Regional Comparisons of Security Threat Group (STG)
Affiliated Men Offenders

What we did

In total, 3,889 men offenders^{Footnote 5}  were identified as STG affiliated between FY2013-2014 and FY2018-2019. Over half (59%; n = 2,299) of STG affiliated men were in-custody and 41% (n = 1,590) were in the community. A matched comparison group^{Footnote 6}  of non-STG affiliated men (N = 3,889) was identified as well as a general men's population group (N = 34,677).^{Footnote 7}  Comparisons across study region for STG and non-STG affiliated offenders examined demographics, sentence and offence information, criminogenic risk and need characteristics, institutional experience indicators, and post-release outcomes.

What we found

Almost half of all STG affiliated men in-custody and about one-third in the community were managed in the Prairie region during the study period. Overall, STG affiliated offenders accounted for 20% of the general in-custody offender population in the Prairie region during the study period, compared to 6% to 14% in the other regions. In the community, the variation in prevalence of STG affiliated offenders across regions was less (2% to 10%).

Comparisons of STG affiliated offenders across regions indicated that those in the Quebec region were older for both the in-custody and community cohorts, while STG affiliated offenders in-custody in the Atlantic region were more likely to have committed violent offences, to be classified as maximum security, and to be serving a second or subsequent sentence. Criminogenic risk profiles were similar for STG affiliated offenders across regions; however, those in-custody in the Ontario region and those in the community in the Atlantic region were more engaged in their correctional plans. STG affiliated offenders in the Atlantic and Pacific regions were more likely to have experienced negative indicators such as charges, incidents, and positive urinalysis tests, as well as residency conditions and release suspensions.

Analyses of STG affiliated offenders and the two comparison groups across the regions indicated similar results. STG affiliated offenders were younger and more likely to be serving a second or subsequent sentence, to be classified as maximum security, to be high static risk or dynamic need, or to have identified needs with criminal associates and attitudes, especially compared to the general offender men's population. Examination of institutional experiences and post-release indicators demonstrate that STG affiliated offenders were more likely to have charges, incidents, and positive urinalysis tests, as well as more likely to have residency conditions or be suspended on release than the comparison groups.

What it means

STG affiliated offenders pose operational and reintegration challenges for CSC. As demonstrated, regardless of region, they were more likely than the comparison groups to have an entrenched criminal history and to have high static risk and dynamic need than the general population, even though they were younger. Prevalence was highest in the Prairie region; however, STG affiliated offenders in the Atlantic and Pacific regions demonstrated the most problematic behaviour.

For more information   

For questions and/or more information, please email the Research Branch. You can also visit the Research Publications section for a full list of reports and one-page summaries.

Prepared by: S. Farrell MacDonald, A. Smeth, and S. Cram