PRISON NEEDS DRUG TREATMENT

Stewart was immediately notified of the escapes by prison
staff.

"It is relatively rare that they have walk-aways," he
said.

Figures given to the district by B.C. Corrections show that inmates do
between 160,000 to 180,000 hours of work in the community every year.

Stewart said during that time a low of three prisoners or a high of
six prisoners may walk away.

"Everyone that has walked away to date has been captured," not
including the three last weekend, he added.

"It is relatively easy for them to walk away, but for most of them, it
is not worth it."

Mayor Robson blames to the lack of drug treatment in B.C. prisons for
the inmates escaping custody, claiming they are drug addicts.

"The sad thing is, they haven't been able to get any treatment whiled
they've been incarcerated.

But some residents remain concerned that three inmates went missing in
just two days.

An association that represents more than 1,000 residents in east Maple
Ridge wants a notification system that warned their neighourbood
prison runaways to be reactivated.

The system was in place more than 15 years ago and used to work
effectively, said Mary Robson, a member of the Webster's Corner
Community Association and the mayor's wife.

"It bothers residents that they can just walk away."

Others worry that inmates on the loose might break into a house or
steal a car to drive out of Maple Ridge.

"When they are on the run, they are looking for resources or clothing
to get out of their bright orange suits," Robson said.

"As a neighbourhood, the fact that we are not being notified and the
fact that we read about it in the local paper is not a good thing."

B.C. Corrections doesn't have plans to reactivate the neighbourhood
notification system, saying the community has grown too large for it
to be effective.

"To know who to call and in what location can be very difficult," said
spokesperson Bruce Bannerman. "We don't want to alarm the public."

When an inmate walks away, corrections staff notify police, who take
over the search.

RCMP could not say if a police dog or helicopter was used in the
search of the missing inmates last week.

"Corrections doesn't have the resources to search for prisoners, so
that's why it is turned over to police, who are better equipped to be
apprehending offenders in the community," Bannerman said.

Corrections also said there are no plans to put electronic tracking
bracelets on inmates as a way to monitor their location.

"[The devices] leave a false impression with the public that we can
track people," said Bannerman.

The bracelets would only identify if prisoners have left an area, but
are unable to pinpoint their location like a global positioning device.

Corrections has scaled back outdoor work programs since the escapes
and does not know when the programs will return to their former capacity.

Inmates assigned to work crews are currently being employed in other
projects within the confines of the jail.

A review underway will investigate why the three inmates left the work
crews and if they had the right classification.

"We want to make sure that our work programs are safe as far as the
public is concerned and that we have the right individuals and the
appropriate levels of supervision out there," Bannerman said.

Police are asking to public not to approach any of the men if they
are spotted, but to call 911.

Anyone with any information is asked to call RCMP at 604-463-6251. To
remain anonymous call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or leave a tip
online at www.bccrimestoppers.com.