CANADA | Eight years after committing to implement minimum international standards for prison inspections, British Columbia still has not done so

British Columbia’s Ombudsperson Jay Chalke released an investigative update on 22 July 2024 assessing government’s progress implementing the sole remaining recommendation from his office’s 2016 report aimed at improving how BC’s ten correctional centres are inspected.

Under Inspection: The Hiatus in BC Correctional Centre Inspections made seven recommendations aimed at making inspections more rigorous, consistent and independent. In 2018 the Ombudsperson concluded that six of the seven recommendations had been implemented. The seventh and key recommendation remained outstanding: ensuring inspections comply with the Nelson Mandela Rules, the United Nations minimum standards for the treatment of prisoners.

“Eight years ago government committed to implementing the UN Mandela Rules for prison inspections,” said Chalke. “Six years ago we reminded them that this one issue remained outstanding. I am deeply disappointed that after eight years, government has yet to fully implement the sole remaining recommendation that British Columbia comply with these global minimum standards.”

The Nelson Mandela Rules are based on an obligation to treat all people in custody with respect for their inherent dignity and value as human beings. Implementing the rules in BC requires government to establish a system of independent inspections for the province’s ten correctional centres. Inspection teams must include external members, including health care professionals, and inspection results should be made publicly available.

The Ombudsperson concluded BC has only partially implemented the relevant Mandela Rules. A new model of inspections carried out by a branch of the Ministry of the Attorney General, the Investigation and Standards Office (ISO), began in 2023. To date, the ISO has not included independent participants from outside government on the inspection teams, including health care professionals. Nor has it reported publicly on completed inspections.

To read the full article, kindly click here. 

Source: Ombudsperson British Columbia, Canada