The Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth (MACY) is renewing her call for more mental health and cultural supports for youth in custody in the interest of improved rehabilitation and public safety in Breaking the Cycle: An Update on the Use of Segregation and Solitary Confinement in Manitoba Youth Custody Facilities, a special report released today. To date, only one out of six recommendations (from a 2019 report on solitary confinement and use of pepper spray) — increasing oversight of pepper spray use — has been deemed fully compliant by MACY.

Ainsley Krone, Acting Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth. “As established in our 2019 report, research is clear that segregating and isolating youth, particularly for extended periods of time, and regardless of the reason, is harmful and may have lasting impacts on their mental health and on their abilities to transition safely back into the community.”

94% of youth in segregation identified as Indigenous.

“Today I am reiterating the call made by my office in 2019 to the Manitoba government and Manitoba Justice to shift their response by investing in a youth justice system that is based on effective therapeutic programs,” Krone said. “The youth and service provider perspectives shared in this report make it clear that change is needed.”