One of the largest issues isn't the cost, though, but the disproportionate number of people of Aboriginal decent who are in jail. These individuals only account for about 4 percent of the population in Canada, but they make up roughly 25 percent of all inmates.
For women, the numbers have been rising dramatically. In the previous 10 years--from 2003 to 2013--the incarceration rate for women of Aboriginal decent shot up by an incredible 80 percent.
When looking at all minorities, it has been found that the amount of people behind bars has gone up by about 75 percent--for both men and women--in the past decade. As this has been happening, the percentage of Caucasian inmates has dropped.
One expert said that minorities are significantly over-represented when looking directly at maximum security institutions. He also said that they are disciplined more often--with force, much of the time--than those who are not minorities.
It's very important for all people in Canada to know that they have the same right to a fair trial, no matter the colour of their skin, and discrimination in the courtroom is prohibited.
Source: Huffington Post Canada, "Canada's Prison Population At All-Time High," accessed Nov. 13, 2015
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