Changing Conditions at Ottawa Carleton Detention Center: Petition
When most people think of Canada, they think of a Country based around democracy and freedom. However, many people are unaware of just how bad Canada's correction system is and that it is violating Canadian human rights. The current conservative government has been pushing this tough on crime ideology, which has been statistically proven incorrect time and time again. "Punishing" people by putting them in these horrible conditions usually contributes to making a person more of a danger to society when they get out, since they are not receiving the programming they need to be reintegrated into society. Currently basic human rights are being violated in Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre (OCDC) located in Ottawa, Canada's capital city. There have been many reports of overcrowding in the jail which has contributed to a series of problems. OCDC is primarily for pretrial detention, with 70-75% of its population NOT being convicted of anything, just waiting for their bail hearing. In this case where the majority of the people there are in worse conditions than people at federal penitentiaries that have been charged with a crime. A group of students, professors and people in the community of Ottawa have taken notice of these problems and come up with some simple requests to better conditions at Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre. These conditions include:
1) Getting guards to control food distribution: currently the food distributed in OCDC is done so by the inmates, which means some of people are not getting food on a regular basis if the person distributing the food has a problem with them. It is for this reason that we would recommend that from this point forward guards distribute food to fix this problem.
2) Sanitary: we are also requesting that inmates are provided with clean nail clippers, clean blankets, constantly have access to soap, and have equipment necessary to keep their cells clean so we may reduce the spread of diseases in the detention center.
3) Programs: In order for an offender to be able to change, and internalize the rules of society they must be properly socialized through programs put in jails to help. Currently Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre is refusing programming that does not even require money. Even though there have been groups (like churches) that volunteer to teach programs, they have been turned away. Refusing prisoners programming is not only hurting the inmate but also the taxpayers who are paying to put these inmates in prison, only to see these people get out and re-offend since they do not have the proper training to succeed in society.
When people are put in jail, the only right taken away from them is their freedom, they still maintain all other rights. People have become so desensitized to what is going on outside their immediate lives in society, they do not always realize the power they have just by acknowledging a problem and taking little steps to improve it. It is obvious that we must make a change towards a more progressive and effective way of rehabilitating people so that these people who may be at the lowest point of their life, being judged on their worst moment, may be able to rejoin society as a productive member one day. If you agree with this please feel free to sign this petition, going to MP Yasir Naqvi asking for the three recommendations made above. Attached is the link to the online petition
https://www.change.org/p/ontario-s-minister-of-community-safety-and-correctional-services-improve-conditions-at-the-ottawa-carleton-detention-centre
http://www.charlatan.ca/2015/03/carleton-students-rally-for-better-prison-conditions/
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