Going to jail in Canada is not a dangerous activity.
It’s easy for Canadians who consume American content to be ignorant of this, since there is no cultural output that properly describes the experience of being in a Canadian prison. On HBO’s hit show “Succession” the character Tom Wambsgans tries desperately to be sent to a federal facility whose luxuries (“sturdy bunks” and “kosher vending machines”) would be suited to a maximum security prison in Canada. Canadian federal inmates at Medium and Minimum security prisons can enjoy mini-golf, groceries, and premium cable on personal TV sets. In fact, I was in Beaver Creek Minimum when I watched that episode of “Succession” on Sunday night in my room, and I laughed about it the next day with my friend the librarian (who had been in the facility for murder since 2001) over the fresh baked scones he’d made that morning.
My time in federal prison was not dangerous, but it was productive. It allowed me to peek behind the curtain and experience how the federal government hopes to rehabilitate offenders.
There’s a lot of emphasis put on that word. Rehabilitation. Unlike America, Canada wants to believe that they can change criminals and prepare them for life as law-abiding citizens. But from my experience, Canada is worse off than America at setting people on a path to success based on the resources it provides to the incarcerated.
One may question the purpose of incarceration in the Canadian criminal justice system. While it serves as a means of separating individuals convicted of criminal offenses from society, it could be argued that it also serves as a temporary respite for those involved in organized crime and gang activity, providing a break from the personal and interpersonal challenges that often accompany a life of criminal enterprise. In this sense, incarceration could be seen as a form of vacation for those who can afford the opportunity to take time away.
Of course, there are some truly awful individuals in jail - murderers, rapists, and the like. People who have committed heinous crimes and are beyond redemption. But let's be real here - when you look at the overall population of 14,000 federal prisoners in Canada, it's clear that they only make up a small fraction of the total. No, the majority of these folks are just in it for the money - they've committed what society deems to be 'crimes for gain.' And really, is there any other kind of crime worth committing?
For those who are just starting out in the world of illegal activity, jail can be a great place to make new connections and broaden your horizons. Who knows, you might just meet the future members of your criminal enterprise while you're serving time. Just remember to use your time wisely and come out of jail ready to take on the world (or at least your corner of the underground economy).
The root cause of the various issues present within the prison system can be traced back to one fundamental factor: the influence of financial interests. The limited access to legitimate employment opportunities and avenues for social mobility often drive individuals towards a life of crime. At the same time, the correctional facilities themselves are subject to the demands of unions seeking higher wages for their members, further exacerbating the financial burdens placed on the system. As a result, the prison system becomes a breeding ground for criminal networking and a perpetuation of the cycle of poverty and recidivism.
Despite the fact that Canada's prison system is nationalized and therefore lacks the profit motive present in private correctional facilities in other countries, the allocation of resources and prioritization of rehabilitation initiatives within the Canadian system are still influenced by financial considerations. This means that the government has the power to decide how much money goes towards funding prisons and the programs they offer to inmates. If they don't give enough money, the prisons might not be able to provide all the services and support that prisoners need.
Imagine that. It's almost as if the government doesn't want prisoners to be successful upon release. Oh well, at least they'll always have each other to lean on.
Money may not hold sway over the law more than it does anywhere else, but in the criminal justice system, the consequences of its power are just a bit more severe. As we move through the various levels of the system, the influence of money changes and takes on more meaning than just its monetary value. But hey, at least it's not like we're talking about politics or anything, right? Not like the decisions made result in literal death and destruction, while perpetuating an endless cycle of trauma for those involved.
Money talks, and in the criminal justice system, it seems to yell louder than the unsigned rapper I had as a cellmate in Joyceville who decided to put on an impromptu concert at 11 o’clock at night. Money is the fuel that keeps the cops and prisons running, and it shapes how they view the communities they're supposed to be protecting. In court, money is the measure of success, because apparently getting things done quickly is more important than actual justice.
And when someone ends up in the slammer, money is the freedom that's taken away as punishment. But let's not forget, the role of money can shift depending on who's on the receiving end of the justice system and how it's being withheld. Basically, if you've got cash, you're probably in a better position. With lessons like this being taught to people who are only in this mess because they pursued crime for financial gain, what does the system expect to affect?
