Statistics and research on women offenders

Women offenders are a small and unique part of the total Canadian federal offender population. To meet their needs, the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) takes a holistic, women-centred approach that prioritizes public safety.

Across Canada, CSC operates:

• five women's institutions, and
• a healing lodge for women

All women's institutions are multi-level. Most house women offenders classified at minimum-, medium- and maximum-security levels. The healing lodge, however, is only for women classified as minimum or medium security.

6% of Canadian federal offenders are women. On average, there were 693 women in custody in CSC facilities from 2018 to 2019.

Indigenous women are over-represented in the federal correctional system. They represent:

• 42% of incarcerated women offenders, and
• 27% of women offenders under supervision in the community

Compared to the average Canadian, women offenders:

• have a higher incidence of substance abuse and mental health problems
• are more likely to have a history of physical and/or sexual abuse.

In custody includes all active offenders:

• incarcerated in a CSC facility
• on temporary absence from a CSC facility
• who are temporarily detained in a CSC facility, and
• offenders on remand in a CSC facility

Most women offenders are serving a sentence of less than five years:

CSC offers a variety of correctional, social, employment and educational programs to women offenders in CSC facilities.

In community under supervision includes all active offenders:

• on day parole, full parole or statutory release
• in the community supervised on a long term supervision order
• temporarily detained in a non-CSC facility
• unlawfully at large for less than 90 days
• on remand in a non-CSC facility, and
• supervised and subject to an immigration hold by Canada Border Services Agency

As of March 31, 2019 there were 744 women under CSC supervision in the community. (Source: Corporate Reporting System - Modernized)

Women offenders were granted federal day parole and federal full parole at a higher rate than men offenders over a ten year period:

Women offenders in the community have access to:

• CSC self-management programs delivered by qualified and trained facilitators
• community employment services to help them to find meaningful work

Find a variety of research reports related to women offenders in our research section:

• Women offenders research