Some facts and figures on self-injury among federal prison inmates

OTTAWA – Some facts on self-injury in federal prisons, from a report released Monday by Correctional Investigator Howard Sapers:

— In 2012–13, there were 901 incidents of recorded prison self-injury, involving 264 offenders.

— A relatively small number of federally sentenced women offenders (37 of 264 total) disproportionately accounted for almost 36 per cent of all reported self-injury incidents.

— Aboriginal offenders were involved in more than 35 per cent of all self-harming incidents.

— Aboriginal women accounted for nearly 45 per cent of all self-injury incidents involving federally sentenced females.

— Of the 264 federal offenders who self-injured in 2012–13, 17 individuals engaged repetitive behaviour (10 or more incidents).

— These 17 individuals accounted for 40 per cent of all recorded incidents. Nine were of aboriginal descent. Nine were women (six of whom were aboriginal offenders).