Rising cost of Canadian prison system put under the microscope
Posted Feb 29, 2012 7:34 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on Ottawa to review what it calls the country’s “Cadillac” prison system.
Federal Director Gregory Thomas tells 660News, it’s not right that most prisoners enjoy better living conditions than many seniors in retirement homes across the country.
Thomas says those who are locked up don’t need flat screen televisions or elaborate exercise facilities.
Corrections Canada reports the cost of keeping a person locked up is running at just over $300 a day.
That works out to just under $114-thousand dollars per prisoner per year.
Thomas says a big chunk of that money goes to cover the cost of the salaries and benefits of the close to the 18 thousand people who run the various correctional facilities.
The Calgary Sun did a little number crunching, pointing out the federal government spends 10 times as much a year on keeping a person in jail than it does for a pension payout to a person over 65.
The CTF is urging Canadians to call their MP and demand a review of the prison system and the associated costs.
