The B.C. Supreme Court91裸聊视频檚 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 Wednesday91裸聊视频檚 decision paved the way to address psychological ramifications of segregating prisoners.
91裸聊视频淭his case is really exciting because the remedies were so strong,91裸聊视频� said Metcalfe.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 really going to change the way prisons are administered and I think it will have really far-reaching impacts.91裸聊视频�
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 government91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频渙veruse of administrative segregation91裸聊视频� for both the B.C. case and a similar lawsuit in Ontario.
Goodale said that the Liberal government has been working on reforms to 91裸聊视频渞emedy the mistaken views and directions of the Harper era91裸聊视频� since early 2016 but that the work will take 91裸聊视频渢ime and effort.91裸聊视频�
Metcalfe said the decision made in Wednesday91裸聊视频檚 ruling was much stronger than the one in the March 2017 Canadian Civil Liberties Association case.
91裸聊视频淚n the Canadian Civil Liberties case, they found that health monitoring would deal with a lot of the issues,91裸聊视频� said Metcalfe.
91裸聊视频淭his one rejected that health monitoring is adequate to address the psychological and health impact on prisoners in segregation.91裸聊视频�
Today is a landmark moment for prison justice in Canada. This victory belongs to the prisoners who have suffered in
91裸聊视频� 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 inmates91裸聊视频� mental health, Metcalfe said.
91裸聊视频淭he laws authorized prolonged, indefinite administrative segregation for anyone91裸聊视频� that lacked meaningful human contact,91裸聊视频� said Metcalfe.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e had clients who have been in for over a year. They might have a day here and there where they91裸聊视频檙e out, but the vast majority of their time over a period of years was in segregation.91裸聊视频�
Metcalfe said that as a result, those clients developed post-traumatic stress disorder and began to self-harm 91裸聊视频� far from the rehabilitation that prisons are supposed to provide.
91裸聊视频淸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,91裸聊视频� said Metcalfe.
91裸聊视频淎 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.91裸聊视频�
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