTIS. Mental health alerts do not indicate a confirmed mental health diagnosis. However, they signal the presence of potential mental health concerns so assessments for appropriate health care supports can be provided.
The ministry is currently developing definitions of mental illness and serious mental illness to better align with parameters used by community health services. These definitions will be implemented into policy in 2020, and the mental health alert system will be updated to more appropriately and accurately reflect the presence of a mental illness.
Review of all inmates in restrictive confinement between July 1, 2019 and September 30, 2019
There were 4,323 unique individuals who spent at least one day in a unit that was regularly locked down for 17 hours or more per day between July 1, 2019 and September 30, 2019, out of a total of 19,895 (22%) inmates. The data includes inmates with an intermittent sentence who were housed in a unit that was locked down for 17 hours or more per day. An intermittent sentence is a custodial sentence that is served during specific recurring days and times, rather than all at once.
As the data on restrictive confinement was generated for each day within the reporting period, demographic factors reflect the most recent information.
Population breakdown in restrictive confinement
Location | Females | Males | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Maplehurst Correctional Complex | n/a | 905 | 905 |
Toronto South Detention Centre | 5 | 1,175 | 1,180 |
Central Region | 5 | 2,080 | 2,085 |
Central East Correctional Centre | 26 | 360 | 386 |
Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre | n/a | 660 | 660 |
Quinte Detention Centre | 87 | 362 | 449 |
Eastern Region | 113 | 1,382 | 1,495 |
Central North Correctional Centre | n/a | 167 | 167 |
Northern Region | n/a | 167 | 167 |
Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre | 9 | 79 | 88 |
Niagara Detention Centre | n/a | 85 | 85 |
Sarnia Jail | 1 | 2 | 3 |
South West Detention Centre | n/a | 400 | 400 |
Western Region | 10 | 566 | 576 |
Total number of inmates | 128 | 4,195 | 4,323 |
Duration of time spent in restrictive confinement
Location | Maximum number of aggregate days in restrictive confinement - females | Median (days) - females | Mode (days) - females | Maximum number of aggregate days in restrictive confinement - males | Median (days) - males | Mode (days) - males | Median (days) - overall | Mode (days) - overall |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maplehurst Correctional Complex | n/a | n/a | n/a | 92 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
Toronto South Detention Centre | 12 | 8 | n/a | 92 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
Central Region | 12 | 8 | n/a | 92 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
Central East Correctional Centre | 35 | 2 | 1 | 91 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre | n/a | n/a | n/a | 92 | 18 | 1 | 18 | 1 |
Quinte Detention Centre | 92 | 9 | 1 | 92 | 14 | 1 | 12 | 1 |
Eastern Region | 92 | 6 | 1 | 92 | 11 | 1 | 11 | 1 |
Central North Correctional Centre | n/a | n/a | n/a | 53 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Northern Region | n/a | n/a | n/a | 53 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre | 6 | 1 | 1 | 67 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Niagara Detention Centre | n/a | n/a | n/a | 37 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Sarnia Jail | 1 | 1 | n/a | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
South West Detention Centre | n/a | n/a | n/a | 92 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Western Region | 6 | 1 | 1 | 92 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Overall | 92 | 5 | 1 | 92 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 2 |
Across all regions, the aggregate length of time for restrictive confinement placements for all inmates ranged from a minimum of one day to a maximum of 92 days. The median, or mid-point, number of days aggregately spent in restrictive confinement was five days. The most frequent, or mode, aggregate placement length was one day for all inmates.
Mental health alerts
A mental health alert is recorded in an inmate’s file by facility staff including correctional, medical and clinical staff, if the inmate:
- discloses a history of mental illness
- is showing signs of, or has disclosed thoughts about self-harm or suicide
- is demonstrating behaviour that may suggest a mental illness
The ministry’s policy requires an initial mental health screening to be completed within 48 hours of an inmate being admitted to an institution. All active mental health alerts are required to be consistently verified by mental health professionals within 48 hours of the alert being entered into OTIS. If an inmate screens positive for a possible mental health condition, they are further assessed by health care professionals and may be referred to a psychiatrist or physician. Additionally, inmates are also reassessed for mental health care needs at least once every six months of continuous custody. Mental health professionals are required to add mental health alerts, verify new and existing mental health alerts and expire inactive alerts as appropriate throughout an individual’s stay in custody.
