Pubdate: Wed, 22 Dec 2004
Source: Express (CN NF)
Copyright: 2004 The Express
Contact:  http://express.optipresspublishing.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3288
Author: Danette Dooley
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration)

CHRISTMAS BEHIND BARS

Drug Problem Cancels Yuletide Visits This Year

Inmates at Her Majesty's Penitentiary in St. John's won't be quick to get 
out of their cells on Christmas morning. Waking up reminds them too much of 
life on the outside.

"The longer they sleep, the quicker Christmas goes for them," said HMP's 
Lieutenant David Hickey during a recent interview at the penitentiary.

A phone call will be the closest contact prisoners will have with family, 
friends and children. No visitors will be allowed on Christmas Day.

"People have wanted to send in gifts to prisoners, but we don't accept 
anything like that either," Hickey says.

Correctional officers are trained to watch for and spot suicidal 
tendencies. That risk is increased during the Christmas season, Hickey 
says. More checks are conducted. If a change in an inmate's behaviour is 
noted, the prisoner may be placed on watch, for his own safety.

Up until a few years ago, up to 30 inmates at the penitentiary were given 
temporary absence passes to spend Christmas Day with their families.

However, because of the growing drug problem in the St. John's area, those 
privileges have been denied. No one leaves the facility now as they did 
years ago.

"The biggest thing we had to worry about then was someone coming back 
drunk. That was a problem and the person might not get the same break the 
next year. But once they slept it off, that was it. But with the drug 
problems we're facing now, we just can't handle it anymore."

'It's Been a Problem'

That means about 140 inmates who are now at HMP will spend Christmas behind 
bars. They range in age from 18 to 70, Hickey says. Their offences were 
mostly break and entry and property offences. The majority were drug related.

(There are also some inmates serving a federal sentence for more serious 
crimes. They have asked and been granted permission to remain in this 
province to serve out their time. Each case is looked at on an individual 
basis.)

The same routine will be in place on Christmas Day as any other day, a 
traditional turkey dinner and cold plate supper will be served.

Inmates are locked into their cells at 11:30 each night and let out at 8 a.m.

"They can then go into their common area. They have a TV there, a kettle, a 
toaster...and that's generally where they'll spend their time, especially 
on Christmas Day because there's not much else open here then."

While the majority of prisoners are repeat offenders, for many, it's their 
first time locked up during the holidays. Correctional officers are always 
on the lookout for fights that can occur between prisoners, especially at 
Christmas time.

"I find that over the last couple of years it's a bigger problem than what 
it used to be," Hickey says of prisoners getting along with one another.

Prison staff do what they can to keep prisoners that may cause disturbances 
separated from each other, he says.

"Again, it goes back to the drug problem," Hickey notes. "These are people 
that were on the street, were selling drugs and then they all end up in 
here. And then we have situations where some people have testified against 
someone else, someone owes money for drugs. So, then, when you get this 
population all in the one area, it's been a problem."

With the exception of Christmas meals and perhaps a get-together with some 
local volunteers, Dec. 25 is just another day behind bars.

Staff will do whatever they can to listen to prisoners who may want an ear. 
At the end of the day, however, each individual must handle the situation 
they find themselves in, in their own way.

"We may have a church group come in," Hickey says. "They'll bring in 
sandwiches and cookies and drink. There may be someone with a guitar. A lot 
of the population will go over. But some would rather just do their own 
thing. Whatever it takes to get them through the day."

'It's Hard Enough'

During a walk-about with Hickey of some sections of The Pen, as the 
facility is called, inmates can be seen sweeping floors, emptying garbage 
and preparing lunch in the kitchen. All are friendly and quick with a hello.

Four prisoners who have agreed to be interviewed for this story on the 
condition of anonymity are paged over the loud speaker. They soon arrive in 
the room and take seats on black plastic chairs. Hickey sits at the back of 
the room and does not interfere with the interview.

Celebrating Christmas with family isn't the norm for 'John.' He's spent 
three at the Whitbourne Youth Correctional Facility and is now getting a 
taste of Christmas in an adult prison. He has been here about eight months 
now, he says, for break and entry and possession of stolen property 
offences. John has yet to turn 19. He doesn't have much to look forward to, 
and will likely be disciplined since a urine test found drugs in his system.

'Stressed Out to the Max'

"It's hard enough being in here, but it eases it a bit, the drugs," he 
says. "It's hard not to be stressed out to the max."

Three of the four inmates in the room say their crimes were all drug 
related. It's hard to break the addictions they say.

Break and entries are also the types of crimes 'Michael' committed. The 
23-year-old was released on parole, but found himself back behind bars for 
breaching his conditions. He has spent one Christmas at Whitbourne and this 
is his second at the penitentiary. Like John, Michael's crimes were drug 
related. Yet, there's something he'll miss even more than drugs on 
Christmas morning.

"I've got a four-year-old boy and I misses him to death. I talked to him on 
the phone. He thinks I'm gone away working. But it's only a matter of time 
when he realizes where I am," he says.

"I know I'll be thinking of him. I'll try hard not to and just look at it 
as another day. But it's going to be a hard day. People are going around 
singing Christmas carols and the Salvation Army comes in and tries to do 
the best they can."

'No Visits?'

'Harold' will be spending his first Christmas behind bars. The 23-year-old 
is in on assault charges. He still has seven more months left to serve in 
his sentence. Christmas will be harder on inmates like Michael, who has a 
child to think about, he says.

When asked how they feel about no visitors on Christmas day, the four 
inmates look surprised. Then agitated.

"No visits? I didn't know that. Did you know about that?" John asks Michael.

For the first time since the interview began, they look toward Hickey 
seated in the back of the room.

"Is that true?" John asks.

"Not on Christmas Day. No," the lieutenant replies firmly.

"There's always a phone call," one of them quips, trying to downplay what 
they've just heard.

Thirty-seven-year-old 'Keith' is the veteran among these inmates. He has 
been in and out of prisons over the last two decades.

"I spent lots of Christmases here and lots away."

Keith's sentence is coming to an end. If all goes well, he'll be set free 
in about a month. His first time behind bars was when he was 16. It was a 
time when inmates were given three packs of tobacco and a pack of papers. 
It's a lot different now, he says.

Keith's crimes have all been fraud related. Alcohol has been his downfall, 
he says. In order to stay on the outside, he must remain sober.

"I'm definitely an alcoholic. The day I first took up a bottle I was eight 
or nine-years-old. It's worse for me now. It gets worse as you get older. 
My mother died May past."

Keith is looking forward to going home in January. He's trying to look at 
his glass as half full rather than half empty. His wife has stood by him. 
He blames no one for his problems but himself.

"Nobody put me in here. I put myself in."

Keith tries to concentrate on the positive rather than focus on the negative.

"I've got a job here that keeps me busy. Yesterday I was the garbage man 
and the mattress man. So I do a bit of everything and that helps you pass 
the time."

Keith admits when released in the past he didn't put enough effort into 
staying sober. Drinking led to crime when led straight back to prison.

"But when you're in here so long, you've got lots of time to sit and think, 
not about yourself but about the ones you're hurting. No wonder my wife 
hates alcohol for what I've put her through. But it's not too late for me 
to change."

While he'll be relying on his determination to stay sober to keep him out 
of jail once he's released in January, Keith will turn to sleep to get him 
through Christmas Day.

"It's my mother's birthday, too," he adds
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