Calls for public inquiry into Saskatchewan's over incarceration of Aboriginal people | APTN National NewsAPTN National News

29.5.15

Calls for public inquiry into Saskatchewan's over incarceration of Aboriginal people | APTN National NewsAPTN National News: Knife was 28-years-old and had two adult convictions on his record – the aggravated assault conviction for the prison attack and the other for manslaughter that put him in there when he was 19.

The judge said Knife, a father of three and former member of the Indian Posse street gang, didn’t fit the criteria of a dangerous offender (DO) partly because he was too young and that he didn’t have a long enough criminal past as an adult.

Instead, he was sentenced to eight years and was classified as a long-term offender (LTO). With time served, Knife had four years remaining. He is appealing the LTO designation that comes with a strict 10-year supervision order upon release from prison.

But not every Aboriginal offender is, arguably, as lucky as Knife in the Prairie province.

Along with locking up more Aboriginal people than just about any place in Canada, it also has one of the highest percentages of Aboriginal people designated as dangerous offenders.