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Abstract: 

This article compares the criminal justice policies of the former Government of Canada (pre-federal election October 19, 2015) with those in several European countries and the United States. Although there has been a 10-year decline in prisoner numbers achieved in several of these jurisdictions, the data for Canada show continuing increases in provincial/territorial jurisdictions and the highest level ever for the federal prisoner population. As was previously true in the United States, this rise was due not to rising crime rates but to the policy choices made by legislators to greatly increase the use of imprisonment as a response to crime. With growing recognition in the United States and elsewhere that research-based “smart on crime” alternatives cut crime and reduce recidivism and related costs, this trend is now shifting downward. Prior to the recent Canadian election, “smart on crime” legislation or policy was not evident in Canada. The recently elected Government faces the challenge of past legislative agenda that used inflammatory language to convince the public that tougher measures were required to deal with crime. A postscript to the article references measures already taken by the new Government and concludes that positive results are now attainable in Canada, supported by political leaders willing to base policy choices on community safety and evidence-based practices.

Keywords: Criminal justice policy, politics and corrections, “smart on crime” alternatives, mass incarceration, Canadian criminal justice

Affiliations:  1: United Nations.