ALTERNATIVES TO LENGTHY INCARCERATION
Norma Fay Nicholson MA BA RN (retired)
Our Federal Election in Canada must focus on alternatives to lengthy imprisonment, especially the over-incarceration of Blacks, Indigenous and folks who live with mental illness. Many members of society, the media and some areas of the government are daily seeking longer sentences for folks who commit crimes. They are asking for strict judges to deliver harsh and longer sentences.
Many folks do not take the time to understand the root causes of crimes and the complexity of the criminal justice system. They often say we must keep our communities safe by locking criminals in jail for longer times. Have you met someone who is addicted to alcohol and was jailed for two years because he stole several bottles of whisky? Now that he is released back into his community, is he free of addiction? Is he more productive? What did he gain from being incarcerated?
Research has shown that prevention and alternatives are far more effective than incarceration. Locking someone away in jail pulls scarce resources from communities. It is a costly way to manage these resources. Research has shown that the annual cost of incarcerating an adult in a federal jail is $150,505.00. For every dollar spent on keeping folks in jail longer, less goes to preventative community resources such as mental health treatment, healthcare, housing, education, and community development such as recreation, rehabilitation, and providing good jobs to pull people out of poverty.
I highly suggest that our governments focus on alternatives for those who are caught up in this complex criminal justice system by looking at diversion, restorative justice, mental health and drug courts, community services, inpatient rehabilitation, and community support hubs, which look at the underlying issues contributing to the criminal behaviours and the hiring of specialist who collaborate not only with the clients but their support systems. They could foster genuine connections, which leads to effective help and community relationships. We must set people up for success in their communities, not placing them in jail to become more dysfunctional.
Credit to recent research, 2025: John Howard Canada.
Johnhoward.ca
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