Canada’s prison service is using security tests that may discriminate against Indigenous offenders and keep them behind bars longer and in more restrictive environments, the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled.
In a 7-2 decision, the court found that Correctional Service of Canada failed to take steps to ensure that risk assessment tests used for decisions including penitentiary placement and parole eligibility are valid and accurate for Indigenous offenders.
The case involves Jeffrey Ewert, a Métis inmate who was convicted of the murder and attempted murder of two young women, and said the risk assessment tests were unreliable for Indigenous offenders. He said CSC has been aware of concerns about the tests since 2000, but failed to confirm their validity.
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