THE METIS AND NON-STATUS INDIAN CRIME AND JUSTICE COMMISSION WAS CREATED IN 1975, AS THE RESULT OF GROWING CONCERN OVER THE DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF METIS PEOPLE INCARCERATED IN CANADA'S PENAL INSTITUTIONS. CONTACT WAS MADE WITH 316 INMATES IN 24 FEDERAL PENITENTIARIES AND 2 TERRITORIAL INSTITUTIONS. VISITS WERE MADE TO 7 MAXIMUM, 12 MEDIUM, AND 5 MINIMUM SECURITY FACILITIES. RESEARCH WAS CONDUCTED BETWEEN JANUARY AND JUNE 1977, AND DATA WERE OBTAINED FROM 316 COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRES, DISCUSSIONS WITH PENITENTIARY STAFF, CONTACTS WITH INDIAN ORGANIZATIONS, AND INTERVIEWS WITH NATIVE INMATES. INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED ON THE INSTITUTIONAL POPULATION AND THE REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION OF INMATES, REASONS FOR IMPRISONMENT (TYPES OF OFFENSES, EMPLOYMENT, AND ALCOHOL AND DRUG INVOLVEMENT), ARREST AND COURT APPEARANCE, BROTHERHOODS AND SISTERHOODS OF INDIANS (NATIVE INMATE ORGANIZATIONS), GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES AND LAWYERS WITHIN INSTITUTIONS, PAROLE (PAROLE PLANNING, HALFWAY HOUSES, AND PROBLEMS IN PAROLE APPLICATIONS), PREVIOUS INSTITUTIONS, HOME BACKGROUND AND JUVENILE HISTORY (TYPE AND LOCATION OF COMMUNITY, RACIAL COMPOSITION OF AREA, EMPLOYMENT, FINANCIAL STATUS, FAMILY SIZE, AND CHILDHOOD INSTITUTIONALIZATION), THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, MIGRATION (AGE OF ARREST AND OF LEAVING HOME, WHAT HAPPENED AT FIRST ARREST, PROBATION, COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE, AND DIVERSION), WOMEN, AND POLICING IN NATIVE COMMUNITIES. RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE THE STATUS OF INDIAN INMATES ARE OFFERED THAT CONCERN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PROVINCIAL ADVISORY COUNCILS AND A MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE, PENITENTIARY SERVICE REPRESENTATION, REPRESENTATION IN REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS, FEDERAL INVOLVEMENT IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM FOR INDIANS, THE USE OF NATIVE STAFF, PAROLE, HALFWAY HOUSES, POLICING, AND DIVERSION. SUPPORTING RESEARCH DATA ARE PROVIDED. SELECTED STATISTICS, THE RESEARCH QUESTIONNAIRE, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE APPENDED. (DEP)