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| Canadian Prison Officers Welcome Proposal for Stricter Regime |
| By Edmonton Journal |
| Published: 03/18/2003 |
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A veteran Edmonton Institution officer says adopting an internal Corrections Canada report recommending a crackdown on prison troublemakers could improve working condition by giving prisoners incentives to behave. Jack, who didn't want his real name used, said discipline has broken down in the maximum-security prison, with more violent inmates and the growth of gangs. The report's recommendations include cutting television and recreation for problem prisoners, and putting them in special sections that would reduce their freedom within the prison. There is already a moratorium on additional inmates acquiring computers for their cells, and none of those who have computers have Internet access. There were 42,000 discipline complaints in fiscal year 2001-2002 across the Canadian prison system, or an average 3.5 infractions for each of the 12,274 federal inmates. Jack said little action is taken against prisoners who threaten officers. 'They can't get away with the conduct on the street that they get away with inside the prison.' Officers feel a strong sense of frustration when inmates receive a warning for this kind of behaviour, which he said is 'like getting a parking ticket for speeding at 80 in a school zone.' Depriving inmates of privileges, such as television, is more likely to have an effect on their behaviour, he said. The gang mentality has served to make inmates more brazen, and they create trouble to impress their colleagues, the officer said. 'When I started here the cons had a system of discipline that worked pretty good,' he said. 'Our authority has eroded so much the cons don't respect it.' Corrections Canada spokeswoman Michele Pilon-Santilli said the report will be reviewed by Corrections Services Canada, the correctional officers' union and others, such as the John Howard Society. There has actually been a reduction in major security incidents, which result in somebody getting injured, but minor infractions, such as spitting and other abuse, are on the rise, Pilon-Santilli said. Maureen Collins, director of the John Howard Society in Edmonton, said she understands that measures have to be taken when safety is an issue, but she thinks some of the disciplinary measures being proposed might increase the anxiety level in prisons. Crowfoot MP Kevin Sorenson, the Alliance Solicitor General critic, said disciplinary infractions should not only lead to taking away privileges, but also result in escorted temporary absences and day parole being revoked. |
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