Demographics

Statistics Canada reported in March 2010 that one-third of Canada's population will be a Visible Minority by 2031. This has already begun translating into an increased culturally diverse offender population within Correctional Service of Canada's (CSC) institutions with a different set of needs.

A long-term look at offender statistics in 2012 revealed that the foreign-born offender population, which represented 12% of CSC's incarcerated population had grown to 13% (an 8% increase), between 2007 and 2012. The same population was found to have increased in complexity and diversity during the previous two decades. This increase in cultural diversity within the offender population presents new challenges for CSC with regards to ensuring the relevancy of programs and services to the population we serve.

A snapshot of ethnocultural vs. Caucasian and Aboriginal offenders shows the number of ethnocultural offenders in general has constantly increased in the past 10 years. Similarly to the ethnocultural population, the Aboriginal offender population has constantly increased as well. In contrast to these populations, the Caucasian population has decreased.

What do these numbers show?

The following highlights the ethnocultural offender numbers derived from the CSC Corporate Reporting System – January 2012.

Number of ethnocultural offenders under CSC jurisdiction at the national level.

	ethnocultural offenders
Black	2025
Hispanic	12
Latin American	212
South Asian	213
Korean	22
Filipino	66
Asiatic	66
S.E. Asian	392
Chinese	161
East Indian	22
Arab/West Asian	301
Japanese	5
Total	3497

 

Number of ethnocultural offenders under CSC jurisdiction in the Atlantic region.

	ethnocultural offenders
Black	164
Hispanic	0
Latin American	4
South Asian	1
Korean	0
Filipino	0
Asiatic	2
S.E. Asian	2
Chinese	1
East Indian	0
Arab/West Asian	7
Japanese	0
Total	181

 

Number of ethnocultural offenders under CSC jurisdiction in the Quebec region.

	ethnocultural offenders
Black	360
Hispanic	3
Latin American	50
South Asian	5
Korean	2
Filipino	1
Asiatic	1
S.E. Asian	46
Chinese	5
East Indian	1
Arab/West Asian	74
Japanese	0
Total	548

 

Number of ethnocultural offenders under CSC jurisdiction in the Ontario region.

	ethnocultural offenders
Black	1215
Hispanic	3
Latin American	84
South Asian	88
Korean	8
Filipino	11
Asiatic	27
S.E. Asian	165
Chinese	59
East Indian	5
Arab/West Asian	143
Japanese	1
Total	1809

 

Number of ethnocultural offenders under CSC jurisdiction in the Prairie region.

	ethnocultural offenders
Black	220
Hispanic	4
Latin American	42
South Asian	39
Korean	8
Filipino	37
Asiatic	12
S.E. Asian	91
Chinese	43
East Indian	4
Arab/West Asian	52
Japanese	1
Total	553

 

Number of ethnocultural offenders under CSC jurisdiction in the Pacific region.

	ethnocultural offenders
Black	66
Hispanic	2
Latin American	32
South Asian	80
Korean	4
Filipino	17
Asiatic	24
S.E. Asian	88
Chinese	53
East Indian	12
Arab/West Asian	25
Japanese	3
Total	406

According to the new projections of the country's ethnocultural makeup, the diversity of Canada's population will continue to increase significantly during the next two decades. The increasing cultural diversity in the Canadian population presents new challenges for governments with regard to ensuring the relevancy of their programs and services to the public they serve. Approximately three Canadians in ten (between 29% and 32%) could be a member of a visible minority group in 2031. This influx has highlighted cultural, religious, and linguistic distinctiveness from the dominant population groups in Canada. Reports from Ontario (Racism Behind Bars) and British Columbia (Census '93) highlight the need for culturally appropriate programs and services, along with multicultural training for offenders and staff. Given that the number of visible minority persons residing in Canada is increasing, we can anticipate that their representation in the correctional system will also rise.

Visible minority groups for Canada (2006 counts).

Statistic Canada, Canada's Ethnocultural Mosaic, 2006 Census: Provinces and territories

Geographic name	Total - Population by visible minority groups	Total visible minority population1	South Asian2	Chinese	Black	Filipino	Latin American	Southeast- Asian3
Canada	31,241,030	5,068,090	1,262,865	1,216,570	783,795	410,695	304,245	239,935
Newfoundland and Labrador	500,605	5,720	1,590	1,325	905	305	480	120
Prince Edward Island	134,205	1,830	130	250	640	30	215	30
Nova Scotia	903,090	37,680	3,810	4,300	19,230	700	955	815
New Brunswick	719,650	13,345	1,960	2,450	4,455	530	720	440
Quebec	7,435,905	654,355	72,845	79,830	188,070	24,200	89,505	50,455
Ontario	12,028,895	2,745,205	794,170	576,980	473,765	203,220	147,135	110,045
Manitoba	1,133,510	109,095	16,560	13,705	15,660	37,790	6,275	5,665
Saskatchewan	953,845	33,900	5,130	9,505	5,090	3,770	2,520	2,555
Alberta	3,256,355	454,200	103,885	120,275	47,075	51,090	27,265	28,605
British Columbia	4,074,385	1,008,855	262,290	407,225	28,315	88,080	28,960	40,690
Yukon Territory	30,195	1,220	195	325	125	210	95	145
Northwest Territories	41,060	2,270	210	320	375	690	85	355
Nunavut	29,325	420	80	80	100	75	25	10

Top five languages spoken by ethnocultural offenders per region.

Atlantic	Quebec	Ontario	Prairies	Pacific
1.Arabic	1.Spanish	1.Chinese(Cantonese and Mandarin)	1.Vietnamese	1.Vietnamese
2.Vietnamese	2.Vietnamese	2.Punjabi	2.Mandarin	2.Chinese
3.Chinese(Mandarin)	3.Punjabi	3.Arabic	3.Sudanese	3.Punjabi
4.Punjabi	4.Arabic	4.Vietnamese	4.Cantonese	4.Spanish
	5.Turk	5.Spanish	5.Portuguese	5.Arabic

Prepared by the Ethnocultural Services Section, July 2010

According to following table, there has been a rapid growth of +46.33% in visible minority offenders in the institutions.

Five year change in visible minorities incarcerated population.

	FY2001-2002	FY2006-2007	FY2010-2011
TOTAL	12664	13171	14185
ETHNOCULTURAL	1251	1418 (+ 13.33%)	2075 (+ 46.33%)
WHITE	8935	8848	8673
ABORIGINAL	2227	2580	3048
UNKNOWN	96	139	177
OTHER	155	186	212

Source: Performance Management, taken from Corporate Reporting System on 2011-10-30, using fiscal-year-end data