OTTAWA, Ontario, Nov. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — National civil society organizations focused on prisons are sounding the alarm about deteriorating conditions in federal prisons. They warn that government inaction and failure to invest in evidence-based practices and reintegration efforts are undermining public safety.
Despite repeated calls to address serious problems in Canadian prisons, the current government is increasing punitive “tough on crime” rhetoric—an approach that has notoriously failed in the United States to reduce crime or improve public safety.
The early resignation of Canadian corrections investigator Dr. Ivan Singer underscores the federal government's reluctance to act. Dr. Singer cited persistent inaction on his office's recommendations and a lack of political will to address systemic problems as the main reasons for his early resignation as the official overseer of federal prisons in Canada.
“The public is concerned about re-offending, but increased violence in prisons, coupled with inadequate access to rehabilitation programs and supervised and supported reintegration, increases the risk to our communities.said Catherine Latimer, executive director of the John Howard Society of Canada.Keeping and abandoning correctional principles must change now.»
As Canadians become increasingly concerned about public safety, conditions inside federal penitentiaries are deteriorating and the recently passed 2025 budget is inadequate for the current moment. We see only cuts to Canada's prisons and a lack of investment in community-based public safety organizations that provide critical support to people in prison and after release.
“Overcrowding and harsh prison conditions are not just a human rights crisis that should concern us all, they are a critical public safety issue. Unsafe institutions make us all less safe.” said Emily Coyle, co-executive director of the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies: “and we must also urgently address the lack of stable housing, mental health care, and employment support for people after leaving prison. True public safety depends on creating conditions in which people can build or rebuild their lives with dignity.»
Canada's federal prison system is also extremely expensive. It costs approximately $125,000 a year to incarcerate a man in a men's prisonAnd more than $215,000 a year to incarcerate someone in a women's prison at least. In contrast, community-based programs operate at a fraction of these costs—often producing better results in terms of reduced recidivism and increased public safety by approximately $15,000 per person per year.
The economic consequences of Canada's approach to incarceration extend beyond prison walls. Formerly incarcerated people face ongoing barriers to accessing the housing and employment needed to ensure everyone can join the productive workforce. These barriers are detrimental to the one in eight Canadians with a criminal record. people who have served their sentences and are desperately working to move on with their lives. If Canada is serious about economic growth, it must look at how we treat prisoners and former prisoners and prevent them from becoming productive members of our economy and society.
Budget 2025 says nothing about reducing the alarming number of Indigenous people behind bars in Canada. After years of national attention, Indigenous people continue to make up 50% of women's prison inmates and more than 30% of federal men. This is unacceptable.
The 2025 budget also does not include investments in the Federal Recidivism Reduction (FFRR) program. The FFRR, first introduced by Conservative MP Richard Bragdon and subsequently unanimously supported by all parties, envisions public safety through access to essential services – health, education, employment opportunities and positive social connections – both in prison and after release. Our prison system is failing categorically here, causing unnecessary, costly and lasting harm to individuals, families, institutions and Canadian communities.
We are setting people up to fail: Canada cannot punish in the way of public safety. “The Government of Canada plays an important and multifaceted role in public safety and must not lose sight of the need for coordinated, evidence-based initiatives and strong community partnerships to support the successful integration of people leaving prison.says Anita Desai, executive director of the St. Leonard's Society of Canada.These elements are essential to a constructive and forward-looking government response to the public safety challenges posed by the criminal justice system.»
“As a former investigator for the Canadian Correctional Service, I can say unequivocally: There is nothing in Dr. Singer's report that has not been warned about for years. Chronic failures in mental health services, unsafe conditions of detention and persistent barriers to rehabilitation are all long-standing, well-documented problems in the correctional service. It is long past time for the federal government to break with the status quo and implement real, measurable reform.” said Howard Sapers, executive director of CCLA.
We as a country need to have larger conversations that reflect the values that Canadians have long cared about, such as fairness and second chances. We must all question the consequences of adopting “tough on crime” practices that Canadians have never before adopted. “Legislation that continues to increase the prison population while ignoring the human dignity and rehabilitation of every person in prison is a moral and political failure.“added Shakir Rahim, director of CCLA's criminal justice program.
Media contacts:
Catherine Latimer, John Howard Society of Canada [email protected]
Emily Coyle, Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies
[email protected]
Canadian Civil Liberties Association, [email protected]
Anita Desai, St. Leonard's Society of Canada [email protected]
Signatory organizations
Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies
John Howard Society of Canada
Mennonite Central Committee of Canada
Saint Leonard Society of Canada
Center for Public Judges
Canadian Friends Service Committee
Canadian Civil Liberties Association
Circles of support and responsibility
