Prisoner advocates call for intervention, CSC defends approach as Sask. Pen COVID-19 outbreak grows
By Michael Bramadat-Willcock,
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The Northern Advocate
Thu., Dec. 24, 2020
Thu., Dec. 24, 2020
LONG READ
Prisoner’s advocacy group Beyond Prison Walls Canada sent a letter to the Office of the Correctional Investigator on Wednesday saying that the rights of inmates at Saskatchewan Penitentiary are being violated as COVID-19 spreads in the facility.
The group also says inmates, having ended a hunger strike, have entered a “suicide pact” that has not been taken seriously by staff.
“As of last night when I received a call from a prisoner there were men who have prepared their rope to hang themselves. They have not indicated when but this suicide pact has been mentioned for two days now,” prisoner advocate Sherri Maier wrote.
She alleged that guards are being unprofessional towards the inmates. She also alleged that in one instance, a guard assaulted a prisoner with his food tray.
The allegations of guard misconduct are unproven. The union that represents penitentiary guards said in an interview Tuesday unrelated to Maier’s letter that correctional officers are doing everything they can to keep people safe and to minimize the spread of COVID-19. They said keeping inmates happy and active is in their best interest too, as it helps to reduce tension on the range and make their job safer.
Maier said prisoners on one unit have asked to be let out in groups of four or six for “a couple hours” rather than one at a time for 30 minutes. She said they would practice social distancing “but the guards refused and said they will not facilitate or babysit that.”
She said CSC has failed by not preparing for COVID-19 to enter the institution and because the inmates are contemplating suicide, but are allegedly not being taken seriously.
Maier said that on Tuesday she received a message from a mother whose son was transferred from the Regional Psychiatric Center in Saskatoon on Dec. 6 to Sask Pen. She said he now has COVID-19 and that the night prior he attempted to take his own life.
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“These men have rights and they can not continue to be locked up this long and have no access to mental health services. Clearly the staff there are unable to handle what is going on. Medical staff are doing COVID tests but do not inform prisoners of the results, this makes no sense,” she alleged.
She called the amount of time allotted to inmates outside of their cells “ridiculous“ and lambasted living conditions at the facility.
She said some units are “very dirty.”
“There are men who are bathing in their sinks, because they only get 30 minutes out and want to use that for the phone to update family as to what is going on. These men are unable to do their laundry so some are washing their clothes in the sinks in their cells,” Maier wrote.
“This is unhealthy for prisoners and staff.”
Maier said there is “no excuse” for the COVID-19 outbreak and “no excuse as to why there was no preparation for this other than pure negligence on Sask Pen and CSC.”
She said that the mental health of inmates is deteriorating as the lockdown continues, and asked the CSC to take action before Christmas to avoid prisoners taking “drastic measures.” She called the situation “inhumane.”
“This is not right. It’s close to Christmas and the grim reality is that these men are going to spend Christmas in their cells alone, unable to contact family. This is upsetting,” Maier wrote.
“These men’s rights are violated and there needs to be a better plan of action made, they can not continue to be locked up 23.5 hours a day with no contact with family.”
Congress of Aboriginal Peoples national vice-chief Kim Beaudin pointed to disproportionate numbers of Indigenous people incarcerated at Saskatchewan Penitentiary and likened the conditions to a “death sentence” for inmates.
On Tuesday, Beaudin called on CSC to release all inmates held for non-violent offences, implement immediate testing for COVID-19 for all inmates and staff and to ensure any infected inmates are given separate living quarters from other inmates.
“I also urge that those kept caged in Canada’s colonial federal penitentiaries be given access to the programs, contact with loved ones and volunteers, and supplies required to come out of this crisis alive,” Beaudin said.
“Inaction will signal to Indigenous peoples that our lives do not matter and that the federal government remains unable to move past colonialist legacies.”
He pointed a finger at CSC commissioner Anne Kelly who he said should resign along with those deemed responsible for failing to contain the outbreak and called on the Government of Canada to take action.
“No segment of society has gone untouched by COVID-19. Our government is focused on protecting and supporting all Canadians, including inmates and correctional staff,” Minister of Public Safety Bill Blair’s Press Secretary Mary-Liz Power said in a written response.
“We know the unique vulnerabilities facing correctional institutions during this public health crisis. In response to COVID-19 cases in federal institutions, Correctional Services Canada (CSC) has put in place extensive infection prevention and control measures across all institutions, at all security levels.”
She said those measures include mandatory masks for inmates and staff, physical distancing measures, active health screening of anyone entering an institution, contact tracing and increased and enhanced cleaning and disinfection at sites. She said rapid testing is also in use for both staff and inmates.
Since the beginning of March, the overall federal custody population has declined by over 1,300 inmates. Those transferring into Saskatchewan Penitentiary are screened for COVID-19. Inmates transferring into the institution are medically isolated for 14 days after arrival, Power said.
“They have the support of medical staff as well as unit staff during their isolation. They are housed in a separate unit during their isolation. CSC works closely with local public health experts to guide their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They have already strengthened their infection prevention procedures to protect staff, offenders, and the community.”
Power said that additional personal protective equipment is also available for offenders and staff, as needed. “As this pandemic continues to evolve, we have been clear that our response will as well.”
Office of the Correctional Investigator Executive Director and General Counsel Monette Maillet said they have no comment on Wednesday.
CSC spokesperson Kelly Dae Dash said in a written response that as of Tuesday there are 123 inmates who have tested positive for COVID-19 at Saskatchewan Penitentiary, medium security unit. Of these, nine have recovered and 114 remain active.
