The frequency of weekend jail terms is drawing criticism from some provincial auditors and ombudsmen.
In a recent report Nova Scotia auditor general Michael Pickup cited complaints from officials and jail staff about the large proportion of intermittent sentences.
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Pickup said statistics show Nova Scotia was among the leaders nationally in using weekend sentences in 2015, with about 16 per cent of offenders serving them.
Quebec’s ombudsman issued a special report on the increasing number of weekend terms in March.
Marie Rinfret says the increase had led to jail overcrowding, especially during weekends, resulting in “difficult detention conditions and security problems.”
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Sean Kelly, Nova Scotia’s director of correctional services, says measures are on the way to deal with the security issues identified, including the installation of body scan units to help look for illicit drugs.
Kelly says alternatives to serving jail time are also being discussed through the province’s justice transformation group.
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