Incarceration is the state of being confined in a correctional facility—jail, prison, or detention centre—as punishment for crimes or while awaiting trial. Canada's correctional system operates at two levels: federal penitentiaries (under Correctional Service Canada) house offenders sentenced to two years or more, while provincial/territorial institutions handle sentences under two years and remand custody (people awaiting trial or sentencing). Incarceration rates and policies are significant policy issues: Canada incarcerates Indigenous peoples at dramatically disproportionate rates, debates continue about alternatives to incarceration for non-violent offenders, and questions arise about prison conditions and rehabilitation effectiveness. Municipalities don't operate correctional facilities but deal with incarceration's effects: families of incarcerated people need support services, released prisoners need housing and reintegration support, and local courts process criminal matters that may result in incarceration.