Two people have died from overdoses in a week at the Mountain Institution in Agassiz, B.C.
The deaths were first reported by the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers, who credit the fatalities to the federal Prison Needle Exchange Program.
Since June 2018, the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) has been operating a Prison Needle Exchange Program (PNEP) in federal institutions across the country to help “prevent the sharing of needles among inmates and the spread of infectious diseases, such as HIV/AIDS and HCV.”
The union said the program is directly leading to overdose deaths, as inmates are using illicit drugs alone in their cells.
“Our hands are tied. A court decision gives inmates the right to access clean needles, but our members believe the solution is not simply providing inmates with an injection kit to keep in their cell at the expense of public safety and inmate rehabilitation,” Jeff Wilkins said, the union’s national president.
On Wednesday, during the correctional officers’ morning rounds, they found an unresponsive inmate in his cell. First aid was applied but the inmate was pronounced dead at 7:30 a.m.
The first death was seven days ago on Nov. 26 and has been attributed to fentanyl. The second death is still under investigation in terms of what drug caused the fatality.
The union also said the program is leading to more addiction issues for inmates, which they take with them when they are released.
“This second overdose at Mountain highlights the ineffectiveness of the PNEP program and shows that CSC has no intention of releasing inmates drug-free to the community,” said John Randle, the union’s Pacific region president.
“The tick-box approach by CSC falls on the backs of the public to continue to battle the opioids and crime wave plaguing our communities.”
Randle said the sheer amount of illicit drugs in federal institutions is “crazy” and is due to drones dropping drugs onto properties. He said the union feels like federal institutions are acting more like “warehouses” and are failing at the rehabilitation process for inmates.
Friday morning, CSC issued two releases and a statement regarding the deaths.
CSC has named both of the inmates who have died. On Oct. 24, Kelly Michael Richet died in custody. He was serving a sentence of five years, one month and 21 days for manslaughter since March 23, 2023.
On Nov. 1, Darak Andrew More died in custody. He was serving an indeterminate sentence which began Sept. 28, 2012, for second degree murder.
When it comes to the union’s concerns regarding the needle exchange program, CSC said it “remains committed to making decisions based on the evidence.”
CSC facilities that are selected to host harm reduction services are chosen “based on population health needs including data on overdoses at the site, many of which were due to opioids.”
It also said that as of August 2023, there have been no reported injuries or assaults involving staff or incarcerated individuals associated with operating within the needle exchange program.
“A decision on the implementation of a Prison Needle Exchange Program, or an Overdose Prevention Service, at Mountain Institution has not yet been finalized,” a CSC spokesperson said in an email.
“With all CSC policy and program decisions, the safety and security of staff, the public and inmates will remain paramount.”