CHRISTMAS BEHIND BARS

Drug Problem Cancels Yuletide Visits This Year

Inmates at Her Majesty's Penitentiary in St. John's won't be quick to get
out of their cells on Christmas morning. Waking up reminds them too much of
life on the outside.

"The longer they sleep, the quicker Christmas goes for them," said HMP's
Lieutenant David Hickey during a recent interview at the penitentiary.

A phone call will be the closest contact prisoners will have with family,
friends and children. No visitors will be allowed on Christmas Day.

"People have wanted to send in gifts to prisoners, but we don't accept
anything like that either," Hickey says.

Correctional officers are trained to watch for and spot suicidal
tendencies. That risk is increased during the Christmas season, Hickey
says. More checks are conducted. If a change in an inmate's behaviour is
noted, the prisoner may be placed on watch, for his own safety.

Up until a few years ago, up to 30 inmates at the penitentiary were given
temporary absence passes to spend Christmas Day with their families.

However, because of the growing drug problem in the St. John's area, those
privileges have been denied. No one leaves the facility now as they did
years ago.

"The biggest thing we had to worry about then was someone coming back
drunk. That was a problem and the person might not get the same break the
next year. But once they slept it off, that was it. But with the drug
problems we're facing now, we just can't handle it anymore."

'It's Been a Problem'

That means about 140 inmates who are now at HMP will spend Christmas behind
bars. They range in age from 18 to 70, Hickey says. Their offences were
mostly break and entry and property offences. The majority were drug related.

(There are also some inmates serving a federal sentence for more serious
crimes. They have asked and been granted permission to remain in this
province to serve out their time. Each case is looked at on an individual
basis.)

The same routine will be in place on Christmas Day as any other day, a
traditional turkey dinner and cold plate supper will be served.

Inmates are locked into their cells at 11:30 each night and let out at 8 a.m.

"They can then go into their common area. They have a TV there, a kettle, a
toaster...and that's generally where they'll spend their time, especially
on Christmas Day because there's not much else open here then."

While the majority of prisoners are repeat offenders, for many, it's their
first time locked up during the holidays. Correctional officers are always
on the lookout for fights that can occur between prisoners, especially at
Christmas time.

"I find that over the last couple of years it's a bigger problem than what
it used to be," Hickey says of prisoners getting along with one another.

Prison staff do what they can to keep prisoners that may cause disturbances
separated from each other, he says.

"Again, it goes back to the drug problem," Hickey notes. "These are people
that were on the street, were selling drugs and then they all end up in
here. And then we have situations where some people have testified against
someone else, someone owes money for drugs. So, then, when you get this
population all in the one area, it's been a problem."

With the exception of Christmas meals and perhaps a get-together with some
local volunteers, Dec. 25 is just another day behind bars.

Staff will do whatever they can to listen to prisoners who may want an ear.
At the end of the day, however, each individual must handle the situation
they find themselves in, in their own way.

"We may have a church group come in," Hickey says. "They'll bring in
sandwiches and cookies and drink. There may be someone with a guitar. A lot
of the population will go over. But some would rather just do their own
thing. Whatever it takes to get them through the day."

'It's Hard Enough'

During a walk-about with Hickey of some sections of The Pen, as the
facility is called, inmates can be seen sweeping floors, emptying garbage
and preparing lunch in the kitchen. All are friendly and quick with a hello.

Four prisoners who have agreed to be interviewed for this story on the
condition of anonymity are paged over the loud speaker. They soon arrive in
the room and take seats on black plastic chairs. Hickey sits at the back of
the room and does not interfere with the interview.

Celebrating Christmas with family isn't the norm for 'John.' He's spent
three at the Whitbourne Youth Correctional Facility and is now getting a
taste of Christmas in an adult prison. He has been here about eight months
now, he says, for break and entry and possession of stolen property
offences. John has yet to turn 19. He doesn't have much to look forward to,
and will likely be disciplined since a urine test found drugs in his system.

'Stressed Out to the Max'

"It's hard enough being in here, but it eases it a bit, the drugs," he
says. "It's hard not to be stressed out to the max."

Three of the four inmates in the room say their crimes were all drug
related. It's hard to break the addictions they say.

Break and entries are also the types of crimes 'Michael' committed. The
23-year-old was released on parole, but found himself back behind bars for
breaching his conditions. He has spent one Christmas at Whitbourne and this
is his second at the penitentiary. Like John, Michael's crimes were drug
related. Yet, there's something he'll miss even more than drugs on
Christmas morning.

"I've got a four-year-old boy and I misses him to death. I talked to him on
the phone. He thinks I'm gone away working. But it's only a matter of time
when he realizes where I am," he says.

"I know I'll be thinking of him. I'll try hard not to and just look at it
as another day. But it's going to be a hard day. People are going around
singing Christmas carols and the Salvation Army comes in and tries to do
the best they can."

'No Visits?'

'Harold' will be spending his first Christmas behind bars. The 23-year-old
is in on assault charges. He still has seven more months left to serve in
his sentence. Christmas will be harder on inmates like Michael, who has a
child to think about, he says.

When asked how they feel about no visitors on Christmas day, the four
inmates look surprised. Then agitated.

"No visits? I didn't know that. Did you know about that?" John asks Michael.

For the first time since the interview began, they look toward Hickey
seated in the back of the room.

"Is that true?" John asks.

"Not on Christmas Day. No," the lieutenant replies firmly.

"There's always a phone call," one of them quips, trying to downplay what
they've just heard.

Thirty-seven-year-old 'Keith' is the veteran among these inmates. He has
been in and out of prisons over the last two decades.

"I spent lots of Christmases here and lots away."

Keith's sentence is coming to an end. If all goes well, he'll be set free
in about a month. His first time behind bars was when he was 16. It was a
time when inmates were given three packs of tobacco and a pack of papers.
It's a lot different now, he says.

Keith's crimes have all been fraud related. Alcohol has been his downfall,
he says. In order to stay on the outside, he must remain sober.

"I'm definitely an alcoholic. The day I first took up a bottle I was eight
or nine-years-old. It's worse for me now. It gets worse as you get older.
My mother died May past."

Keith is looking forward to going home in January. He's trying to look at
his glass as half full rather than half empty. His wife has stood by him.
He blames no one for his problems but himself.

"Nobody put me in here. I put myself in."

Keith tries to concentrate on the positive rather than focus on the negative.

"I've got a job here that keeps me busy. Yesterday I was the garbage man
and the mattress man. So I do a bit of everything and that helps you pass
the time."

Keith admits when released in the past he didn't put enough effort into
staying sober. Drinking led to crime when led straight back to prison.

"But when you're in here so long, you've got lots of time to sit and think,
not about yourself but about the ones you're hurting. No wonder my wife
hates alcohol for what I've put her through. But it's not too late for me
to change."

While he'll be relying on his determination to stay sober to keep him out
of jail once he's released in January, Keith will turn to sleep to get him
through Christmas Day.

"It's my mother's birthday, too," he adds