Human Rights and Federal Corrections: A Commentary on a Decade of Tough on Crime Policies in Canada

Abstract

The present commentary documents how correctional authorities can capitalize on law-and-order politics, find new ways to advance their own agenda, and enjoy a certain degree of immunity from public scrutiny. It examines the impact on federal corrections of a decade of tough on crime policies in Canada, reviews correctional and conditional release statistics, and analyses trends that shaped federal corrections over that period. It also highlights how law-and-order politics can influence the internal culture of correctional authorities and human rights compliance.