COVID-19 trims Ontario's inmate populations by 24%
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Inmate populations at Ontario’s 25 jailhouses were reduced by 24% during the last two weeks to combat the spread of COVID-19.
Between March 16 and April 1, Ontario’s population of 8,344 inmates had dropped to 6,339 prisoners — down by 2,005 individuals, says an Ontario government memo obtained by the Toronto Sun.
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“We are at our lowest capacity numbers since January 2018,” stated the memo.
To reduce capacity, the province has implemented several measures including one that gives those serving weekend sentences — limited to 90 days — a huge break.
When weekend inmates report for incarceration, guards issue them a pass and they’re allowed to return home. After that, they won’t have to report to jail every weekend.
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The ministry is conducting a temporary absence review for all inmates to determine if they’re eligible for early release. Corrections officials are looking to release only those who are near the end of their sentences and considered a low risk to commit more crimes.
Inmates convicted of violent crimes, including those involving firearms, won’t be considered for early release.
Personal visits have been suspended indefinitely. Professional visits, including those by lawyers will continue.
As of Wednesday, 58 inmates had been tested for COVID-19: Two inmates — both at the Toronto South Detention Centre — were postive, 31 came back negative, five are unknown and in 21 cases, results are pending. Two staffers and a contract worker have also tested positive for COVID-19.
Scarborough’s provincial courthouse was closed Thursday and Friday after a lawyer was found to be presumptively positive for COVID-19. It’s the second closure in two weeks at that location as a local Crown was also deemed to be a presumptive case.
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“Inmates are being tested but Ontario’s Crown attorneys who are presumptive cannot get tested because they’re not one of the priority groups,” said Tony Loparco, president of the Ontario Crown Attorneys’ Association.
“Crowns were required to attend courts until very recently and had contact with these very inmates. This is an incredible double standard. ”
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