Ottawa Sun;
Federal prison guards are raising the red flag on a Corrections Canada program that quietly pays convicted murderers to supervise prisoners on community outings or transfers.
The Lifeline program hires “lifers” who have been paroled for at least five years, but remain under community supervision for life, to carry out “in-reach” socialization programs and escort inmates on shopping trips or transfers to half- way houses.
Through contracts with community agencies such as the John Howard Society or St. Leonard’s Society, the Correctional Service of Canada pays $55,000 a year for each of the 24 workers across the country.
According to the CSC, each lifer draws a salary of at least $41,000 a year [emphasis mine -ed], with the rest covering administration costs.
“It’s like giving the key to the prison to the convicts,” said Sylvain Martel, president of the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers.
[…]
One prison guard source from Ontario’s minimum-security Pittsburgh Institution said the in-reach worker there accompanies inmates to the mall or lunch at Red Lobster, and escorts convicts to halfway houses across the province. Because they’re “peers” instead of authority figures, the door is open to potential criminal activity or escape.
“It’s atrocious,” the guard said. “It just doesn’t make sense.”
CSC spokeswoman Michele Pilon-Santilli insisted the program is valuable for teaching responsible citizenship and said only “minor incidents” have been reported.
Like the Ferndale Resort Prison, the $700,000 CCS “pilot program” to provide prison tattoos (pick your gang affiliation from the samples on the wall!), spa days for women inmates and the unbelievable policy that prohibits prison guards from carrying weapons of any type when escorting dangerous inmates in public – why isn’t this an election issue?
I’ve said before, and I guess I’ll keep saying it, we should build a prison on Han Island to (a) establish our sovereignty, (b) put prisoners where they’ll learn to survive (or die, whichever).
The cost benefits are just too good to pass up. think about it.
Convicted murderers accompany inmates to the mall or Red Lobster to supervise them? This is insanity.
Free sex, free abortions, free drugs, free tattoos. The new Red (Luciferian) Book. This is a calculated undoing of two thousand years of western civilization.
Not to worry. I’m sure our vaunted CBC will get one of its crack reporters on this scandal right away.
CBC – Trusted (by the Liberal Party of Canada)
– Connected (to the Liberal Party of Canada)
– Canadian (pity -eh)
Don’t forget everyone “you can’t cherry pick rights from the Charter of Rights.”
It’s just another right.
Like the right of Liberals to determine by any and every means what is “Canadian” and what is not (i.e. Liberal is Canadian, Conservative is not).
And to extend that “right” will eventually mean laws that state that any thought, value and action that is cannot be described as Liberal will be described as “Hate” or “discrimination,” “racism,” “homphobe,” you name it.
One party, one thought.
Time to fight back.
To all the readers of this blog who might be still considering voting for the Liberals ( just on the chance anyone still is, though I think I’m preaching to the choir) this is what years of liberal indoctination has given us. Just consider the events of the last few days, the police constable killed in Laval by a convicted felon who was denied ownership of a gun for ten years in 1999 but permitted to use one during ‘hunting season’, the judge that struck down the anti-gang law in BC, the proposed ban and confiscation of handguns by the liberals, the insanity goes on and on. Do you really want the liberals continuing to run this country or have you begun to see the light. The ‘scary Harper scenario’ that they have foisted upon the electorate is as nothing to what they have already done to this country. Their manipulation and malfeasance of this country must be brought to an end. If the liberals have even a showing at the polls in January we will have taken another step on the road to Perdition!
Lefties love to talk about inhumane conditions and human rights abuses in Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib. Documented inumane conditions and human rights abuses a few miles from Parliament Hill? Not so much:
Ottawa – Corrections officers at the Regional Detention Centre in Ottawa, members of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/NUPGE), are fed up with what they say are horrific working and living conditions. Job action is being threatened unless significant improvements are made to the facility.
Local vice-president Mark Sabada commented to the media that “it’s like a freaking nightmare walking into that place.”
Inhuman conditions at Ottawa jail denounced by judge
Ottawa – Ontario Justice Denis Power says overcrowding and staff shortages at the Ottawa Regional Detention Centre are so appalling that they bring the administration of justice into disrepute.
The Superior Court judge made the comments when sentencing a man who had already spent 10 months in the East End facility, located a few miles from Parliament Hill.
Probe opens into Ottawa jail conditions
A unique hearing opened Monday that could probe living conditions at this area’s only jail. A lawyer is arguing that her client’s Charter rights are being violated by poor conditions at the Ottawa-Carleton Regional Detention Centre.
She’s not alone. The Defence Counsel Association of Ottawa wants to be included in the hearing on behalf of all prisoners.
Ottawa jail accused of human rights abuses
A Kingston lawyer says her client’s human rights were abused while he was at the Ottawa-Carleton Regional Detention Centre. Among other things, Susan Mulligan says he was forced to live in an insect-infested cell. She’s taking the jail to court Monday along with the Ontario Ministry of Correctional Services.
Mulligan claims her client, besides living with the insect infestation, didn’t get enough exercise, and was unjustifiably segregated for two months. She also claims Wahib Dadshani was denied private meetings with legal counsel.
Inquest probes death of man in jail
A coroner’s inquest has begun into the death of a mentally ill man from Cornwall. James O’Brien, 59, died at the Ottawa-Carleton Regional Detention Centre last November.
…
The jury also heard that officials did not provide the jail with O’Brien’s medical history, or a letter from his doctor outlining his problems.
A few days later, James O’Brien died in his sleep.
There must be something in our drinking water…
For years, Dudley Laws has run around Toronto screaming ‘racism’ whenever the cops try to do their jobs and collar some young punk with a gun.
