Justice minister orders outside review of N.L. jails

Newfoundland and Labrador's justice minister promised sweeping reforms Friday to the province's jails, which have long been criticized as having brutal living conditions.

Jerome Kennedy ordered an independent review of adult corrections facilities, with the goal of improving conditions for both inmates and the staff who guard and treat them.

"When I went through there last week, I was appalled," Kennedy told reporters Friday in St. John's, describing a tour of Her Majesty's Penitentiary, the oldest and main prison in the province.

He said Auditor General John Noseworthy's recent criticism of correctional facilities first gave him the idea to order this review.

Kennedy said two recent deaths at HMP, one of which was a suicide, and controversies at other facilities showed that the system needs significant reform.

Kennedy had already pledged action on facilities in Labrador. A lockup in Happy Valley-Goose Bay does not have dedicated space for women and youth, and a mentally distraught female inmate was held naked for several days in a cell because there was no space available to hold her in the local hospital.

"This will lead I expect to a fairly extensive overhaul of corrections," Kennedy said.

Kennedy has hired two retired, out-of-province prison officials, Simonne Poirier and Gregory Brown, to conduct the review, which will also focus on making working conditions safer for employees.

Among other things, Kennedy also wants to see better mental health and treatment services for inmates.

"It's not a spa or a hotel. But also people have to be treated with basic human dignity and respect," Kennedy said.

Kennedy said the consultants have two months to do their work, because he wants to start making changes as soon as possible.