B.C.’s Ombudsperson says that province has yet to meet all seven of the key recommendations he proposed in his 2016 report to improve inspections at provincial correctional facilities.
While six of the seven recommendations have been met, the seventh has yet to be implemented.
Jay Chalke’s last recommendation stipulates that facilities must be independently and externally inspected, and that confidential interviews with inmates during these inspections must be permitted.
The interim measures that B.C. has in place features a governmental official accompanying an internal inspector when reviewing correctional centres.
Only when all recommendations have been met will B.C.’s correctional centres be in line with what is internationally known as the Nelson Mandela Rules, or the U.N.’s minimum standard of treatment for prisoners.
The deadline for implementing this recommendation was March 31, 2018, nearly half a year ago.
“The proper inspection of our correctional centres is critical for a variety of reasons,” said Chalk in a press release. “It’s one key way to ensure the basic human rights of inmates are being respected. Regular inspections also help ensure rigorous health and safety standards are in place and are being regularly monitored, both for inmates and staff.”
B.C. Corrections has officially stated that they are committed to fulfilling the last recommendation, and that they are working on a solution.
“Two years ago the government committed to do so,” said Chalke, “now it’s time to live up to that commitment.”
