Nearly 1,500 people in Canada have died in police custody in the past two decades, according to new analysis

 

The lack of consistent tracking by government reveals a system that is ‘deeply broken and designed to obfuscate responsibility’

Three years ago, 26-year-old Jordan Sherd was discharged from prison and returned to his mother, Angela Vos, in a body bag. Sherd was one of at least 1,495 people who have died in police custody since the year 2000 — an average of 65 people per year — according to new data released today by the Tracking (In)Justice project.

Despite these staggering numbers, there is little institutional transparency around deaths in custody, making it hard to see the full picture.

“The grief is traumatic [and] a continuous reminder the system has failed our loved one,” Vos told Ricochet, and “there’s very little support” for the affected families.

Support can come in many forms, but the first step for many victims and advocates would be complete transparency and public availability with regard to the hard data — how many individuals die each year while in the custody of those who are meant to protect society and uphold the law.

Lindsay Jennings, a former incarcerated person from Ontario who helped shape the database, told Ricochet that “the government does a good job at redacting and keeping records out of the sight of the general public.”  (more...)

Nearly 1,500 people in Canada have died in police custody in the past two decades, according to new analysis