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373COVID-19
in Canadian Prisons: Policies, Practices and Concerns
additional medication in anticipation of the possible challenges they
may face in accessing health care in the community during the pan-
demic.25 It is unclear what other governmental supports, if any, have
been in place for those transitioned to the community.26
The information on institutional measures taken and preven-
tion protocols adopted in provincial prisons to protect the remaining
incarcerated population is inconsistent and vague. In some provinces,
the measures listed on their websites are minimal, such as suspending
visits from the outside.27 Other provinces noted their efforts to secure
cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for staff.28
The little information available, generally from Ontario, on how mea-
sures are being implemented suggests that there is a lack of testing, a
failure to treat flu-like symptoms, and a failure to implement physical
distancing measures (with as many as 30 people bunked in the same
dorm) in some provincial institutions.29
Federally, CSC has resisted calls to consider federal prison depop-
ulation.30 Not only have no release strategies been made public, but
the Minister of Public Safety (responsible for federal corrections) has
also made misleading statements regarding the release of individuals
25. Ontario, Ministry of the Solicitor General, Correctional Services Update on COVID-
19 (Toronto: Ministry of the Solicitor General, 9 April 2020), online: Ministry
of
the
Solicitor General <perma.cc/73PL-SQ6D>; Saskatchewan, Government News and
Media, supra note 22; Letter from Minister of Justice Cliff Cullen, supra note 22.
26. For a criticism of the lack of governmental release support and community-led
initiatives see e.g. Nova Scotia Advocate, News Release, “Emergency Housing
Project Launched for People Exiting Jail During COVID-19” (13 May 2020),
online: Nova Scotia Advocate <perma.cc/Y8B8-H5DN>.
27. See Newfoundland and Labrador, Justice and Public Safety, supra note 22; New
Brunswick, Office of the Premier, supra note 22; Alberta, Correctional Services,
supra note 22; British Columbia, Corrections, supra note 22.
28. Ontario, Ministry of the Solicitor General, supra note 22; Saskatchewan,
Government News and Media, supra note 22; Letter from Minister of Justice Cliff
Cullen, supra note 22.
29. Jorge Barrera, “Tension, Fear Rising inside Dorm 3 of Ottawa Jail over COVID-
19”, CBC News (19 March 2020), online: <perma.cc/6CTQ-8XP8>; Liam Casey,
“Guards at Ottawa Jail Refuse to Work over Lack of COVID-19 Screening
Protocols”, Global
News (1 April 2020), online: <perma.cc/8FAL-HQNG>; Alyshah
Hasham & Jim Rankin, “Eight Staff, 60 Inmates Test Positive for COVID-19 at
Brampton Jail. Inmates Transferred to Toronto South Detention Centre”, The Star
(20 April 2020), online: <perma.cc/VH3F-NZVN>.
30. Karen Harris, “Bill Blair Asks Prison, Parole Heads to Consider Releasing Some
Inmates to Stop Spread of COVID-19”, CBC News (31 March 2020), online:
<perma.cc/RUV6-RUAJ>; Terry Haig, “Corrections Canada Keeping Very Mum
About COVID-19 Early Releases”, Radio Canada International (22 April 2020),
online: <perma.cc/LNK6-AEC5>.
VULNERABLE
The Law, Policy and Ethics of COVID-19
- Titel
- VULNERABLE
- Untertitel
- The Law, Policy and Ethics of COVID-19
- Autoren
- Vanessa MacDonnell
- Jane Philpott
- Sophie Thériault
- Sridhar Venkatapuram
- Verlag
- Ottawa Press
- Datum
- 2020
- Sprache
- englisch
- Lizenz
- CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
- ISBN
- 9780776636429
- Abmessungen
- 15.2 x 22.8 cm
- Seiten
- 648
- Kategorien
- Coronavirus
- International