Revocations Among Female Ethnocultural Offenders
Research Highlights: After accounting for risk-relevant differences, Indigenous women were more likely to return to custody during their first release compared to White women, whereas Black women were less likely.
Why we did this study
Previous CSC research examining community supervision indicators for ethnocultural offenders relied upon a 2-year release cohort, an 8-month fixed follow-up period, and risk relevant differences (other than release type) were not considered.Footnote 1 As a result, the present report extended the analysis of community outcomes across various ethnocultural groups by identifying a five-year release cohort, expanding the follow-up period, and accounting for pre-existing differences and in-custody experiences (e.g., risk and need level, release type, participation in correctional programs).
Publication
R-478_W
2024
ISBN: 978-0-660-73035-6
Cat. No.: PS83-3/478E-PDF
A full PDF is also available for download on the Government of Canada Publications
Research at a Glance
Revocations Among Female Ethnocultural Offenders [PDF - .175 MB]
What we did
A cohort of individuals released on their first term from a federal institution between April 1, 2017, and March 31, 2022 was identified for this study. Only those released on either day parole (DP), full parole (FP),or statutory release were included (N = 20,166, Nwomen = 1,579). The most common ethnocultural group among women was White (49.4%), followed by Indigenous (38.0%), Other (6.8%), and Black (5.8%).Footnote 2
What we found
Results for women revealed differences in sentence and risk characteristics across ethnocultural groups. For instance, the majority of White (79.4%), Indigenous (75.3%), and Other ethnocultural women (67.6%) were serving a sentence of two to four years, compared to less than half of Black women (48.4%). The majority of Other ethnocultural and Black women were assessed as Low on the Criminal Risk Index (64.8% and 61.5%, respectively), compared to 36.7% of White women, and 17.3% of Indigenous women. The majority of Indigenous women were convicted of a serious or violent offence (62.8%), whereas White and Black women were more likely to be convicted of a Schedule II drug offence (43.0%, and 64.8%). Across ethnocultural groups, most women were released on DP or FP with Indigenous women representing the highest proportion on statutory release (33.2%, compared to White (17.4%), Other ethnocultural (11.1%), and Black (9.9%) women).
Results from a descriptive analysis of community outcomes as well as survival analyses that accounted for risk-relevant covariatesFootnote 3 indicated that there was a relationship between ethnocultural group and outcomes on first release. After accounting for risk-relevant covariates, Indigenous women had a 25% increase in the likelihood of any return to custody relative to White women. Conversely, Black women had a 47% lower likelihood of any return to custody compared to White women, while Other ethnocultural women had a comparable likelihood of a return to custody as White women.
What it means
Poorer community outcomes among Indigenous women compared to other ethnocultural groups underscore that further rehabilitative support is required. Future research is needed to understand why differences may exist, as they were not fully explained by differences in risk and need levels or sentence characteristics. Such future research would be informative for identifying what supports are in place that contribute to improved outcomes for certain ethnocultural groups, while also identifying the barriers faced by others.
For more information
Chadwick, N., Wilton, G., Mahboob, W., & Coles, G. (2023). Revocations Among Ethnocultural Offenders. (Research Report R-478). Ottawa, Ontario: Correctional Service of Canada.
To obtain a PDF version of the full report, or for other inquiries, please e-mail the Research Branch.
You can also visit the Research Publications section for a full list of reports and one-page summaries.
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