The World of the Play Here - Statistics

By Emily Marisabel

Incarceration of Women

Canada Stats: 

  • In Canada, every year, about forty-five newborns across Canada are unjustly removed from their mothers and denied the chance to bond with them. This has a profound effect on these children’s health and lives. 
  • 6% of Canadian federal offenders are women. On average, there were 693 women in custody in CSC facilities from 2018 to 2019.

Indigenous women are over-represented in the federal correctional system. They represent:

  • 42% of incarcerated women offenders, and
  • 27% of women offenders under supervision in the community

Compared to the average Canadian, women offenders:

  • have a higher incidence of substance abuse and mental health problems
  • are more likely to have a history of physical and/or sexual abuse.

The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) operates five women’s institutions as well as a healing lodge:

For more information:  

Incarceration of Youth 

Canada Stats:

  • In 2010, nearly 153,000 youths were accused of committing a crime: 42% were charged (or recommended for charging) by police; and 58% were dealt with by means other than the formal laying of a charge (e.g. youth diverted from the formal criminal justice system through the use of warnings, cautions and referrals to community programs. This represents approximately 6% of the Canadian youth population aged 12–17 years of age.

Most common offences for youth accused of a Criminal Code offence in 2009

Females
  1. theft under $5,000
  2. common assault (level 1)
  3. administration of justice violations
  4. mischief
  5. other Criminal Code violations
Males
  1. theft under $5,000
  2. mischief
  3. drug offences
  4. administration of justice violations
  5. common assault (level 1)
  • A common assault (Level 1) has been committed when an individual intentionally applies force or threatens to apply force to another person without that person's consent.
  • About 6 in 10 victims of a youth crime are children or youth under the age of 18. Individuals within the 18–24, 25–34, and 35–44 age ranges each make up about one-tenth of youth crime victims. 

In 2008, the most common locations for youth crime were:

  • private residences (32%);
  • commercial establishments (23%); and
  • outdoor public spaces (23%)

The peak times for youth crime were:

  • after school hours (3 to 6 p.m.), for violent (22%) and non-violent (20%) crime;
  • early afternoon (noon to 3 p.m.), for drug offences (24%); and
  • night-time (9 p.m. to midnight), for youth traffic violations (28%)
  • In 2006, around 5% of all Criminal Code violations committed by youth involved a weapon, most commonly a knife.

Youth who appear in court tend to be male and older

  • Gender | Total%
    • Male accused | 72%
    • Female accused | 21%
    • Unknown sex | 7%
  • Age | Total%
    • 16-17 | 57%
    • 12-15 | 41%

How are Youth Sentenced?

  • Youth found guilty can receive more than one sentence. Of the 34,434 guilty cases in 2008–2009, 60.3% included a sentence of probation, either alone or in combination with another (e.g., fines, community service)
  • In 2008–2009, 15.4% (5,307) of all guilty cases resulted in a custodial sentence, with a median sentence length of 36 days
  • More Information:
  • More Information:

 

Published February 2025