Highlighted recommendations
Highlighted recommendations are:
Training for all Justice System staff
- We propose extending the scope of training to encompass all Justice system staff: police, training, court staff, including crown attorneys, judges, lawyers, psychologists (utilized by the crown and lawyers), jurors, policymakers, politicians, Ministry staff (Safety and Corrections, SOLGEN staff), police training, law schools, Corrections Service Canada (CSC) – REACT members, NEACT members, ethnocultural members, RHQ’s, NHQ staff, institutional management (wardens, correctional officers, CO training), mental health department, medical department, wardens, deputy wardens (all staff and management), and parole officers.
- In addition to anti-racism and cultural sensitivity training, we recommend incorporating training on sudden grief, loss, and trauma within the broader context of anti-racism and cultural sensitivity training.
Community Programming
- Allocate consistent and foundational funding to well-established grassroots community organizations, Black led, equipped with a comprehensive understanding of the needs of the Black community. Funding accessibility should extend to both prevention and intervention supports. Anchor agencies to serve as trustees instead of partnerships.
- Ensure supports and resources to best prepare the community to successfully support Black individuals who are reintegrating back into society
- See mental health under Corrections
Education
(Dismantling the school to prison pipeline)
- Allocate supplementary resources to school boards for students with ADHD, an IEP, or learning disabilities, such as hiring teachers’ assistants to deliver more personalized and daily one-on-one or small group support, as opposed to offering limited assistance outside the classroom a few days a week or transferring them to another program or school for children with learning disabilities. Given the stretched staff, additional experienced personnel should be appointed.
- Introduce supports for tailored tutoring for children and youth
- Introduce additional learning opportunities that incorporate non-traditional methods, such as movement activities, theater, music, and sports.
- Provide extra support and liaisons to assist parents in advocating on behalf of their Black children.
- Incorporate a curriculum that educates about the Black experience, aligning it with the Indigenous experience and the recently implemented Holocaust curriculum.
Courts
- Enhance financial support for experts to train diverse community organizations in conducting Impact of Race Assessments for Black individuals.
- Augment funding to assist agencies in recruiting and training experts to carry out high-quality Impact of Race and Culture Assessments for Black individuals.
- On court reform, repealing mandatory minimums would allow judges to fully consider mitigating factors in sentencing rather than tying their hands.
- Anti-bias training for judges and prosecutors needs to examine how implicit prejudices may influence charging decisions, bail conditions and sentencing – See training recommendations under training
Corrections
- Mandate Correctional Service Canada (CSC) or a governmental body to enforce institutions’ adherence to the Commissioners Directives, holding them accountable for implementation.
- Encourage Corrections Service Canada (RHQ/NHQ), SOLGEN, and/or the Department of Justice or Ministry of Safety and Corrections to commit to holding institutions accountable for any barriers, targeting, or unfair treatment experienced by community organizations. This commitment ensures a transparent and just collaboration environment
- Propose the development of a singular set of policies to be uniformly implemented across all federal institutions, ensuring consistency and accountability within the Corrections Service Canada (CSC). Similarly, call for a standardized policy framework for provincial jails, overseen by SOLGEN, to establish accountability
- Create an external body, connected to a government body but distinct from the institutions and Correctional Service Canada (CSC), dedicated to overseeing all complaints and grievances linked to racism within corrections. This independent entity would serve as a safeguard against potential conflicts of interest, ensuring impartiality and accountability in the resolution process. By distancing staff members from the complaint, especially in cases where there may be personal connections.
- Develop voice recorded interactions between inmates and case managers: Introduce a comprehensive system of voice recording during interactions between inmates and case managers. This initiative aims to enhance transparency and accuracy in communication, providing an objective record of discussions related to grievances and complaints.
- Ensure a commitment from Correctional Service Canada (CSC) and SOLGEN to develop and foster diverse community partnerships to support the Black prisoner population.
- Increase Representation of Black staffing at all levels of corrections
- Collaborate on Non-Traditional Mental Health Programming: Partner with community supports offering non-traditional mental health programming, encompassing trauma/grief/loss interventions through non-traditional avenues such as the arts, workshops, case management, and counseling. Diversifying mental health support options ensures a holistic approach to well-being
- Implement a diverse range of culturally sensitive rehabilitation and reintegration programs, supports, and initiatives catering to the Black prison population across various domains: mental health, grief, loss, trauma, gun/gang exit, pre-release, skills/trades, parenting (father/mother), Black History/identity, education/tutoring, economic, navigating the system, mentorship/positive leadership, spiritual, arts-based, and life skills.
