Non-Fatal Overdose Incidents in Federal Custody in 2021 to 2022

Research in brief highlights: Despite non-fatal overdose incidents in federal custody decreasing, and fewer opioid-related overdose cases, fentanyl remains the most commonly identified opioid.

Number: RIB 23-39

Date: 2023

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Why we did this study

As part of ongoing monitoring efforts, the current study provides a summary of non-fatal overdose incidents that occurred within Canadian federal institutions in fiscal year (FY) 2021 to 2022. 

What we did

An incident search was conducted of CSC’s administrative database to identify all reported non-fatal overdose incidents in FY 2021 to 2022 (April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022). Overdose incidents were included when the consumption of illicit substances led to medical intervention (e.g., administration of Naloxone) and/or resulted in a designation of Serious Bodily Injury. Incident reports were then coded for information pertaining to the incident itself, preceding events, and offenders’ profile/demographic data.

What we found

In 2021 to 2022, there were 122 non-fatal overdoses among 112 federally incarcerated offenders. This marks a 6.1% decrease from FY 2020 to 2021, and the second consecutive reporting period in which non-fatal overdoses have decreased (see Table 1). Compared to FY 2020 to 2021, the regional distribution of the incidents changed the most in the Atlantic, Ontario, and Prairie Regions, and remained relatively stable in the Quebec and Pacific Regions. Interestingly, among the non-fatal overdoses that occurred in the Pacific region in 2021 to 2022, 71.4% (n = 20/28) occurred at Kent Institution.

A small proportion (11.4%) of overdose incidents included no information regarding suspected or confirmed substances^{Footnote 1} . However, 64.2% involved non-opioid, non-stimulant substances; 25.2% involved opioids; and 14.6% involved stimulants^{Footnote 2} . This is another noticeable difference from previous reporting periods, as opioid-involved overdoses were most common in FY 2020 to 2021. Note that 47.2% of the overdoses involved some form of prescription medication. Among the opioid-related overdoses specifically, fentanyl was the most frequently identified substance (45.2%, n = 14/31), followed by suboxone (38.7%, n = 12/31), and/or methadone (12.9%, n = 4/31).

Many different stressors/events occurred before the overdose incidents, including but not limited to (1) general mental health issues, including other recent drug overdoses/suicide attempts (25.2%), (2) interpersonal issues with family, romantic partners, and/or other offenders (25.2%), and (3) issues relating to release to the community (e.g., recent revocation or denial of release, anxiety about upcoming release, etc.; 14.6%)^{Footnote 3} .

The profile of offenders involved in overdose incidents in 2021 to 2022 was similar to previous years. Specifically, offenders tended to be White (49.6%) or Indigenous (42.3%) men (87.0%) in their mid-to-late thirties (M = 37 years old). Just over half (55.3%) were medium-security offenders, and the largest proportion were serving a sentence for a homicide-related offence (39.0%) or robbery (15.4%). Just over two-thirds (65.9%) of offenders who had a non-fatal overdose incident had a history of self-harm and/or suicide attempts.

What it means

The pattern of non-fatal overdoses that occur in federal institutions continues to evolve. For example, non-opioid, non-stimulant-related overdoses were the most prevalent type of overdose in FY 2021 to 2022, whereas opioid-related overdoses were most prevalent in FY 2020 to 2021. Nevertheless, fentanyl remains the most common opioid, followed by suboxone/methadone. Ongoing reporting of non-fatal overdose incidents remains crucial for minimizing substance-use-related harms, and for improving offender health and overall institutional safety.

For more information

Please e-mail the Research Branch.
You can also visit the Research publications section for a full list of reports and one-page summaries.

Prepared by: Daniella Filoso, Dirk Boon, and Anna Chen