Assaults on jail staff, prisoners causing concern

A provincial government slammed for moving too slowly on reforms to corrections may have moved too quickly on one, critics say.

The Progressive Conservative corrections critic and the union representing Ontario’s correctional officers are separately hearing stories about, and keeping an eye on, a rash of assaults on jail staff and inmates after the province cut disciplinary segregation in half.

“We’re seeing a rash of violent incidents,” said Monte Vieselmeyer, chair of corrections for the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU).

But there aren’t any firm numbers yet and it’s too early to tell if the province’s new rules, and prisoners’ reaction, are connected to the assaults, he said.

“Can I make that connection? It’s difficult. But definitely I’m very concerned.”

Progressive Conservative corrections critic Rick Nicholls said he’s hearing as well from correctional officers.

“Experienced correctional officers have told me they feel unsafe in their workplaces as assaults appear to be increasing,” the Chatham-Kent-Essex MPP said.

“Although we support updating solitary confinement standards, this was done without consultation, and there are reports that assaults have increased. All of this is putting our hard-working frontline officers and staff at risk.”

Over the past two months, the province has announced several changes to its troubled corrections system.

In October, the province announced a further review of its segregation practices, and an immediate reduction in the maximum length of time a prisoner can be held in solitary for disciplinary reasons to 15 days from 30.

Critics noted that disciplinary segregation covers only a small percentage of prisoners and doesn’t address the more pressing problem, the fact correctional facilities are forced to use segregation to house prisoners struggling with issues such as mental illness and addiction.

Meanwhile, correctional officers charge that cutting disciplinary segregation in half takes away a valuable tool to keep order in the prisons.

With punishment cut in half, and managers worried about getting heat for using segregation too much, the most violent inmates have less to lose, officers say.