Prison Rights My A$$

Correctional Service of Canada has been forced to hire temporary workers to do the cleaning, cooking and other chores normally done by inmates who have gone "on strike" at an Ontario prison.

An employee source told Sun Media the inmates are angrily protesting "double-bunking" at the medium-high security Collins Bay prison in Kingston.

The work, education and program refusal has led to a near depletion of the inmates' welfare fund and could leave taxpayers footing the bill for prisoners' perks, such as specialty cable television services, said the source.

CABLE BILL
CSC spokeswoman Julie Doering said the department has been working with the inmate committee since August to resolve the situation "as quickly as possible."

"Our aim is to have the inmate population return to regular employment and education activities as soon as possible," she said.

Inmates earn $5.25-$6.90 a day for taking part in work and other programs, while those who refuse to participate in all programs are awarded a basic $1-a-day allowance. Doering said the inmates' welfare fund has enough left to pay next month's cable bill.

"We are hopeful that the inmate population will return to work so that they can continue to pay for this service," she said.

The prison guard source said temps have been working regularly to fill in for the striking inmates, but Doering said contracted staff have only been brought in on an "infrequent basis" to maintain cleanliness standards.

She said there has been no impact on the security of the institution, which is otherwise operating on a "normal routine."

But Jason Godin, Ontario's spokesman for the Union of Correctional Officers of Canada, said the idle inmates are causing more stress in prison where incidents of drugs and violence are already "off the radar scale."

"It does definitely create tensions for us. When these guys are refusing to go to work, that means they're not really engaging in a lot of meaningful stuff. That concerns us, because more time on their hands means more trouble for us," he said.

Godin said the double-bunking, new no-smoking policy and anti-drug strategy are all believed to be factors behind the strike.

The longer the strike continues the more inmates feel like they have the "upper hand," yet there's nothing staff can do to compel them to work.

MORE VIOLENCE
Guards have already voiced concern about the new "open-concept" retrofits at Collins Bay, and Godin said double-bunking in any prison can lead to more violence.

CSC policy states "single occupancy is the most desirable and correctionally appropriate method of housing offenders" and it makes every effort to reduce double-bunking where possible.

"At times, as a result of population management demands, two offenders will be housed in cells intended for one. Where it is necessary to accommodate two inmates in a cell, an assessment is made to ensure the safety of both inmates," the CSC said.