"Ontario jails are heading toward a record year for overcrowding, remand populations and lockdowns just as politicians debate bail reforms that could lead to a further influx of accused behind bars, data analyzed by CBC News reveals. In the first six months of 2025, the jail population averaged 10,800 prisoners, while the province's jails had a maximum capacity of approximately 8,500 beds."
"But most surprising to those who reviewed the data CBC analyzed is the 38 per cent jump in the average number of women incarcerated from 2019 to 2024. It's certainly shocking and alarming to see the huge growth in the number of women, said Nicole Myers, an associate professor of criminology at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont. There are still proportionally more men than women in Ontario jails roughly nine out of every 10 prisoners is a man."
"The figures show close to 82 per cent of all prisoners detained last year were on remand meaning pre-trial and legally innocent compared to 74 per cent in 2019. The highest remand rate is for women who statistically are accused of fewer violent crimes. More than 85 per cent of women in Ontario jails were on remand in 2024. By comparison, 81 per cent of men were in pre-trial detention."
Ontario jails averaged about 10,800 inmates in the first half of 2025 despite a maximum capacity of roughly 8,500 beds. Data from freedom of information requests cover jail populations and lockdowns in 24 provincial institutions between January 2019 and July 2025. Close to 82 percent of prisoners detained in 2024 were on remand, up from 74 percent in 2019. The number of women incarcerated rose 38 percent from 2019 to 2024, with more than 85 percent of women in 2024 held on remand compared to 81 percent of men. Proposed bail reforms could further increase jail populations and lockdowns.
Read at www.cbc.ca
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