By Angela Hill

Assault a factor in prison lockdown

Mar 2, 2011 | 5:22 AM

An assault was one of the reasons for a lockdown of the Saskatchewan Penitentiary last week.

“The assault was one of the precipitating factors that led to the warden to ordering a search, to search for contraband within in the institution,” said Darcy Begrand, a prison spokesperson.

Another factor was other information that suggested there may have been weapons in the unit, he said.

On Feb. 22 several inmates attacked another inmate. There was only one victim and he was sent to the hospital with non-life threating injuries.

The incident happened around lunchtime.

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“There are four separate ranges of cells with a common area where they will eat meals,” Begrand said.

“So at least three times a day … there are inmates in a common area.”

For the inmates to be allowed together they have been deemed compatible, but those relationships can change quickly, he said.

The results can be an assault.

“When this occurs, there is an internal investigation that will happen and the institution head and the SR managers will review their compatibility again,” Begrand said.

In this case, it looks like a weapon was used to cause minor puncture wounds, he said, adding that weapons are made or acquired from items within the institution, sharpened pencil, pen or toothbrush.

“The main thing after an assault is they isolate, contain and control the area. The entire institution is secured,” Begrand said.

Depending on the seriousness and the information that is provided they make the decision on what to do form there. In this case it led to the lockdown, where officers worked to locate as many contraband items as possible, he said.

“The only time that we reopen is when we feel that it is safe to do so.”

The victim is back in the institution, after receiving treatment in hospital.

There is no word yet as to what was found during the search.

ahill@panow.com