- Eliminate Barriers for Black-Led Supports: Remove existing barriers, such as the Enhanced Security Check, that hinder Black-led support organizations from providing assistance. Streamlining processes and eliminating unnecessary obstacles ensures a more accessible and equitable provision of support.
- Develop an Afrocentric Corrections Continuum of Care Model, mirroring the Indigenous Corrections Continuum of Care model, encompassing healing, programming, and liaisons for the Black prisoner population. If legislative adjustments are necessary, we recommend involving all stakeholders and initiating the process. And/or emulate the Ontario Atlantic Region’s Black Affairs department to offer resources and support tailored to Black prisoners
- Pandemic prevention measures, including the provision of masks and adequate staffing, to proactively mitigate the risk of excessive lockdowns in both provincial and federal institutions. Preparedness is key to maintaining the well-being of incarcerated individuals.
Dietary
- Ensure equal quality for all special diets; for example, the quality for Halal should reflect the quality of Kosher.
- Ensure that institutions housing prisoners with unique dietary requirements, whether for medical or religious reasons, adhere to the prescribed daily nutritional guideline
Gang labelling
- Establish community-led, culturally sensitive programming specifically for incarcerated individuals facing gun or gang-related charges or those Security Threat Group (STG) labeled, focusing on young adults in the transition ages of 18-24.
- Establish comprehensive programming specifically designed to address and remove Security Threat Groups (STG) labels. Develop or support initiatives that function as STG removal programs, incorporating distinct phases. This programming should cater to different levels of involvement, from affiliation to association, creating a safe space, targeting risk factors, fostering behavior change, and addressing negative mindsets.
- Differentiate the STG label into categories, distinguishing between gang involvement, gang affiliation, and association, to provide a more nuanced understanding and response to each.
- Re-evaluate and amend regulations related to the Security Threat Groups (STG) label, considering the removal of ’gang association’ or associated punishments, ensuring a fair and just process.
- Implement procedures to ensure consistent application of gang labels across all individuals, avoiding discriminatory practices and preventing selective labeling, particularly targeting Black youth from specific neighborhoods.
- Minimize the negative impact on STG-labeled inmates and adopt practices akin to those observed in Quebec, where support systems for gang-involved prisoners are more comprehensive.
- Collaborate with community experts to develop and implement initiatives aimed at addressing the complexities of gang involvement within correctional settings.
- Establish an accountability circle comprising experienced, Black-led, community- based organizations with expertise in working with gang-involved individuals. This circle would periodically consult and assess the STG labeling process.
- Collect and analyze race-based data related to the STG label to identify and address any disparities in labeling practices.
- Eliminate all discriminatory practices, ensuring unbiased assessments of STG labeling and promoting equality in the process.
- Enhance transparency surrounding the STG label, providing detailed information on how individuals are assessed, and the criteria involved.
Maximum security prisons
- Review criteria used in security classifications to ensure anti-Black bias does not lead to over-classification of Black inmates to maximum security.
- Ensure maximum security settings meet basic human rights standards and provide mental health supports.
- Reduction of Prolonged Lockdowns: the elimination of extended lockdowns, such as the current 23-hour lockdowns emphasizing the distinction that individuals in these settings are not serial offenders. This adjustment seeks to humanize the approach, aiming to mitigate the adverse effects associated with prolonged isolation while maintaining institutional security.
- The introduction of a diverse array of culturally sensitive programming within maximum-security facilities. Tailoring programs to align with the cultural backgrounds of the inmate population can foster a more inclusive and supportive environment, promoting personal development and facilitating rehabilitation.
- Correctional Service Canada (CSC) to collaborate with Black led, Black serving community organizations to bolster mental health support services for individuals in maximum-security prisons. Recognizing the heightened mental health challenges resulting from extended periods of confinement, this recommendation emphasizes the importance of addressing unresolved trauma and grief.
“Unfortunately, racial discrimination and bias continue to follow Black individuals into federal custody. The needs of Black people are unique and grounded in a historical context and experience of racism and discrimination in Canadian society. At the most basic level, the correctional system should not serve to further perpetuate disadvantage. I call on the Correctional Service to address the unique lived experiences of Black persons in federal custody and to work in close partnership with Black community groups, stakeholders and experts in developing and implementing much-needed changes for Black prisoners.” Dr. Zinger.
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