Michael Ferguson answers questions on Nunavut corrections report

The Auditor General of Canada says overcrowding at Nunavut's notorious Baffin Correctional Centre has lead to more violence in the facility.

"The numbers of assaults in the institution has increase by three times over the last ten years," Michael Ferguson said in an interview. "And a lot of that is due to things like overcrowding."

Ferguson appeared before a legislative standing committee in Iqaluit Tuesday to answer questions about his report, released in March, which found that BCC puts the safety and security of inmates and staff at risk.It also found thatNunavut'sDepartment of Justice had been aware of the problem without fixing it for almost 20 years.

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Physical assaults on inmates, staff or visitors at the jail rose from 57 in 2002-03 to 185 ten years later, the report said.

The number of disrespectful or disruptive behaviour incidents also rose, from 119 in 200203 to 159 ten years later.

At the hearing Tuesday,Nunavutjustice officials said they are making improvements.

For example, mould is being removed from the BCC.

Ferguson says his office may do a follow-up audit to evaluate the changes.

The public hearing on the auditor general's report continues Wednesday and Thursday.

The CBC's Elyse Skuratweeted from the legislature on Tuesday afternoon.