Pubdate: Fri, 21 Dec 2012
Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB)
Copyright: 2012 The Edmonton Journal
Contact: 
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/opinion/letters/letters-to-the-editor.html
Website: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134
Author: Ryan Cormier

JUDGE CRITICIZES REMAND CENTRE OVER

A gap between policy and practice has made the Edmonton Remand Centre
ineffective in controlling illegal drug use among its inmate
population, a provincial court judge has found.

Judge Janet Dixon criticized the remand centre in her fatality inquiry
report into the death of inmate John Pierre Boily, 49, who died from a
methadone overdose on March 19, 2009. Methadone is a synthetic drug
commonly used in the treatment of heroin addicts, though it was not
prescribed to Boily.

Boily had been in continuous custody in Calgary, Red Deer and Edmonton
on various minor charges for more than a year when he died. Hours
before his death, Boily told another inmate he'd taken a "couple of
lines" of methadone and felt sick. Correctional officers checked on
Boily in his cell four times between 6 and 9 p.m. At 10:30 p.m., he
was found unresponsive. He was declared dead at the Royal Alexandra
Hospital roughly an hour later.

Dixon was particularly concerned, she wrote, that Boily was not the
only inmate to have medical problems with illegal drugs in the centre
at the time. "The most compelling evidence before this Inquiry of the
ineffectiveness of the policies and procedures in place is the death
of Mr. Boily in association with the other similar overdose incidents
around the same time period."

Four other methadone overdose incidents occurred in the remand centre
between March 18 and 23, 2009. The inquiry heard that correctional
staff do not always do the strip searches mandated by policy upon
inmate arrival. On surveillance footage, investigating police officers
noted that inmates appeared to be passing each other objects between
various cells.

Correctional staff told police that some inmates were skilled at
throwing drugs and other contraband under cell doors. It was a nightly
occurrence, staff said.

Dixon wrote that she was concerned that these events were not followed
by cell searches. While such policies were in place, Dixon did not
believe they were followed each day.

"The evidence before this Inquiry suggests there is room for
improvement," she wrote.

Dixon recommended the centre analyze the effectiveness of its own
policies, develop an audit program to ensure they are followed and
develop further policy to address the risk of staff bringing
contraband into the facility.

Solicitor General spokesman Jason Maloney said that all the
recommendations will be considered. "Our staff are highly trained
professionals who try very hard to keep contraband and illegal drugs
out of the Edmonton Remand Centre," Maloney said.

An Edmonton Police Service investigation into Boily's death failed to
find the source of the methadone and no charges were laid.

Fatality inquiries seek to make recommendations to avoid similar
deaths in the future, but do not assign legal responsibility.
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