Recommendations to end criminalization of Indigenous women in the DTES

Correctional facilities

Recommendation 177: Establish alternatives to Correctional facilities for all mothers who are primary caregivers or expected to give birth while in prison. In the immediate, implement child-friendly mother-child units in all Correctional facilities so no child is separated from their mother.

Recommendations to end criminalization of Indigenous women in the DTES

Correctional facilities

Recommendation 178: For women who do not have primary custody of their children, prioritize the social bond between incarcerated mothers and their children. This includes:

1. Funding for families to cover the costs and logistics of transportation for visits and child-friendly practices during visitation including visitation hours scheduled after school hours, no body searches of children, and allowance for physical contact.
2. Visitation outside the prison setting.
3. Free and unlimited phone calls and introduce video calling technologies, in addition to the right to open in-person visits.
4. Family reunification as a priority post-release by providing all the necessary supports including housing, child care, and parenting support.

Recommendations to end criminalization of Indigenous women in the DTES

Correctional facilities

Recommendation 179: Implement existing recommendations in the Report of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women, A Call to Action: Reconciliation with Indigenous Women in the Federal Justice and Correctional Systems.