Risky Justice of the Law: The Impact of Risk-Assessment Tools on Aboriginal Offenders’ Overrepresentation in Canada's Federal Prisons

Official narratives have often blamed the Aboriginal peoples of Canada for their over-representation in Canada's federal prisons. This article argues that the problem is partially due to the problematic design and application of risk-assessment tools that have produced dubious results for Abori...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Prison journal (Philadelphia, Pa.) Pa.), 2023-01, Vol.103 (1), p.68-90
Main Author: Barmaki, Reza
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Criminal sentences
Native North Americans
Prisoners
Risk assessment
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Summary:Official narratives have often blamed the Aboriginal peoples of Canada for their over-representation in Canada's federal prisons. This article argues that the problem is partially due to the problematic design and application of risk-assessment tools that have produced dubious results for Aboriginal offenders. This, in turn, has resulted in a vicious circle, beginning with labeling Aboriginal offenders as high-security risk offenders, followed by the lowering of their chances of getting paroled, and ending in their long-term stays in federal prisons. This last stage, in turn, becomes justification for the other two. And so continues the circle.
ISSN:0032-8855
1552-7522
DOI:10.1177/00328855221139866