NOTE ON THE INCREASE IN THE QUEBEC PENITENTIARY POPULATION, 1975-1977

• NCJ Number: 68248
• Author(s): R N GRAINGER; C CANFIELD
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 48 pages
• Corporate Author: Canada Solicitor General
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: French; English
• Country: Canada

Annotation

THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN THE QUEBEC (CANADA) PENITENTIARY POPULATION BETWEEN 1975 AND 1977 ARE EXAMINED, AND THE MAIN CAUSES OF THE INCREASE ARE IDENTIFIED.

Abstract

THE FEDERAL PENITENTIARIES IN QUEBEC HAD A 36 PERCENT POPULATION INCREASE BETWEEN 1974 AND 1977. QUEBEC WAS THE ONLY CANADIAN PROVINCE TO SHOW A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE DURING THIS TIME, ALTHOUGH OTHER PROVINCES SHOWED SIMILAR INCREASES AT EARLIER DATES. THE POPULATION INCREASE WAS A FUNCTION OF A SUDDEN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF ADMISSIONS RATHER THAN A DECREASE IN RELEASES. FURTHERMORE, THE CHANGE TOOK PLACE IN THE NUMBER OF ADMISSIONS ON WARRANTS OF COMMITTAL RATHER THAN VIOLATIONS AND FORFEITURES OF PAROLE OR MANDATORY SUPERVISION. AN ANALYSIS OF PENITENTIARY ADMISSIONS TO TYPE OF OFFENSE INDICATED THAT ROBBERIES INCREASE SINCE 1974. STATISTICAL EVIDENCE SHOWED THAT THE INCREASE IN THE PRISON POPULATION WAS DUE TO A CHANGE IN THE VOLUME OF CRIME, NOTABLY ROBBERIES AND DRUG OFFENSES BY YOUNGER PERSONS, RATHER THAN A CHANGE IN SENTENCING PATTERNS. SUPPORTING GRAPHIC AND TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED.