P.E.I. JAIL TO GET MAJOR EXPANSION

Sleepy Hollow Jail Faces Overcrowding, Especially On Weekends

CHARLOTTETOWN - Sleepy Hollow isn't so sleepy these days, it would
seem.

The Charlottetown jail has been seeing steady increases of inmates
over the past several years, which has been causing overcrowding and
security concerns.

That's why tenders are about to close on a 100-square-foot unit soon
to be constructed adjacent to the current jail facility, with an
adjoining pedway to connect the two units.

This new unit will create an additional 48 beds and will create a
separate space for lower-risk inmates who only serve intermittent
sentences -- known as 'weekenders.'

"There is overcrowding, particularly on weekends," said Craig
McDowell, Sleepy Hollow's corrections manager.

"The major issue is for security and safety concerns with regards to
weekenders coming in, and more often than not they are pressured to
lug drugs into the institution and so on."

Without a separate area to house the offenders who travel in and out
of the facility, corrections officers have been forced to squeeze them
in amongst those serving longer, more serious sentences. This creates
severe security hazards, McDowell said.

"We're seeing issues with incompatibility issues, there's a high-need
type of population in the building -- so it's those combination of
things."

McDowell said he has noticed a steady increase in convicted offenders,
especially females.

This, coupled with street disputes and organized crime issues that
also exist among some of the inmates creates safety concerns.

"Those are trends that we're actually seeing, so when you start to put
them all together trying to find spots for women, intermittents,
existing population, incompatibility and security issues, then the
fallout is -- what do we do?"

The new extension will allow corrections officers the ability to
organize the inmates to allow for a better, safer jail.

The new unit is expected to be complete by next year and is estimated
to cost about $2-3 million.

But this is only the beginning of many upgrades.

McDowell said the upgrades most necessary after those at Sleepy Hollow
would be to the Prince County Correctional Centre in Summerside, which
is over 120 years old.

"In the last 30 years there hasn't been a whole lot of money spent (on
correctional facilities) other than the obvious upgrades that are
required," McDowell said.