Nothing new in prison review, former NAPE president says

A recent review of the prison system in Newfoundland and Labrador contains nothing new, according to a former labour leader and prison guard.

Leo Puddister, former president of the Newfoundland Association of Public Employees (NAPE,) told CBC News that he often complained to the province's justice ministers about the very problems outlined in the report released Monday, during his 15 years as an employee at Her Majesty's Penitentiary in St. John's.

The independent review, released publicly Dec. 8, found that Newfoundland and Labrador's jails are plagued by poor leadership, rotting facilities, weak security and rock-bottom morale.

"We presented four security briefs over a 15-year period and the latest one we presented was in 2000, with over 70 recommendations about security," Puddister said. "And to see the report dealing with those security breaches now is certainly uplifting, and it's almost too late to say 'I told you so,'... why they let them continue is beyond belief."

Justice Minister Tom Marshall defended the government, pointing out that making changes boils down to whatit can and cannot afford.

"Different issues are dealt with through the budget process ... each government assesses its priorities and deals with those priorities as best it can given the resources it has."

The report was given to government on Oct. 1, resulting in the dismissal of two top officials in the corrections system, and the implementation of a number of operational changes. John Scoville, the superintendent of prisons, was one of the officials who was let go.

"The union was opposed to Scoville being appointed," Puddister said. "And we made representation to the minister of justice of the day, which was Kelvin Parsons. We felt he wasn't qualified."

Graham Rogerson was appointed to replace Scoville in an acting capacity.

The report makes wide-ranging recommendations, from issuing protective vests and collapsible batons to correctional officers, to offering training to officers to help them better understand mental health issues.

Better counselling, and more of it, will be offered to inmates, including to those suffering with addictions. Advocates and judges have pointed out the provincial corrections system has serious weaknesses in that area.

The province's jails together hold 281 inmates, who are supervised by 215 permanent employees and 54 temporary staff.