It's no secret that the Canadian police force has always had a focus on financial gain. This can be traced back to their origins as enforcers of capitalist ideals in the industrial revolution, with the London Metropolitan Police serving as a prime example. When the police first came to Canada, they were used to suppress labor movements and strikes. However, as they organized into unions and gained a sense of class consciousness, they began to see themselves as part of a higher social class and as protectors of a particular group of people.
While police training aims to create a sense of community and dependence on the state among recruits, it's impossible to completely erase the influence of class on one's perspective. The use of a specialized language, uniforms, and allegiance to a unit of authority only reinforces the "us versus them" mentality that pervades both micro and macro interactions within society, with police often aligning themselves with the "haves" in the ongoing struggle between the haves and have-nots.
It's a well-known fact that police are less likely to target individuals who belong to the same social class as themselves. This means that displaying wealth can make some people invisible to the police. When deciding who to investigate further, police often rely on stereotypes and external appearances, such as whether someone looks out of place or fits a certain stereotype. Over time and with enough exposure, this can lead to the targeting of certain ethnicities due to their perceived criminal nature. This creates a self-fulfilling cycle that can only be broken by having the financial means to either move out of a high-risk neighborhood or improve one's appearance to give off a more favorable first impression to the police. Essentially, money can act as a camouflage, elevating an individual to a higher tier of society that is less scrutinized by law enforcement.
This “bought discretion” exercised by police forces can often be subjective and biased, leading to resentment and mistrust among certain groups. By targeting individuals based on social class, age, gender, and race, the police in Canada send a clear message that certain groups are at a higher risk of persecution. It has been observed that police tend to show more leniency towards those who are upwardly mobile and financially well-off, who are often able to avoid scrutiny for deviating from sanctioned activities. In some cases, it seems that even police discretion can be bought, as evidenced by the Toronto Police Association's Operation True Blue in 1999, in which car decals were sold to civilians for a fee, leading some to wonder if displaying allegiance to the police would result in preferential treatment. This commodification of police discretion is a concerning development that highlights the influence of money in law enforcement.
Money not only influences the way police view Canadians, it also drives their focus on certain types of criminal activity. While the war on drugs was primarily an American invention, it has also had an impact on Canadian police budgets, as seized property often ends up in police hands. The success of specialized task forces can lead to their increased use and mission creep, as newly funded departments seek to make use of their resources. This can result in the creation of targets and an overreaction to situations that do not warrant a militarized response. Essentially, the financial interests of the police force determine the types of crimes they prioritize, reinforcing their bottom line. It's clear that money plays a significant role in shaping the priorities and actions of law enforcement in Canada.
Money has played a role in criminal justice for centuries, dating back to the practice of wealthier individuals paying others to take their place on guard duty during their "watch and ward" rotation. In modern times, money not only powers police forces in Canada, but also serves as a tool for these forces to evaluate the people they are meant to protect. While the police are no longer solely guardians of property for the wealthy, they have become part of that highest social class themselves. This "us versus them" mentality, instilled in recruits during basic training, is evident in the way police do not typically target those with financial means, unless that wealth was obtained through illegal or underground market activities. It's clear that money continues to wield significant influence in the criminal justice system and the actions of law enforcement.
The criminal justice system in Canada was designed by the ruling class to uphold laws that protect private property, while also instilling values such as hard work, self-sacrifice, sobriety, and servitude towards the common good in the general population. Judges and lawyers from upper class backgrounds have a vested interest in maintaining these structures that have brought them power. As a result, those who uphold the system are corrupted by it. Many of the laws being upheld serve as tools of oppression against those attempting to improve their social standing. Any attempt to move from the modern version of the proletariat to the bourgeoisie is scrutinized by judges who are required to uphold the capitalist system.
Legal representation in the criminal justice system is determined not only by an individual's financial resources, but also by their ability to save the state money by prolonging their trial. Money may provide access to a good lawyer upon arrest and potentially help secure bail, but accused individuals are often warned by their lawyers about an "entertainment tax" that will be added to their sentence if they choose to go to trial. This has led to plea bargaining becoming a cornerstone of the criminal justice system, despite being described as a "shameful practice that makes justice for sale." By significantly increasing the sentencing disparity between a plea deal and a guilty verdict, individuals can be enticed to plead guilty.
