Crowding an issue at P.A. jail; expansion to be ready this spring

Crowding is admittedly a problem at the Prince Albert Provincial Correctional Centre, with programming at the jail being cut into.

The additional inmates are being housed in other spaces in the facility. This spring, the province is looking to alleviate some of the pressure on its capacity by opening up its expanded section.

According to Heather Scriver, executive director of custody services with the ministry of corrections, public safety and policing, right now, there are only “little things” left to be done by the contractor, Graham Construction. The expansion was originally set to be open in March 2015, but Scriver said there have been construction delays. They’re now looking at an April or May end date.

The expansion would bring the number of budgeted bed space to 312 beds. It’s an addition of 144 beds, or 72 new cells. In 2012, the province announced it would be undertaking construction of the new unit over a three-year period, at a cost of $24 million. 

Right now, the correctional centre is housing 314 inmates.

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“We are still crowded. We do have offenders that are being housed in … the gymnasium and a classroom. So, we are crowded at the correctional centre,” Scriver said.

Since one of the classrooms has been converted into living space for the inmates, it has meant the programming is limited as a result. Scriver said that because they are using the classroom, there isn’t a formal classroom.

“But we have made concessions throughout the facility to have a makeshift classroom or a roving teacher to go around and meet with offenders on… literacy and … classroom-type stuff,” she added.

Scriver said one of the biggest challenges is that the programming has been scaled back because they don’t have the space to facilitate the programming they want to. The correctional centre’s extra space – referred to as contingency – has been opened up and additional staff has been coming in.

When it comes to the effect on staff, she said “they get tired too because they’re working these areas.”

The workers have had to put in overtime as a result.

The overcrowding has added to the employees’ workload and stress, said Bob Bymoen, president of the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees’ Union (SGEU). It’s also putting more stress on the inmates, and the tighter living conditions are increasing the potential for violence, he added. 

The converted cell space is considered a post for the guards and Scriver said the care, custody and control is still being maintained.  She said there hasn’t been an increase in incidents.

The SGEU is welcoming the new expansion. Bymoen said they’re hoping the expansion will relieve some of the crowding and the classroom will be turned back into a classroom.

“Which will allow the inmates taking the various training and stuff better and more opportunities to actually take this training and get on with their own lives,” he said.

He said overcrowding has been a “big issue” at the facilities for a number of years, and added that the SGEU has been advocating for more space.

“So that it’s a safer and more healthier work environment.”

tjames@panow.com

On Twitter: @thiajames