Then, the grieving parents of a victim of one of those punks make the evening news calling for real penalties while our dithering dolt double-dog bans handguns (including Brinks drivers Paulie??? huh?)
Our multicult political correct have-a-heart-instead-of-a-brain Librano mesmo-spin traps the witless Cannuckians in a no-win situation: racist if we provide real penalties, racist if we don’t.
What I cannot yet figure out is why the complicit members of the press and media in Canada are willing to foul their own beds? Can they not see how they are helping to bring about a society where nobody is happy? Is that what makes them happy? How can they sleep at night?
Holy moly! $41,000 a year?
A full time position was just posted at a regional University-College for a position in their Media, Public Relations and Marketing Department for a photographer/writer/webmaster.
The annual wage: $33,000.
Who says crime doesn’t pay.
Sorry. I forgot to mention that the $33K position required either a degree in communications or at minimum, 5 years experience in commercial media.
5 years experience or 5 years parole. To the Liberals it’s all equivalent.
Only the Lie-beral’s could come up with such a stupid idea.
“Convicted murderers accompany inmates to the mall or Red Lobster to supervise them? This is insanity.”
Maybe yes, maybe no. I know one fellow, convicted of manslaughter, who helped me put my life back together. He now works for Corrections Canada as an addictions counsellor and I guaran-damn-tee you that they’re getting their money’s worth from him and then some.
There are rare occasions where one can find method in the madness.
Also known as “when human rights run amok…” I have been saying for years that going to jail is supposed to be a deterent, something unpleasant that is to be avoided. They way that things are going now, the lifestyle of criminals in Canada’s jails are going to be better than that of the average Canadian citizen working (at least) eight hours a day! I am in favour of human rights, absolutely without a doubt. And as far as I am concerned criminals should be granted basic human rights: food, water, exercise, sleeping quarters and they should have to work damn hard for the hours that they are awake. We are teaching offenders that all it takes to get a free ride in this life is to break the law. Something is very wrong with this equation.
I’m all good with it so long as their field trips are run through the trendier parts of Ottawa where the politicos and their families lives (and the media too).
Sure the crooks get $41k per, but then the next set of crooks, Revenue Canada (or whatever they’re calling themselves these days – CCRA, I guess), go to work and take their cut.
Then the Fibs get their mitts on the money and give it to their friends, who then promptly kick it back to the Lieberal Party O’ Bananada.
don’t forget they have another program where they pay people to monitor child sex offenders when they are away from their halfway houses.
Kinda makes you wonder why they aren’t in jail if they need close supervision so they won’t prey on any young childeren and sexually maul them if there isn’t someone watching.
And they all vote on the only issue that matters to all librano$$$$
“Their” brown envelope.
Ah the left is so kind, peace, love and joy, until the crime is in there backyard then it’s burn them at the stake. The left in this country makes me sick with their warped values that mean nothing because deep down it’s all self serving. Democracy is being eroded right in front of them yet Harper is scary because he said he will bring democratic reform to our government. Perhaps it is not Harper that is scary but the mere thought that reform of government will swell our jails with Liberals and extremist lefties.
The neo-conservatives use white envelopes, it adds an element of purity.
Don’t worry, they’ve registered their guns!
Ah, our kiss and hug judicial system at its finest.
Related to National Gum* Registry:
Exhibit # 789,909,789:
POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS
‘It’s a jungle gun’: Laval cop slain with .338 rifle. Man faces murder, firearms charges
Cst. Valerie Gignac
MONTREAL – The death of a young officer has left Laval police asking why a man who apparently had mental health problems and had a history of clashes with authority was allowed to possess a hunting rifle powerful enough to kill an elephant. (National Post)
PREVIOUS: Slain Quebec cop knew suspect Man accused of shooting officer was under firearms ban Laval cop shot dead: Man surrenders after standoff Suspect in custody after Quebec cop shot dead >>
primetimecrime.com
* H/T David Dingwall & his wad @ $1.29.
High Cost? Too many repeat offenders? System lacking deterence?
SOLUTION – Why not contract out all of Canada’s prison services to Mexico and stipulate that inmates be responsible for their own return transportation, if needed.
Thats’ the best ‘Ron’ can do? They’re all alike?
Shame on you, Ron. Your attitude makes you complicit in the lack of morality to which we appear to have sunk.
Sean- I have no objection to peer counseling, most prisons do that. But this does not belong at the Mall or Red Lobster. That was my point.
Haven’t read the article yet, but I’m familiar with the program. I was involved with some aspects of it in Winnipeg for a time, and met one of the fellows who did it.
I was surprised at the intelligence of this guy, who was once a dumb young punk and killed someone who pissed him off. He was pretty passionate about helping other lifers make the transition from prison back into society successfully, like he had done.
I just ran into an old friend at the L.C. and she told me he’s now the executive director of a local criminal justice agency here in Winnipeg. Trying to help prevent young people from getting involved in the system.
Oh and he was a beneficiary of the program. He thinks it really helped him.
One story is nothing, I know, but then it’s nothing to dismiss either.
Now, off to make good use of my trip to the L.C.!
Me thinks this is just a make work program for the Liberals that will end up in the crowbar hotel once ALL the books are opened by the AG.
After all, they are entitled to it.
in retroactive defence of the victims, murderers should get nothing but a bullet in the head. Not 41,000 frickin taxpayer dollars…!!
do you blame the yanks for wanting to seal the border?
this place gone entirely to the loons
CONVICTS OUT FOR SUPEREVISING OTHER CONVICTS WHAT A MESS THEY HAVE IN CANADA