In Canada, in 1996, we decided to follow the U.S. lead when the federal government eliminated the Canada Assistance Plan and therefore the essential nature of Canadian standards of social, medical and educational resourcing. We have now experienced the same sorts of cuts and knee-jerk band aid responses – all of which presume criminality and perpetuate the problems of the past, be they crime prevention, homelessness, restorative justice or other responses.

Women are the fastest growing prison population world wide and this is not accidental. In Canada, we recognize that the globalized destruction of social safety nets – from social and health services to economic and education standards and availability – are resulting in the increased criminalization of the most marginalized and vulnerable members of our communities. The result, as we have recognized very concretely in our organization, by the change of our mission to recognize the reality that laws and policies are increasingly in conflict with peoples’ lives, resulting in the virtual inevitability of criminalization. Increasingly, we are seeing a direct relationship between such policies and the increased criminalization of the most marginalized, especially young, racialized and poor women, and those with mental and cognitive disabilities.

Here in the Prairies, we have seen some of the worst examples of the increasing trends to criminalize women and girls. Aboriginal women continue to suffer the shameful and devastating impact of colonization. From residential school, to child welfare seizure, to juvenile and adult detention; Aboriginal women and girls are vastly over-represented in institutions under state control. Indeed, even as we work to deinstitutionalize and decarcerate, we are fearful that "treatment" will be the next colonial control of choice. Indeed, we are already seeing this, as exemplified by what happened in the case of G, the pregnant young woman who was institutionalized for forced treatment. The focus on FAS/FAE is a gendered, classed and racist in approach and we must venture forth very carefully.

In the Prairie Region most of the women in prison are Aboriginal, contributing to a situation where they represent the majority of the women's jail population. We know the increasing numbers of women in prison is clearly linked to the evisceration of health, education and social services. We also know that the cycle intensifies in times of economic downturn. It is very clear where we are sending the people who are experiencing the worst in the downturn in the economy and social trends. Jails are our most comprehensive homelessness initiative.

In terms of the rate at which women are charged, however, there has been a 7% decrease overall in the number of women charged with criminal offences. In particular, we are seeing a decrease in the number of violent crimes committed by women. It must also be borne, on the other hand that despite these decreases at these stages, there are increases in the number of women in prison. These increases have occurred within the context of increased cuts to expenditures for social services, health and education throughout the country.

We also know that increased numbers of young women with mental and cognitive disabilities, women who used to fill psychiatric and mental health facilities, are now increasingly being criminalized. Progressive trends of the past to de-institutionalize those with cognitive and mental disabilities have been subverted by resource depletion, attitudes and policies occasioned by the deficit dementia of the last decade. The result is that more and more people are literally being dumped into the streets.