Cost of Inmates

Question

I can't seem to put my finger on numbers indicating Correctional Services Canada costs for inmates (minimum, medium, and maximum security as well as community corrections).

Any suggestions?

Answer

You may be interested in the content under "The cost of keeping an inmate incarcerated has increased" in the document Corrections and Conditional Release Statistical Overview that is available on the Public Safety Canada website. It includes annual average costs per offender (current $) by category.

http://www.securitepublique.gc.ca/res/cor/rep/2008-04-ccrso-eng.aspx#b3

StatCan has CANSIM Table 251-0007 Adult correctional services, operating expenditures for provincial, territorial and federal programs, annual (http://cansim2.statcan.gc.ca/cgi-win/cnsmcgi.pgm) which includes average daily inmate cost (current dollars) and average daily inmate cost (2002/2003 constant dollars) under Operating expenditures.

We are also consulting with the Subject-Matter Division to see if there are other sources and will get back to you.

Additional information

The best suggestion is CANSIM Table 251-0007 for StatCan data. The CCJS can not differentiate expenditures based on minimum, medium, and maximum security.

And keep in mind that the information in Section B: 'Corrections Administration' in the CCRSO (the report on the Public Safety web-site) is sourced to CSC, the Office of the Correctional Investigator and the National Parole Board, not CCJS.