Corrections Canada has launched a program to retrain many of its staff after several violent inmates in British Columbia were mistakenly classified as low risk and transferred to minimum-security prisons, the Vancouver Sun has learned.
In May 1999, the Pacific region of Corrections Canada conducted a massive review of all inmates in minimum-security facilities after the escape of Darby Cairns and John Wonnacott from Elbow Lake minimum-security prison.
Cairns, who was serving a life-sentence for murder, and Wonnacott, who was in prison for various offences, including aggravated assault, were recaptured and charged with a double-homicide in Maple Ridge that occurred just days after their escape.
The province wide review that followed found three other inmates at Elbow Lake who should not have been placed in minimum security. Two of the offenders were serving life-sentences for murder. The third was serving sentences for two separate murders in 1991 and 1996.
The three were reassessed at a regional health centre and transferred to the medium-security facility in Mission.
'It was decided that their placement in minimum-security was -- I don't want to use the word inappropriate -- but it was at least premature,' said Dennis Finlay, a Corrections Canada spokesperson.
In November 1999, another escape revealed cracks in Corrections' security classification system.
David Short escaped from the minimum-security Ferndale Institution in Mission on Nov. 20. Short was serving a 40-year sentence for various offences including a manslaughter conviction for killing another inmate in 1992.
Following his recapture 18 days later in Chilliwack, Corrections convened a board of investigation to look into Short's escape.
A copy of the board's report was obtained by the Vancouver Sun under Access to Information legislation.
The report details that Short was returned to Ferndale on Nov. 3, 1999 -- just a few weeks before his escape. It does not indicate whether Short was on parole, or in another facility, before his return.
About 65 Corrections staff from across B.C. attended the refresher course in the Custody Rating Scale, a tool used to decide where to place an inmate.
As well, a new training program to be distributed to all correctional officers in Canada next spring will include a new training module on security classification.
Finlay said Corrections hopes the training will reduce the likelihood of future problems.
'Any training will increase the effectiveness of our staff,'he said. 'But it's impossible to say that no mistakes will be made.'