The selection of juries and the availability of legal aid are major factors in the criminal justice system in Canada. While jury selection is often tied to financial resources, with those who can afford to take time off work being more likely to be chosen, the jury vetting scandal revealed that the crown's selection process is heavily influenced by class divisions. By basing jury selections on information from non-criminal police calls, which occur more frequently in predominantly working-class neighborhoods, the crown effectively excluded certain individuals based on prejudice. The lack of legal aid also creates an imbalance, as the state fully funds one side of the proceedings while providing minimal support to the defendant. This puts the crown at a disadvantage and encourages the use of plea deals through the implementation of "block fees" as an incentive for legal aid lawyers to seek an "early resolution and system efficiency." The reliance on legal aid by the working class, who are disproportionately affected by a criminal record, highlights how this system can be used as a tool of class-based oppression.
An individual who has gone through the criminal justice system in Canada will carry the burden of a criminal record for the rest of their life, making it more difficult for them to fully participate in capitalist society. Even if an accused person avoids jail time, a criminal record can have negative consequences for their social and economic opportunities. A criminal record can be seen as a form of degradation that follows an individual long after they have completed their sentence and paid their debt to society. The inability to find employment due to a criminal record can lead to recidivism as individuals may turn to illegal means to acquire financial resources. The withholding of financial opportunities, which is closely tied to future earnings, is a significant and enduring impact of the criminal justice system in Canada.
If an accused person is sentenced to serve time in jail, they become a commodity to be managed by Correction Services Canada. The close relationship between money and criminal justice is evident in the way that individuals are reduced to mere products within the prison system. Although Canada has not fully embraced the commodification of prisoners to the extent seen in the United States, the prison-industrial complex has still managed to infiltrate the country in negative ways.
Many federal institutions in Canada are located in remote areas where economic opportunities may be scarce. These institutions provide employment for low-skilled workers in the community, making it financially advantageous to maintain a population of inmates in order to continue operation and provide employment. There are also private companies that provide services to these institutions, such as maintenance and food supply, which contribute to the economic impact of the prison system in Canada.
The stated purpose of the correctional system in Canada is to rehabilitate offenders and prepare them for reintegration into society. However, the actual function of these institutions has varied over time, depending on public sentiment and economic conditions. In times of economic prosperity, the focus tends to be on rehabilitation, while in times of recession or depression, the emphasis shifts to punishment. This demonstrates the close connection between money and the enforcement of power in society, with correctional institutions serving as a neoliberal mechanism for regulating social control and preventing individuals from circumventing the market.
Incarceration serves as a status degradation ceremony, designed to strip individuals of their social status and identity, using rejection and ostracism as part of the process of humiliation. The experience is characterized by a series of deprivations that test prisoners and potentially make their time more difficult. The ideal inmate is one who is stripped down, reduced to a robotic or zombified state, blindly following the rules imposed upon them. In prison, money becomes a meaningless commodity, as social class is leveled and prisoners become wholly dependent on their captors for food, shelter, and direction. This process of dependency on the state strangely mirrors the basic training that police must undergo when becoming instruments of the same state.
Money serves as a driving force behind the actions of law enforcement, as it is the sustenance that fuels their efforts to protect and serve their communities. It also plays a significant role in the judicial process, as the availability of financial resources can determine the quality of legal representation an individual receives. The influence of money can be seen in the way that the criminal justice system disproportionately affects those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, as they may not have the means to effectively defend themselves in court or afford the fines and fees associated with a criminal conviction. Ultimately, the power of money serves to perpetuate inequality within the criminal justice system, as those with financial resources are often able to navigate the system more successfully than those without.
Money is at the root of the criminal justice system in Canada, as it is the driving force behind the state's pursuit of criminals and the tool of punishment used in the penal system. The class system also plays a significant role, as those with wealth and property are often seen as more worthy of protection by the law and are less likely to be targeted or punished. The process of moving up the class ladder requires hard work and organization, but also relies on the protection and support of the state. Those who try to bypass the market and accumulate wealth through illegitimate means are punished through degrading ceremonies designed to strip them of their social status and identity. The criminal justice system serves as a tool of social control, using punishment and ostracization to maintain the status quo and reinforce the values of neoliberalism.