Dear Federal-Provincial-Territorial Public Safety Ministers,
I hope you and your loved ones are keeping healthy at this time. I am writing to request information from your respective ministries regarding the impact COVID-19 has had on prisoners in your custody, institutional staff, the number of people incarcerated in your carceral institutions, entry and exit procedures, conditions of confinement, as well as information and oversight procedures available to prisoners.
Please have the offices of your deputy ministers responsible for the prisons you oversee provide the information requested below by 2 May 2020.
This information will then be analyzed and included in a report that will be put together by graduate and undergraduate students registered in my directed research course at the University of Ottawa entitled Policing and Imprisoning the COVID-19 Crisis, which will be taught from May 4 to June 12. The report will review common and best practices to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 behind and beyond prison walls. Upon its completion, you will receive a copy of the report, along with the dozens of journalists (cc’d) who have been following the impact of the COVID-19 crisis in prisons across Canada over the past few weeks or who have recently reported on incarceration-related issues.
COVID-19 CASES
COVID-19 – Prisoners
Number of Positive Tests as of 1 March 2020:
Number of Positive Tests as of 15 March 2020:
Number of Positive Tests as of 1 April 2020:
Number of Positive Tests as of 15 April 2020:
Number of Positive Tests as of 1 May 2020:
Number of Positive Tests as of 1 May 2020:
Number of Negative Tests as of 1 March 2020:
Number of Negative Tests as of 15 March 2020:
Number of Negative Tests as of 1 April 2020:
Number of Negative Tests as of 15 April 2020:
Number of Negative Tests as of 1 May 2020:
Number of Pending Tests as of 1 March 2020:
Number of Pending Tests as of 15 March 2020:
Number of Pending Tests as of 1 April 2020:
Number of Pending Tests as of 15 April 2020:
Number of Pending Tests as of 1 May 2020:
Total Number of Tests as of 1 March 2020:
Total Number of Tests as of 15 March 2020:
Total Number of Tests as of 1 April 2020:
Total Number of Tests as of 15 April 2020:
Total Number of Tests as of 1 May 2020:
COVID-19 – Staff and Contractors
Number of Positive Tests as of 1 March 2020:
Number of Positive Tests as of 15 March 2020:
Number of Positive Tests as of 1 April 2020:
Number of Positive Tests as of 15 April 2020:
Number of Positive Tests as of 1 May 2020:
Number of Positive Tests as of 1 May 2020:
Number of Negative Tests as of 1 March 2020:
Number of Negative Tests as of 15 March 2020:
Number of Negative Tests as of 1 April 2020:
Number of Negative Tests as of 15 April 2020:
Number of Negative Tests as of 1 May 2020:
Number of Pending Tests as of 1 March 2020:
Number of Pending Tests as of 15 March 2020:
Number of Pending Tests as of 1 April 2020:
Number of Pending Tests as of 15 April 2020:
Number of Pending Tests as of 1 May 2020:
Total Number of Tests as of 1 March 2020:
Total Number of Tests as of 15 March 2020:
Total Number of Tests as of 1 April 2020:
Total Number of Tests as of 15 April 2020:
Total Number of Tests as of 1 May 2020:
POPULATION CHANGES (1 March - 1 May 2020)
Population Count
Number of Prisoners as of 1 March 2020:
Number of Prisoners as of 15 March 2020:
Number of Prisoners as of 1 April 2020:
Number of Prisoners as of 15 April 2020:
Number of Prisoners as of 1 May 2020:
Population Reduction MeasuresBail (provincial/territorial): YES / NO (with numbers if applicable and available)
Temporary Absences (intermittent sentences – provincial/territorial): YES / NO (with numbers if applicable and available)
Temporary Absences (medical releases): YES / NO (with numbers if applicable and available)
Temporary Absences (compassionate releases): YES / NO (with numbers if applicable and available)
Temporary Absences (other): YES / NO (with numbers if applicable and available)
Parole / Earned Remission: YES / NO (with numbers if applicable and available)