Of the 4,323 inmates included in the review, 1,268 (29%) had a mental health alert. Thirty-nine per cent of females and 29% of males in restrictive confinement had a mental health alert. The data includes all inmates who had a mental health alert present at any point between July 1, 2019 and September 30, 2019.
Gender | No alert | Mental health alert | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Females | 78 | 50 | 128 |
Males | 2,977 | 1,218 | 4,195 |
Total | 3,055 | 1,268 | 4,323 |
Further breakdown of this information by region, institution and gender, is available in the downloadable dataset.
Suicide risk alerts
A suicide risk alert is recorded in an inmate’s file by facility staff including operational or healthcare staff when they require enhanced supervision or if they are at risk of posing harm to themselves. Suicide risk alerts are broken down into the following categories:
- enhanced supervision
- previous suicide attempt(s)
- suicide watch
Of the 4,323 inmates covered in the review, 546 (13%) had a suicide risk alert recorded in their file. Eighteen per cent of females in restrictive confinement and 12% of males in restrictive confinement had suicide risk alerts. The data includes all inmates who had a suicide risk alert present at any point between July 1, 2019 and September 30, 2019.
Gender | No alert | Suicide risk alert | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Females | 104 | 24 | 128 |
Males | 3,673 | 522 | 4,195 |
Total | 3,777 | 546 | 4,323 |
A suicide watch is a type of suicide risk alert and indicates when an inmate requires increased supervision due to a high risk of suicide or self-harm. Of the inmates included in the review, 121 (3%) were on suicide watch while in restrictive confinement. No females in restrictive confinement were identified as having an active suicide watch alert. The data includes all inmates who had a suicide watch alert present at any point between July 1, 2019 and September 30, 2019.
Ministry policy requires that an assessment, monitoring and documenting process including frequent in-person checks, occur at least once every 10 minutes. Between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., correctional staff are required to interact verbally with the inmate on an hourly basis.
Gender | No alert | Suicide watch alert | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Females | 128 | 0 | 128 |
Males | 4,074 | 121 | 4,195 |
Total | 4,202 | 121 | 4,323 |
Age
Age ranges and gender of inmates in restrictive confinement Age ranges Females Males Total 18 to 24 years old 20 806 826 25 to 49 years old 101 2,949 3,051 50 years or older 7 439 446 Total number of inmates 128 4,195 4,323
Of the 4,323 inmates included in the review, 128 self-identified as female and 4,195 self-identified as male. These numbers include 18 inmates who self-identified as transgender during this period. The average age amongst all inmates at the start of the reporting period was 34 years old.
Race and religion
Race | Total number of inmates |
---|---|
White | 2,320 |
Black | 790 |
Indigenous | 279 |
Another racial origin | 110 |
Middle Eastern | 107 |
East or southeast Asian | 96 |
South Asian | 92 |
Latino | 81 |
Unknown or not reported | 448 |
Total number of inmates | 4,323 |
Of the 4,323 inmates covered in the review, 2,320 (54%) self-identified as white, 790 (18%) self-identified as black, and 279 (6%) self-identified as Indigenous. There were 107 (2.5%) inmates who self-identified as Middle Eastern, 110 (2.5%) as another racial origin, 96 (2.2%) as east or Southeast Asian, 92 (2.1%) identified as South Asian and 81 (1.9%) as Latino. There were 448 (10%) inmates who did not report this information or it was unknown.
