VIOLENCE ON THE RISE IN FEDERAL PRISONS

Canada's prisons are becoming more dangerous for guards and prisoners
as a result of increasingly violent inmates, drug abuse and a growth
in organized crime, according to a new report by the Correctional
Service Canada.

"Front-line staff have identified that the climate in institutions is
changing, with assaultive behaviour becoming more pronounced and with
more incidents of aggressive, intimidating behaviour that is
problematic, but short of reportable assaults," the service states in
its planning-and-priorities annual report tabled yesterday in the Commons.

There were 764 incidents of major and minor assaults in federal
prisons in 2005-06, compared to 651 a year earlier and 695 in 2003-04.

The report says the number of new inmates citing gang affiliations
has increased from 12 per cent in 1997 to 16 per cent this year, and
notes drug trafficking is a "major contributor" to violence.

Some of the abuse is having a major impact even if the physical
injuries are minimal to non-existent, according to the correctional service.

"The increase in instances of bodily fluids and waste being thrown on
staff, and verbal assaults such as threats to harm, has only recently
been fully appreciated for its impact," it states. "These incidents
are now better understood as precursors to physical violence and
indicative of an ingrained lack of respect for others."

The report cites a 2006 internal correctional service audit which
found the service's Pacific region had the worst incidence of drug
abuse by inmates.

More than a quarter, 27.4 per cent, of B.C. inmates chosen for random
drug tests either failed or refused to provide a sample. The next
highest was Quebec, at 25.4 per cent, while the lowest were the
Prairie prisons, with an 18 per cent failure/refusal rate.

Correctional service spokesman Dennis Finlay said the increase in
violence is a result of a higher number of violent younger convicts
getting sentences of two or more years, which results in them going
to federal rather than provincial jails.

"These are usually younger offenders who are still quite prone to violence."

The report tabled yesterday also reported aboriginal people remain
grossly over-represented in the prison population.

While aboriginal adults make up 2.7 per cent of Canada's adult
population, they make up 17 per cent of total federal inmates.