BC Corrections is reviewing the suitability of releasing certain non-violent prisoners early to ease inmate populations amid the COVID-19 health crisis. It's not known if any NCC inmates have or will be granted early release. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

COVID-19 prison impact

Early release for non-violent offenders under review, prison officials implement COVID-19 response plan

Apr 4, 2020 | 3:24 PM

NANAIMO — Early release for certain prisoners is one of numerous changes impacting the province’s prison and judicial system during the evolving COVID-19 pandemic.

Risk assessments are underway to determine if convicted non-violent offenders in the province’s correctional centres are candidates for early release to assist social distancing guidelines, the ministry of public safety and solicitor general said.

Conditions of early release are based on several factors, including criminal history, offence type and public risk.

Inmates on intermittent sentences have already been granted temporary absences to ease prison populations, the ministry said.

BC Corrections data showed 1,860 inmates were in the province’s 10 correctional centres as of April 1, down by 324 inmates compared to March 15.

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On April 2 provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced an inmate at the Okanagan Correctional Centre in Oliver, B.C. tested positive for COVID-19.

Nobody else in the inmates unit is symptomatic, the ministry said.

The province said efforts to improve physical distancing in B.C’s correctional centres includes placing inmates in smaller groups during meals and encouraging inmates to eat in their cells.

Written and verbal reminders have been given to inmates about the importance of social distancing and hand-washing.

Anyone who develops COVID-19 symptoms on a living unit would be separated immediately and not doubled-bunked, “however, many living units, like households, contain people who have self-isolated as a group and no longer pose a transmission threat to one-another, given their lack of exposure to outsiders,” the ministry said.

in-person visits are banned and inmates are encouraged to not communicate with their lawyers face-to-face.

The province’s entire judicial system has been derailed by COVID-19.

Court proceedings across the province were drastically scaled back in mid March, including a temporary closure in Nanaimo, Campbell River and Chilliwack because of a COVID-19 transmission concerns.

Numerous cases at the busy Nanaimo courthouse have been adjourned in recent weeks due to COVID-19, while non-urgent matters aren’t being heard province-wide.

It remains to be determined if unresolved cases against offenders across B.C. Will be dropped as a result of COVID-19.

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms stipulates an accused has the right to be tried in a reasonable length of time. A limit of 18 months and 30 months between charges and judgment for provincial and supreme court cases respectively are in place for an accused, minus defence delays.

“It is too early to speculate how long these delays will last and what the ultimate effect will be on prosecution files,” A BC Prosection Service statement to NanaimoNewsNOW read.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @repoterholmes