Investigations into the overdose deaths of two inmates at the Edmonton Remand Center led a Provincial Court judge to recommend improved drug prevention measures at the facility, including finding staff at random.
In a report released Wednesday, Judge Kirk MacDonald specifically looked at the methods by which illicit drugs are spread in prison, a common factor between the two deaths.
One of the fellow inmates accidentally died of fentanyl poisoning on May 14, 2016. One died on May 1, 2016.eh September of the same year from accidental poisoning with fentanyl and methamphetamines.
Detention center staff should be flexibleunderlined the judge in his report. Inmates are creative in their ways of avoiding steps in place.
During the investigation, prison staff provided details of the habits of the inmates entering the prison. They can, for example, hide the drug on their own, but also on their body using condoms, Kinder eggs or plastic wraps.
Once the drugs are inside the prison, inmates sometimes use so -called skills sinwhere they use a string or a thread removed from a blanket to pass parcels between cells.
Justice MacDonald said, however, that the day-to-day search of all staff would not only be costly, but would be too long. According to him, random searches will have a sufficient effect on prevention.
The spokesman for the Alberta Department of Justice indicated, for his part, that the government is currently reviewing these recommendations. However, he points out that correctional staff are already trained and willing to intervene in case of an opioid overdose.
Attorney and President ofAlberta Prison Justice SocietyAmanda Hart-Dowhun, also thinks that the recommendations on finding staff and visitors will help slow the circulation of drugs in prisons.
To think that only inmates smuggle drugs into the Edmonton Remand Center is naivehe says. Random digs can help find some.
According to Amanda Hart-Dowhun, someone willing to smuggle drugs can do so every day without these searches.
If they don’t find anyone, they won’t take anyonehe added.
However, the lawyer specified that privacy issues should also be considered. He also thinks that using the same search methods that attorneys use during their visits to federal correctional facilities is a less intrusive method.
This will strike a balance between privacy and security.
With information from Paige Parsons
Source: Radio-Canada
