The B.C. Supreme Court香蕉视频直播檚 is an opening to push for greater supports for federal inmates, according to the West Coast Prison Justice Society.
Jennifer Metcalfe, executive director of the Prisoner Legal Services branch, said that Wednesday香蕉视频直播檚 decision paved the way to address psychological ramifications of segregating prisoners.
香蕉视频直播淭his case is really exciting because the remedies were so strong,香蕉视频直播� said Metcalfe.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 really going to change the way prisons are administered and I think it will have really far-reaching impacts.香蕉视频直播�
The nine-week-long trial between the BC Civil Liberties Association, the John Howard Society of Canada and the Attorney General of Canada ended with Justice Peter Leask declaring the practice of isolating prisoners for undefined lengths of time unconstitutional.
The federal government, which has been given 12 months to change its practices, has not ruled out an appeal.
In a statement, public safety minister Ralph Goodale blamed the previous federal Conservative government香蕉视频直播檚 香蕉视频直播渙veruse of administrative segregation香蕉视频直播� for both the B.C. case and a similar lawsuit in Ontario.
Goodale said that the Liberal government has been working on reforms to 香蕉视频直播渞emedy the mistaken views and directions of the Harper era香蕉视频直播� since early 2016 but that the work will take 香蕉视频直播渢ime and effort.香蕉视频直播�
Metcalfe said the decision made in Wednesday香蕉视频直播檚 ruling was much stronger than the one in the March 2017 Canadian Civil Liberties Association case.
香蕉视频直播淚n the Canadian Civil Liberties case, they found that health monitoring would deal with a lot of the issues,香蕉视频直播� said Metcalfe.
香蕉视频直播淭his one rejected that health monitoring is adequate to address the psychological and health impact on prisoners in segregation.香蕉视频直播�
Today is a landmark moment for prison justice in Canada. This victory belongs to the prisoners who have suffered in
香蕉视频直播� BC Civil Liberties (@bccla)
The only remedy the judge in the Canadian Civil Liberties case case imposed, Metcalfe said, was that someone aside from the prison warden review segregation placements.
The B.C Supreme Court ruling that solitary confinement is a charter violation opens up more support for inmates香蕉视频直播� mental health, Metcalfe said.
香蕉视频直播淭he laws authorized prolonged, indefinite administrative segregation for anyone香蕉视频直播� that lacked meaningful human contact,香蕉视频直播� said Metcalfe.
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e had clients who have been in for over a year. They might have a day here and there where they香蕉视频直播檙e out, but the vast majority of their time over a period of years was in segregation.香蕉视频直播�
Metcalfe said that as a result, those clients developed post-traumatic stress disorder and began to self-harm 香蕉视频直播� far from the rehabilitation that prisons are supposed to provide.
香蕉视频直播淸The decision] found that the laws violated the charted because they allowed prisoners with mental-health issues to be held in segregation and they discriminate against Indigenous prisoners,香蕉视频直播� said Metcalfe.
香蕉视频直播淎 lot of the reasons why people end up in segregation should be addressed through access to therapeutic services, instead of just locking people up behind closed doors and throwing away the key.香蕉视频直播�
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