In addition, there are three active inmate cases at the maximum-security unit. There are also 12 active cases of COVID-19 among employees.
Prisoner’s advocacy group Beyond Prison Walls Canada sent a letter to the Office of the Correctional Investigator on Wednesday saying that the rights of inmates at Saskatchewan Penitentiary are being violated as COVID-19 spreads in the facility.
The group also says inmates, having ended a hunger strike, have entered a “suicide pact” that has not been taken seriously by staff.
“As of last night when I received a call from a prisoner there were men who have prepared their rope to hang themselves. They have not indicated when but this suicide pact has been mentioned for two days now,” prisoner advocate Sherri Maier wrote.
She alleged that guards are being unprofessional towards the inmates. She also alleged that in one instance, a guard assaulted a prisoner with his food tray.
The allegations of guard misconduct are unproven. The union that represents penitentiary guards said in an interview Tuesday unrelated to Maier’s letter that correctional officers are doing everything they can to keep people safe and to minimize the spread of COVID-19. They said keeping inmates happy and active is in their best interest too, as it helps to reduce tension on the range and make their job safer.
Maier said prisoners on one unit have asked to be let out in groups of four or six for “a couple hours” rather than one at a time for 30 minutes. She said they would practice social distancing “but the guards refused and said they will not facilitate or babysit that.”
She said CSC has failed by not preparing for COVID-19 to enter the institution and because the inmates are contemplating suicide, but are allegedly not being taken seriously.
Maier said that on Tuesday she received a message from a mother whose son was transferred from the Regional Psychiatric Center in Saskatoon on Dec. 6 to Sask Pen. She said he now has COVID-19 and that the night prior he attempted to take his own life.
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“These men have rights and they can not continue to be locked up this long and have no access to mental health services. Clearly the staff there are unable to handle what is going on. Medical staff are doing COVID tests but do not inform prisoners of the results, this makes no sense,” she alleged.
She called the amount of time allotted to inmates outside of their cells “ridiculous“ and lambasted living conditions at the facility.
She said some units are “very dirty.”
“There are men who are bathing in their sinks, because they only get 30 minutes out and want to use that for the phone to update family as to what is going on. These men are unable to do their laundry so some are washing their clothes in the sinks in their cells,” Maier wrote.
“This is unhealthy for prisoners and staff.”
Maier said there is “no excuse” for the COVID-19 outbreak and “no excuse as to why there was no preparation for this other than pure negligence on Sask Pen and CSC.”
She said that the mental health of inmates is deteriorating as the lockdown continues, and asked the CSC to take action before Christmas to avoid prisoners taking “drastic measures.” She called the situation “inhumane.”
“This is not right. It’s close to Christmas and the grim reality is that these men are going to spend Christmas in their cells alone, unable to contact family. This is upsetting,” Maier wrote.
“These men’s rights are violated and there needs to be a better plan of action made, they can not continue to be locked up 23.5 hours a day with no contact with family.”
Congress of Aboriginal Peoples national vice-chief Kim Beaudin pointed to disproportionate numbers of Indigenous people incarcerated at Saskatchewan Penitentiary and likened the conditions to a “death sentence” for inmates.
On Tuesday, Beaudin called on CSC to release all inmates held for non-violent offences, implement immediate testing for COVID-19 for all inmates and staff and to ensure any infected inmates are given separate living quarters from other inmates.
“I also urge that those kept caged in Canada’s colonial federal penitentiaries be given access to the programs, contact with loved ones and volunteers, and supplies required to come out of this crisis alive,” Beaudin said.
“Inaction will signal to Indigenous peoples that our lives do not matter and that the federal government remains unable to move past colonialist legacies.”
He pointed a finger at CSC commissioner Anne Kelly who he said should resign along with those deemed responsible for failing to contain the outbreak and called on the Government of Canada to take action.
“No segment of society has gone untouched by COVID-19. Our government is focused on protecting and supporting all Canadians, including inmates and correctional staff,” Minister of Public Safety Bill Blair’s Press Secretary Mary-Liz Power said in a written response.
“We know the unique vulnerabilities facing correctional institutions during this public health crisis. In response to COVID-19 cases in federal institutions, Correctional Services Canada (CSC) has put in place extensive infection prevention and control measures across all institutions, at all security levels.”
She said those measures include mandatory masks for inmates and staff, physical distancing measures, active health screening of anyone entering an institution, contact tracing and increased and enhanced cleaning and disinfection at sites. She said rapid testing is also in use for both staff and inmates.
Since the beginning of March, the overall federal custody population has declined by over 1,300 inmates. Those transferring into Saskatchewan Penitentiary are screened for COVID-19. Inmates transferring into the institution are medically isolated for 14 days after arrival, Power said.
“They have the support of medical staff as well as unit staff during their isolation. They are housed in a separate unit during their isolation. CSC works closely with local public health experts to guide their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They have already strengthened their infection prevention procedures to protect staff, offenders, and the community.”
Power said that additional personal protective equipment is also available for offenders and staff, as needed. “As this pandemic continues to evolve, we have been clear that our response will as well.”
Office of the Correctional Investigator Executive Director and General Counsel Monette Maillet said they have no comment on Wednesday.
CSC spokesperson Kelly Dae Dash said in a written response that as of Tuesday there are 123 inmates who have tested positive for COVID-19 at Saskatchewan Penitentiary, medium security unit. Of these, nine have recovered and 114 remain active.
In addition, there are three active inmate cases at the maximum-security unit. There are also 12 active cases of COVID-19 among employees.
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