Race | Total number of inmates |
---|---|
Christian | 1,245 |
No religion | 943 |
Muslim | 429 |
Indigenous spirituality | 210 |
Jewish | 35 |
Hindu | 24 |
Sikh | 23 |
Other religious or spiritual affiliation | 128 |
Unknown or not reported | 1,286 |
Total number of inmates | 4,323 |
There were 1,286 inmates (30%) covered in the review who did not report a religion, or it was unknown, while 1,245 (29%) self-identified as being Christian, and 943 (22%) stated they had no religious or spiritual affiliation. There were 429 (9.9%) inmates who self-identified as Muslim and 210 (4.9%) self-identified as having Indigenous spirituality. Of the remaining inmates, self-identified religions included 35 (0.8%) Jewish, 23 (0.5%) Sikh and 24 (0.6%) Hindu. There were 128 inmates (2.9%) who reported “other religious or spiritual affiliation”.
Further demographic information including race and religion, as identified by the inmate, is available in the downloadable dataset.
Review of all inmate deaths within all facilities during 2018
The ministry is committed to providing greater transparency regarding any deaths that occur while under the ministry’s custody. The ministry is releasing data on all deaths that occurred between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018.
The data is disaggregated based on:
- individuals with mental health disabilities (including risk of suicide or self-harm) whether identified through mental health alerts, mental health screening and reassessment, or by being reported and confirmed
- demographics including age, sex/gender and race
- location of death
- region
Download data
In all occurrences, multiple investigations followed each death, and included:
- a death investigation by the Office of the Chief Coroner to determine the cause and manner of death
- a local police investigation to determine if the death resulted from any criminal activity
- a medical investigation if the death occurred in a hospital, while the inmate was under the custody of a correctional facility
- an internal investigation to determine whether all ministry policies and procedures were followed with respect to the care and custody of the inmate
The ministry is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all inmates. It is the ministry’s policy that all institutional staff are responsible for the care of inmates. If staff believe that an inmate may pose a danger to themselves or others, staff must alert the appropriate officials and take necessary steps to ensure the safety of all involved. Suicide awareness training is required for all corrections and healthcare staff. Protocols are in place to care for inmates who are at risk for suicide, including the initiation of suicide risk alerts and suicide watch alerts.
If a coroner’s investigation determines that a death was not a result of natural causes, a mandatory inquest is called to examine the circumstances. Examples of natural causes can include internal body or organ failure not caused by external factors, a pre-existing health condition, or illness that could lead to death. The ministry works to address all recommendations from an inquest to help prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. Death inquest reports and schedule of inquests are publicly available.
Demographics
Between January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018, 26 (0.07%) inmates died out of a population of 38,693 while in the custody of the ministry.
Of the inmates who died in 2018, one inmate (4%) self-identified as female, while 25 (96%) self-identified as male. There were 21 inmates (81%) who had self-identified as white, one (4%) self-identified as Indigenous, and three (12%) self-identified as black at the time of their admission to the facility. The remaining individual did not report their race.
Seventeen (65%) inmates were between the ages of 25 and 49 at the time of their deaths, while six (23%) were 50 or older, and three (12%) were between the ages of 18 and 24. Further breakdown of this information by cause of death is available in the downloadable dataset.
Housing location at time of death
The ministry collects and analyzes information on all inmate deaths while they are in custody, including other locations such as a hospital.
For the purposes of this report, the location at the time of death has been organized into the following four categories:
- general population or protective custody units
- segregation units where an inmate was held in a unit that was formerly designated as a segregation unit, or where an inmate is highly restricted in movement and association with others for 22 hours or more per day
- specialized care units, where an inmate was held in a unit that is neither segregation, nor general population, and may be subject to some level of restriction on movement or interactions with others
- outside of a correctional facility, where the inmate may be transferred to another location, such as a hospital, while still under the care of the correctional institution
Cause of death
The Office of the Chief Coroner has not declared the official cause of death for 23 inmates covered in this report. For two occurrences where the cause of death was officially declared, it was determined to be a result of natural causes and overdose. The unofficial causes of death for the 23 inmates are:
- 13 undetermined reasons as death investigations are ongoing
- five deaths by suicide
- four deaths of natural causes
- one death by homicide
In 2018, 18 (69%) individual deaths occurred within general population units, one (4%) in specialized care units, three (12%) in segregation units, and four (15%) deaths occurred outside of a correctional facility, such as a hospital. Further analysis of this information by cause of death is available in the downloadable dataset.
