Indigenous inmates in Canada’s federal prison system are roughly twice as likely to be involved in gang activity compared to other offenders, according to new findings from the Correctional Service Canada, which also says those affiliated with gangs tend to be younger and more likely to be involved in violent crime.Blacklock's Reporter says the agency warns that gang affiliation inside prisons creates ongoing security and management challenges, with so-called “security threat groups” defined as any gang, organization, or association of three or more members operating within the system.“Offenders affiliated with security threat groups can pose population management and operational security concerns for the Correctional Service,” a report titled Special Report: What We Know About Security Threat Groups states.According to the data, 11% of men in the general federal prison population are linked to such groups, compared to 4% of women. Among black inmates, the rate of gang affiliation stands at 6%, while indigenous men are reported at 20%.The report adds that Indigenous inmates make up a disproportionate share of gang-affiliated prisoners. “Among security threat group-affiliated offenders, Indigenous men accounted for about half of affiliated men while Indigenous women account for 90% of affiliated women,” researchers wrote.It also found that gang involvement often correlates with prior exposure to similar social environments. “Indigenous offenders had a history of the precursors associated with group affiliation, especially with over half of group-affiliated women (53%) and men (50%) having friends who were also affiliated,” the report said..Researchers pointed to a mix of social and economic factors that may contribute to gang involvement, including poverty, unemployment, homelessness, racism, childhood trauma, and foster care involvement. However, the report did not directly compare those factors against non-affiliated inmates.“Social networks, marginalization factors e.g. poverty, unemployment, homelessness, racism, etcetera and childhood adversity, e.g. childhood abuse, trauma, family fragmentation, foster care, etcetera, all play a role in security threat group affiliation,” it said.The analysis also compared different types of organized prison and street groups. It found motorcycle gang members and traditional organized crime figures tend to be older and serving longer sentences, while those in street gangs, Indigenous gangs, and prison gangs are generally younger and more likely to be convicted of violent offences.“Men affiliated with motorcycle gangs and traditional organized crime groups were older and serving longer sentences. Men in street, Indigenous and prison gangs were younger and more likely to be convicted of violent offences,” the report said.The correctional agency has previously reported that a large share of inmates struggle with substance use and mental health issues. Roughly 70% of prisoners are believed to use drugs, and about 12% are diagnosed with a serious mental illness.In a 2024 submission to the Senate national finance committee, Correctional Service Canada stated that 36% of incoming federal inmates meet criteria for a mental health diagnosis, while 12% meet the threshold for serious mental illness based on professional assessment.“The Corrections And Conditional Release Act requires that all federally incarcerated individuals are referred for a mental health assessment within 30 days of admission to federal custody,” the agency said, noting the figures reflect clinical diagnoses rather than self-reported conditions.
