REGINA – Overcrowding in the Saskatchewan prison system means gymnasiums, chapels and other rooms are being converted for sleeping.
A report out Monday says prisons in Saskatchewan are increasingly becoming simply “warehouses” for inmates, where people are “stored” to serve out their sentences.
“If we want people to reenter into the community, a lot of things are happening right now that aren’t really helping people to do that, on the other side of their short prison sentence,” said Dr. Jason Demers, author of Warehousing Prisoners in Saskatchewan and instructor at the University of Regina.
Global News spoke to a 38-year-old man who was released from the provincial facility in Prince Albert, Sask. two weeks ago after serving a six-month sentence for attempted robbery and theft.
“A lot of things that they used to have, like a gym, church, and chapel and stuff are no longer available, no longer offered because they need the space to hold all the people,” said Colin, who didn’t want his last name used.
“I didn’t get there until March but I’m assuming when it was minus 45, the inmates weren’t too happy that they had to go outside if they wanted to get any exercise.”
Saskatchewan’s ministry of justice contends that there is enough space within the current four provincial prisons and instead of building a whole new facility, the province aims to reduce the number of inmates.
“Obviously we are strained in some places but we have room for all the offenders in our system at present,” said Drew Wilby, with the ministry.
“(Focusing on) how do we keep offenders out of the system from the front end. Considering mental health and additions, our hubs and cores program strategy, violent offender initiative.”
Overcrowding also means the gym at the women’s prison in Prince Albert has been housing 20 men since August 27. The province said the move is temporary and all the prisoners are within 45 days of release.
“Quite frankly, it’s a violation of the women’s rights, to their space and time in the institution. It’s just not good for everybody. It’s not good for the men and it’s not good for the women,” said Sue Delaney, executive director of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Saskatchewan.
Construction underway on a 144-bed expansion at the Prince Albert Provincial Correctional Centre is expected to be completed in 2015.
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