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

Total number of inmates and placements in segregation by region, institution and gender
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 inmates who had repeated placements in segregation
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

Maximum, median and mode of consecutive days spent in segregation placements
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.

Maximum, median and mode of aggregate days spent in segregation over the last year
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
Overview of reasons for placement in segregation across all regions
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.

Number of individuals in segregation with a suicide risk 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.

Number of individuals in segregation with 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.

Number of individuals in segregation with a suicide watch alert
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.

Total number of inmates with intermittent sentences in segregation by region, institution and gender
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 of inmates in segregation
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

Racial background of inmates in segregation
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 of inmates in segregation
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

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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

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

Maximum, median and mode of aggregate days inmates spent in restrictive confinement over the last year
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.

Number of individuals in restrictive confinement with a mental health alert
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.

Number of individuals in restrictive confinement with a suicide risk alert
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.

Number of individuals in restrictive confinement with a suicide watch alert
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

Racial background of inmates in restrictive confinement
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.

Religion or spiritual affiliation of inmates in restrictive confinement
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

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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.

Medical causes of death by housing unit location
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 by housing unit location
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.

Causes of death for inmates from 2012-17
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.