Nearly half of youth incarcerated are Indigenous: Statistics Canada
WINNIPEG — Nearly half of all youth who end up in custody across Canada are Indigenous, a statistic that a Manitoba activist says shows unacceptable and systemic racism.
Data released by Statistics Canada shows Aboriginal youth made up 46 per cent of admissions to correctional services in 2016-17 while making up only eight per cent of the youth population.
“It’s not actually surprising to me to hear those numbers,” said Michael Redhead Champagne.
“As a member of the Indigenous community, with First Nation, Metis and Inuit people around me, I see the overrepresentation of Indigenous people going into the justice system,” he said.