The Pine Grove Correctional Centre is located on the northeastern outskirts of Prince Albert. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Correctional changes

Advocacy group says deaths at Pine Grove connected to drugs, calls for review of practices

Feb 15, 2024 | 12:00 PM

A Saskatchewan organization that advocates for women and gender-diverse people in the justice system is confirming the deaths of two women, who were on remand at the Pine Grove Correctional Centre, were drug-related.

Tatiana Custer, 23, died in early January and was initially found unresponsive in a common area of the institution. She was later declared deceased in hospital.

The following month, a 24-year-old woman, who has yet to be identified, was found unresponsive in a living unit and like Custer, was also transported to a local hospital and later declared deceased.

While explaining they cannot comment on individual cases or people due to privacy and confidentiality concerns, the Elizabeth Fry Society of Saskatchewan (EFSK), told paNOW in a statement they believe it’s crucial to address the underlying factors that contribute to such tragedies.

They went on to explain addiction, over-incarceration, and overrepresentation are symptomatic of larger systemic issues, particularly the lack of housing and support in our province.

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“It’s our firm belief that with proper support, many individuals, especially women, would not find themselves in the carceral system.”

Tatiana Custer, who was born in La Ronge, passed away on Jan 3. (Facebook)

In addition to the police and Coroner’s investigations, the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety is also conducting an internal investigation.

Regarding the recent incidents, the EFSK said it’s essential to examine the adequacy of protocols, policies, and procedures surrounding the treatment of people with substance use disorders who are at higher risk of overdose or withdrawals post-arrest.

Specifically, they indicated they are looking into whether nasal Naloxone/Narcan is available in the new admissions cells and what measures are in place to safely support withdrawal procedures.

“We believe that Corrections has a duty of care to ensure the safety and well-being of all individuals in their custody, and this includes upholding standards equivalent to any regular detox program,” they explained.

“Simply having guards check on individuals every 30 minutes is not sufficient. We must hold institutions accountable and advocate for comprehensive measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.”

Following Custer’s death in January, the Grand Chief of Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) released a statement, citing a lack of communication from Prince Albert police, staff at Pine Grove, or the government.

Those concerns were echoed this week by the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN). Chief Bobby Cameron said he is outraged by the loss of two lives who were in the care of corrections.

“Transparency and accountability are important for public trust; we join the calls for a public inquiry into these tragic deaths. A public inquiry will determine if these deaths were avoidable; we want to know if corrections were negligent. We want to know if the facilities have the tools and resources required to guarantee the safety of our people in custody.”

Section 20 of The Coroners Act, states the chief coroner shall hold an inquest into the death of a person who dies while an inmate at a jail or a correctional facility unless the coroner is satisfied that the person’s death was due entirely to natural causes and was not preventable.

The following statement was provided by the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety:

• All inmates admitted to a correctional centre undergo an initial intake and health assessment.
• Inmates are screened for substance abuse and dependence, including types of substance use, last use, amount, frequency, duration and previous withdrawal.
• Protocols are in place that outline observation standards for health care purposes. Nurses can assign the required level of observation based on the needs of individual inmates when required. If an inmate refuses health care, it is documented and the required level of observation is assigned based on the needs of the inmate as outlined in the Observation Policy

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell