RACIAL JUSTICE & FEMINISM Exploring how the Intersection of Systemic Racism and the Justice System Affects the Family
By Katie Robertson
I
t’s no secret there’s a disproportionate number of Indigenous and Black people in the Canadian justice system. The truth is, it is not uncommon for racialized groups who have experienced the effects of colonization or slavery to be over represented. Not only does overrepresentation exist, it’s on the rise. In 2018, 30% of incarcerated adults were Indigenous, compared to 21% only a decade prior, but they only represent 4% of the Canadian adult population. A similar picture is painted for Black people. One statistic shows that Black people are over-represented in federal and provincial prisons by more than 300% vs their population, while for Aboriginals the over-representation is nearly 500%. However, because Canada has traditionally neglected to track race and ethnicity and is even more hesitant to release data, the current statistics are difficult to pin down. These facts might seem shocking if you don’t have lived experience, or study this data; the reality is though, this data
8
showing overrepresentation of Indigenous and Black people in jail and as victims of crime, suggests it’s actually by design. Of course, the reason why we see such disproportionate statistics varies, but one of the most prevalent indicators is systemic racism; a fact many in the justice system are still hesitant to admit exists. The truth lies in differentiating between who is being criminalized and who is ending up imprisoned, rather than examining the numbers alone or generalizing them across the board. One analysis of 10,000 arrests in Toronto showed that Black people were 50% more likely to be taken to a police station for processing after arrest, and 100% more likely to be held overnight than were white people, even taking into account criminal history and age. And, when given bail, they had more conditions imposed. A Family Sentence: The Hidden Effects of Incarceration Putting aside race and ethnicity for a moment, let’s exam-
LadiesCorner — Winter 2021
