Neil Leslie died in hospital after he was beaten in a living unit at North Fraser Pretrial Centre on April 17. Another prisoner, Zachariah Pakarinen, 27, has been charged with aggravated assault in the attack. Read more...

A mixture of feces and urine was thrown at a guard at the Vancouver Island Regional Correctional Centre, hitting her on the face and chest. Read more...

Violence in B.C. prisons is on the rise, says the union representing jail guards, which is calling for more staff to handle the increased number of attacks behind bars. Read more...

DATE:                 THURSDAY, May 19, 2016
TIME:                 SESSION ONE

DATE:             FRIDAY, May 20, 2016

TIME:              SESSION ONE

Yesterday, BCGEU president Stephanie Smith met with Suzanne Anton, Minister of Justice. Also attending the meeting were BCGEU vice presidents Dean Purdy (Corrections and Sheriff Services – Component 1); Doug Kinna (Social, Information and Health – Component 6); and Lori Joaquin (Administrative Services – Component 12) along with Maria Middlemiss (BCGEU Component 12 first vice-chair,) and BCGEU Regional Coordinator Michael Eso. Minister Anton was accompanied by her deputy minister and other senior staff.

The number of assaults by inmates against staff at Vancouver Island Regional Correctional Centre more than doubled last year, part of a rise in violence at jails across B.C., government statistics show. Read more...

The Workers’ Compensation Board has found the B.C. Sheriff Services in violation of important health and safety regulations. The violations concern the new radios issued to sheriffs that should enable clear, 2-way communication between sheriffs in the field, their supervisor and central dispatch.

A former corrections officer says management at a maximum security jail in B.C. is deliberately overworking part-time guards to the point some of the sleep-deprived officers are getting into dangerous confrontations with prisoners. Read more...