Ashton Gray, 34, died by suicide in Toronto South Detention Centre in May
In May this year, Nathan Gray noticed his phone buzzing. His cousin was trying to reach him.
When he picked up the FaceTime call, he saw the serious look on his cousin's face and knew something was wrong. "I just had this feeling," he said.
Gray's cousin told him that his older brother, Ashton Gray, 34, had died by suicide while awaiting trial in Toronto South Detention Centre, a provincial jail in Etobicoke.
"I dropped the phone and started crying," he said. "I was shocked, like, why the hell my brother?"
Gray's suicide in custody sent shockwaves through his family and those who provided him with support for mental health and addictions issues they say had plagued him throughout his adult life and were sparked by a traumatic childhood characterized by abuse in group homes.
His death is part of a disturbing trend in the province, where deaths in custody have increased over the last decade, according to data published by the province and advocacy organizations. Academics and advocates say recommended reforms to the corrections system need to be carried out to save lives and provide treatment for offenders, rather than having jails serve as an expensive revolving door.
Gray's death under investigation
"Prisons tend to be very closed institutions and they're not particularly porous and you don't have a lot of transparency," said Kelly Hannah-Moffat, a professor of criminology and sociolegal studies at the University of Toronto.
"That's highly problematic from a human rights standpoint," she said, noting there are many concerning aspects of the correctional system that exacerbate mental health and addictions issues and create an environment that enhances risk factors for suicide.
Ontario's Office of the Chief Coroner is investigating Gray's death, something required for any death in custody not deemed due to "natural causes," according to the provincial Coroners Act.
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But regardless of the outcome of that investigation, Hannah-Moffat said she worries about the lack of oversight of the province's correctional system and its inability to carry out reforms.
"We need to be looking at the systemic barriers to implementing changes that in some cases prevent death."
What the public also needs to consider, she said, is the cost of a corrections system that's often a revolving door for offenders.
"It's really expensive to send people to jail," she said. "It's much less expensive to work with people in the community and provide proactive support."
Increase in deaths leads to calls for reform
Multiple recent reports have noted an increase of deaths in Ontario's correctional facilities.
A report published in January this year by Ontario's Office of the Chief Coroner outlined that deaths have risen "dramatically" from 19 deaths in 2014, to 46 in 2021. It noted that of all the deaths between 2014 to 2021, about 24 per cent (a total of 45) were deemed suicides.
The report does not include deaths in federally run prisons in Ontario.
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"[Inmates] have every reason to expect that those who assume control over so many aspects of their lives will at minimum protect them from harm," the report stated.
"Any failure to deliver on these basic promises undermines the confidence of every citizen of Ontario."
The report also showed the vast majority of deaths in custody are people on remand, meaning they're awaiting trial. In 2020, 91 per cent of deaths were from this group.
It provided 18 recommendations to prevent deaths in custody, including setting up an advisory committee that will meet on an "ongoing basis" to review multiple elements of how corrections functions.
The Ministry of the Solicitor General (SOLGEN), formerly known as the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional services, which is responsible for jails, correctional and detention centres in the province, said in a statement to CBC Toronto that it is "committed to ensuring Ontario's adult correctional system is safe."
All inmates undergo a suicide risk screening to see if they require further support and staff are trained on suicide awareness and prevention, said Brent Ross, a SOLGEN spokesperson.
He said those identified as having "issues with substance use" at the time of admission are provided with "targeted health-care support."
Ross also noted that Ontario is investing "more than $500 million" to "modernize correctional services" through new hires and infrastructure improvements. That will include social workers, nurse practitioners and addictions counselors.
The ministry did not answer questions about what specific suicide prevention policies and procedures are used.
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