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Investigation launched in controversial Canadian inmate BBQ

Last Updated Fri, 23 Aug 2002 11:51:04

SASKATOON - An investigation is under way into the conduct of inmates and staff at a federal correctional center in Saskatoon after photos were published showing inmates feasting on steaks, climbing trees and playing naked in a hot tub.

The prison houses dangerous inmates who are undergoing psychiatric treatment or assessment.

In a pre-emptive move, the prison's acting director released a series of photos from a barbecue held earlier this summer. One photo shows prisoners feasting on filet mignon, another shows several people climbing a tree and grinning into the camera, while a third shows an inmate standing naked in a makeshift hot tub.

Acting psychiatric center director Glenn Beatty says these men have committed violent offenses and are supposed to be in treatment for aggressive behavior.

"Obviously, in terms of the appropriateness, it wasn't good. In terms of having mentally ill offenders swimming in water, or falling into water, they could have been injured or killed. So the fountains were never used for that purpose. They were never supposed to have water in them," he said.

Beatty believes the photos were taken by a prisoner, but says it was a staff member who developed them and kept them afterwards. He says he didn't even know about the incident until a reporter called.

Beatty says he wanted to talk about the photos before they were published.

"These activities are offensive to victims and their families. And clearly that's not what we try to do in the Correctional Service of Canada." Beatty says unit managers consented to the barbecue, but don't appear to have stayed to supervise it.

He says no one will be disciplined until there's an investigation into the supervisors' and the inmates' behavior.

 

Written by CBC News Online

 

[ 08-23-2002, 02:47 PM: Message edited by: trask ]