Royal Prerogative of Mercy (federal): YES / NO (with numbers if applicable and available)
Other (please specify): YES / NO (with numbers if applicable and available)
ENTRY AND EXIT PROCEDURES (1 March - 1 May 2020)
Entry Screening (staff and prisoners)
Temperature Check: YES / NO
Medical Assessment by Medical Professional: YES / NO
Other (please specify): YES / NO
Exit Screening (staff and prisoners)
Temperature Check: YES / NO
Medical Assessment by Medical Professional: YES / NO
Other (please specify): YES / NO
CONDITIONS OF CONFINEMENT (1 March - 1 May 2020)
COVID-19 Related Health Measures
Number of Medical Staff: INCREASED / NO CHANGE / DECREASED
Medical Staff Hours: INCREASED / NO CHANGE / DECREASED
Number of Mental Health Staff: INCREASED / NO CHANGE / DECREASED
Mental Health Staff Hours: INCREASED / NO CHANGE / DECREASED
Access to Vitamins and Supplements: INCREASED / NO CHANGE / DECREASED
Access to Non-prescription Medication: INCREASED / NO CHANGE / DECREASED
Access to Prescription Medication: INCREASED / NO CHANGE / DECREASED
COVID-19 Related Personal Hygiene Measures
More Soap: YES / NO
More Toilet Paper: YES / NO
Hand Sanitizer: YES / NO
Hand Sanitizer: YES / NO
Sanitizer Wipes: YES / NO
PPE for All Prisoners: YES / NO
PPE for Some Prisoners: YES / NO
PPE for All Staff: YES / NO
PPE for Some Staff: YES / NO
COVID-19 Related Cleaning Measures
Laundry: INCREASED / NO CHANGE / DECREASED
Cleaning of Common Areas: INCREASED / NO CHANGE / DECREASED
Disinfection of Common Areas: INCREASED / NO CHANGE / DECREASED
Cleaning of Cells: INCREASED / NO CHANGE / DECREASED
Disinfection of Cells: INCREASED / NO CHANGE / DECREASED
COVID-19 Related Prisoner Movement Restrictions
Number of Lockdowns (suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases):
Number of Lockdowns (work refusals):
Number of Lockdowns (other – please specify):
Number of Isolation / Quarantine Placements (at admisison):
Number of Isolation / Quarantine Placements (post-admisison):
COVID-19 Related Enhancements to Conditions of Confinement
Quantity of Food: INCREASED / NO CHANGE / DECREASED
Quality of Food: INCREASED / NO CHANGE / DECREASED
Free Canteen: YES / NO
Weekly Canteen Limits: INCREASED / NO CHANGE / DECREASED
Other (please describe):
Suspension of In-person Visits
Personal Visits: YES / NO
Legal /Attorney Visits: YES / NO
Religious and Cultural Visits: YES / NO
Programming and Volunteer Visits: YES / NO
Oversight Visits: YES / NO
Other Visits (please specify): YES / NO
Alternatives to In-person VisitsPhone System: CHANGED DUE TO COVID-19 RESPONSE / UNCHANGED
Free Calling for Prisoners: YES / NO
Limited Number of Free Calls for Prisoners: YES / NO
Calling for/paid by Prisoners: YES / NO
Collect Calling for Prisoners: YES / NO
Video-conferencing for All Prisoners: YES / NO
Video-conferencing for Some Prisoners: YES / NO
Call and/or Video-conferencing Time Limits for Prisoners: INCREASED / NO CHANGE / DECREASED
INFORMATION AND OVERSIGHT PROCEDURES (1 March - 1 May 2020)
Written Information Provided to Prisoners
COVID-19 Symptoms: YES / NO
COVID-19 Risks: YES / NO
COVID-19 Treatment: YES / NO
COVID-19 Institutional Protocols: YES / NO
Corrections Legislation: YES / NO
Institutional Services, Policies and Procedures Manual: YES / NO
Standing Orders and Directives: YES / NO
Complaints, Grievances, Request and Oversight Forms: YES / NO
OTHER
Please add any additional information about measures taken by your ministry to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 amongst prisoners and staff in your institutions:
[add comments]
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You may also be interested in a resource I have developed tracking government measures and media coverage as it relates to COVID-19 and imprisonment. If you would like me or my students to conduct related research on your behalf or have any questions feel free to contact me anytime by email at justin.piche@uottawa.ca or by phone at 613-793-1093.
Sincerely,
Justin Piché, PhD
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