Policy recommendations to enhance the safe and secure management of federally incarcerated transgender inmates

Transgender inmates placed in correctional institutions that correspond to their existing biology are vulnerable to sexual harassment or assault by staff and inmates alike. Further, there is a distinct lack of empirical research regarding ‘best practices’ for managing transgender inmates within correctional authorities in Canada and the United States. The recent approval of Bill C-16 (2016), An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code added gender identity and gender expression to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination in Canada. The approval of Bill C-16 (2016) has forced the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) to revise several policies for transgender inmates; however, producing forced policies may not fully address the individual needs and overall safety considerations of transgender inmates. This paper provides an analysis on the institutional management and treatment of transgender inmates in North American institutions and suggests recommendations to the CSC to further enhance the safety and security for housing transgender inmates.