DRUGS, VIOLENCE PLAGUE NEW JAIL

Don't send teen there, says its administrator

A teenager accused of trying to kill his mother with a baseball bat should
not be sent to the new jail in Dartmouth, says an administrator there.

The program manager at the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility said
young offenders don't belong in the jail because of problems with drugs,
violence and homemade weapons and a lack of programs to help inmates.

Kim Robson testified at a transfer hearing in Nova Scotia Supreme Court in
Halifax on Friday to determine whether the 16-year-old should be tried as an
adult.

If he is, and is convicted of attempted murder and aggravated assault, he
would end up in an adult jail.

Ms. Robson said she knows of two young people who were transferred to the
provincial jail from the youth jail in Waterville.

"It hasn't really been a good experience for them." She said they come in
with attitude, and get "taken care of" by other inmates.

"The structure of the building makes it very easy for somebody to get to
someone," Ms. Robson said. She said the building has lots of cameras, but
there are a number of hidden areas.

The teen may not be physically harmed, but usually gets "run off the range"
by other inmates for stirring up trouble by trying to act like a hot shot.

The young offender usually ends up in segregation and, after that, a unit
with hardened criminals.

"No one wants to go there," Ms. Robson said.

Except for community-run Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, Ms. Robson said
there are no drug or alcohol abuse or anti-violence programs and only a
"very basic, simple" anger management program.

Ms. Robson testified inmates don't get extensive psychiatric care and there
is just one teacher for inmates who want to work toward a high school
diploma.

There are eight correctional workers on duty for 224 inmates.

Ms. Robson said many of the problems are because of the mixed inmate
population. As few as 50 are sentenced to serve jail terms there - the
average sentence is three months. Most are federal inmates awaiting trial or
offenders picked up for violating parole.

She said it would not be a good environment for the boy.

Many inmates are violent and they make weapons out of everything from
toothbrushes sharpened against a wall to broken TV glass.

There is also a serious problem with drugs being smuggled into the jail.

"It's such a problem we don't have contact visits." She said all visits are
behind Plexiglas but still drugs get into the jail.

By contrast, the federal jail in Springhill has successfully housed several
young offenders, said case management co-ordinator Stan Hunter.

He said there are excellent programs to help inmates understand their
behaviour, overcome addictions and deal with psychiatric problems.

Teens are often protected by staff and senior prisoners, can go to school in
the jail every day and join sports teams.

"I would say we're probably less violent than . . . Halifax."