Cause of death | General population or protective custody unit | Specialized care unit | Segregation unit | Outside of a facility | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Natural causes | 5 | n/a | n/a | 1 | 6 |
Homicide | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1 |
Suicide | 3 | n/a | n/a | 2 | 5 |
Overdose | n/a | 1 | 1 | n/a | 1 |
Undetermined | 9 | n/a | 2 | 1 | 13 |
Grand total | 18 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 26 |
Mental health alerts
Corrections and healthcare staff may initiate the following alerts for inmates:
- mental health alert, if the inmate discloses a history of a mental health condition, is showing signs that may indicate presence of a mental illness, or has disclosed thoughts about self-harm or suicide
- suicide risk alert, if the inmate had previous suicide attempts or is at risk of posing harm to themselves or requires enhanced supervision
- suicide watch alert, which is a type of suicide risk alert that indicates when an inmate requires increased supervision such as frequent in-person checks due to a high-risk of suicide or self-harm and requires increased supervision
An initial mental health screening is required within 48 hours of an inmate being admitted to an institution. If an inmate screens positive for a possible mental health condition, they are further assessed by health care professionals and may be referred to a psychiatrist or physician. Additionally, as of July 31, 2018, inmates are also reassessed for mental health care needs at least once every six months of continuous custody. Mental health professionals are required to add mental health alerts, verify new and existing mental health alerts and expire inactive alerts as appropriate throughout an individual’s stay in custody.
As of November 27, 2018, the ministry updated the policy so that all mental health alerts are required to be consistently verified by mental health professionals. Health care staff are required to assess individuals and verify mental health alerts in the ministry’s Offender Tracking Information System within 48 hours of the alert being entered. As a result, the data for this release includes both verified and unverified mental health alerts recorded on the inmate’s file for the period of supervision.
Alerts | General population or protective custody unit | Specialized care unit | Segregation unit | Outside of a facility | Grand total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mental health alert | 5 | n/a | 2 | 1 | 8 |
Suicide risk alert | 1 | n/a | 1 | n/a | 2 |
Suicide watch alert | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
No suicide watch alert | 1 | n/a | 1 | n/a | 2 |
No suicide risk alert | 4 | n/a | 1 | 1 | 6 |
No suicide watch alert | 4 | n/a | 1 | 1 | 6 |
No mental health alert | 13 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 18 |
Suicide risk alert | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 2 |
Suicide watch alert | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
No suicide watch alert | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 2 |
No suicide risk alert | 11 | 1 | n/a | 3 | 16 |
No suicide watch alert | 11 | 1 | n/a | 3 | 16 |
Grand Total | 18 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 26 |
Of the 26 individual deaths examined in this report, eight individuals (31%) had a mental health alert on their file and four (15%) had a suicide risk alert. Of the 26 individual deaths, none were placed on a suicide watch at the time of their deaths. Further analysis of this information by cause of death is available in the downloadable dataset.
Inmate deaths during 2012-2017
For historical data comparison, the ministry has also included a brief summary of deaths by cause for the years 2012 to 2017.
Reason | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Natural causes | 10 | 8 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 39 |
Death by suicide | 2 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 18 |
Undetermined | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 17 |
Accidental | 3 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 11 |
Homicide | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
Total | 18 | 17 | 22 | 17 | 14 | 26 | 114 |
Between 2012 and 2018, there was an average of 19 deaths per year. The official leading cause of death was natural causes. In cases where the cause of death has been listed as undetermined, either a death investigation is ongoing, or the coroner has declared the official cause of death as undetermined. The number of undetermined causes of death from 2015 to 2017 are subject to change, pending official cause of death determined by the coroner’s office. Due to ongoing death investigations, for any year between 2012 and 2017 the number of undetermined deaths is subject to change based on the outcome of the investigation by the Coroner’s Office.
The increase in deaths between 2017 and 2018 are a result of a rise in suspected overdoses, which is categorized under “undetermined” as the reason for death. Effective June 15, 2017, statistics collected, including custodial and non-custodial deaths, fall under one category for all custody-related deaths.