Greens Support Recommendations of Correctional Investigator

OTTAWA – The Green Party is calling on the government and opposition parties to act upon the recommendations of the Office of the Correctional Investigator (OCI), an independent ombudsman for federal offenders.

The OCI's Annual Report was recently tabled in Parliament and contains 19 recommendations for improved policies and procedures within the federal prison system.  The OCI dealt with over 6,000 complaints regarding the federal prison system with by far the greatest number of complaints stemming from concerns about inadequate health care.

“This report adds to a number of reports indicating that this Conservative government is failing to take responsibility for the challenges facing our federal correctional services,” said Elizabeth May, Green Party Leader.  “It is becoming increasingly clear that this government is only interested in appearing tough, not smart. As a result, it is uninterested in rehabilitation and only interested in punishment. This is a recipe for failure and decreased public safety."

The OCI reports that the government spends a mere 2% of its prison budget on treatment programs for offenders and suggests that mental health treatment should be prioritized.  It also recommends the immediate appointment of a Deputy Commissioner for Aboriginal Corrections and indicates that there is no shortage of improvements that could be made concerning the treatment of Aboriginal inmates.

“This report has highlighted the fact that an increased prison population under this government is adding pressure to a system that is already struggling to reintegrate offenders back into their communities,” said Jared Giesbrecht, Green Party Justice Critic.  “More and more inmates are being imprisoned without adequate treatment for mental health problems and are simply dumped back on the street at the end of their sentences.  If we are serious about preventing crime, it is time for rehabilitation and reintegration to become priorities within the federal corrections system.”

The Green Party of Canada will:

•    Make rehabilitation and reintegration the central priorities of the Correctional Service of Canada by
     ◦    Increasing the budget for treatment programs,
     ◦    Ensuring an increased use of gradual release with increased supervision and improved accountability (e.g. work releases, day parole, etc.), and
     ◦    Providing stable funding for community-based programs that hold offenders accountable upon release.
•    Appoint a Deputy for Aboriginal Corrections and ensure a greater range of Aboriginal-specific programming with more resources and contacts with Elders and Aboriginal liaison officers.
•    Establish a permanent recruiting and training budget for clinical mental health professionals in the Correctional Service of Canada.

- 30 -

Contact Information:
Debra Eindiguer
Press Secretary
C: 613.240.8921
media@greenparty.ca
www.greenparty.ca