On Friday, family members received the green light to visit loved ones at the Saskatchewan Penitentiary this Christmas. The federal institution has now moved to a modified routine after a deadly riot last week.
For Crystal Beebe of Prince Albert, the step towards re-establishing a normal routine for the inmates finally meant she could talk to her common-law husband for the first time in a week-and-a-half.
“I just got a call from him last night, they just got unlocked from being locked up,” Beebe said.
“Before I didn’t hear anything – I was worried.”
READ MORE: Inmates transferred from Saskatchewan Penitentiary after deadly riot
On Dec. 14, a deadly riot began in the medium security unit, forcing the penitentiary in Prince Albert to go into lockdown.
One inmate died and two others were injured after being assaulted by other prisoners during the riot. Six additional inmates suffered non-life threatening injuries after being hit by shotgun pellets when correction officers discharged firearms to get the rampage under control.
Families on the outside told Global News that in the hours and days that followed the riot they didn’t know if their loved ones serving time were dead or alive.
“You get worried, you don’t know what to think,” Bebbe said.
“Things go through your mind, it’s not a fun process.”
Bebbe’s significant other wasn’t one of the 185 inmates involved in the riot allegedly sparked over food portions.
“He didn’t say too much about it, just told me what it was about. I didn’t want to know anything else because I don’t really want to know what bad things go on in there so I don’t ask very many questions.”
WATCH MORE: One inmate dead, 8 injured after riot at the Saskatchewan Penitentiary
The penitentiary consists of three units: minimum, medium and maximum security.
The minimum security uni is now operating on a normal routine; however medium and maximum are operating on a modified routine which means inmates are gaining a little bit of their freedom back as they now have access to showers, telephones and visitation is now being scheduled.
READ MORE: Canadian prisons see sudden spike in violence
An undisclosed number of inmates have been sent to other federal institutions because of the riot.
Their families may not get a chance to see them over the holidays depending where they are and that information remains confidential to the media because it falls under the Privacy Act.
“It’s the holidays, you want to see your family member no matter what they did, it’s still you’re family right? They’re still humans,” Bebbe said.
According to Correctional Service Canada, the entire institution will return to normal operations once managers determine it’s safe to do so.
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