Sask. government called on to address overcrowding at women’s jail
The Saskatchewan government is being called on to form a task force and address concerns related to both overcrowding at the Pine Grove Correctional Centre (PGCC), as well as the overall representation of Indigenous women in the criminal justice system.
The Elizabeth Fry Society (EFS) is an organization that advocates for women who have been incarcerated and in a letter sent to various government ministers, states the recent count at Pine Grove Correctional Centre (PGCC) was 280. The institutional capacity is 166 and according to the EFS, 163 of these women in custody are on remand.
Nationally, Indigenous women in the carceral system reached 50 per cent last May. However, in the province of Saskatchewan, this figure is significantly higher, sitting at approximately 90 to 95 per cent, and the trends suggest they will continue to increase.
“These numbers demand immediate attention and urgent action,” EFS Executive Director Nicole Obrigavitch wrote.