Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Ashley Legassic

RALLY AGAINST VIOLENCE

Correctional officers to protest in Kamloops against prison violence

Oct 15, 2019 | 11:37 AM

KAMLOOPS — Correctional officers are planning to hold a rally protesting prison violence later this week.

The rally will take place this Thursday (Oct. 17) at Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre.

In a news release, the BC Government and Service Employees’ Union says the rally is an effort to bring attention to rapidly increasing incidents of violence against correctional officers.

The union says targeted violence toward officers has been increasing every year for the past five years and says there is a lack of support from the Corrections Branch.

“Prison violence continues to escalate and assaults on correctional officers have skyrocketed. These officers put their lives at risk every day and it’s just a matter of time before one of our members gets killed on the job,” says Dean Purdy, BCGEU vice president of Corrections and Sheriff Services. “Inmate over-crowding and double-bunking are serious safety issues that increase the threat to staff safety, but we still haven’t seen much movement by management on this issue.”

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In the release, the union says prior to 2001, the inmate-to-staff ratio in BC’s correctional facilities was capped at 20:1, and the ratio is now as high as 72:1.

“There is an opportunity now for the new government to bring the staff-to-inmate ratio back to manageable levels,” Purdy says. “Unless changes are made, BC’s correctional officers will continue to be put at high risk.”