Ontario ombudsman to probe use of solitary confinement
Paul Dube's office will look at how inmates put in isolation are tracked and reviewed
Ontario's ombudsman has launched an investigation into how the province's correctional facilities handle inmates placed in solitary confinement.
On Friday, Ombudsman Paul Dubé said his office will examine how the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services (MCSCS) tracks and reviews inmates who have been placed in solitary confinement.
The investigation will also look at the effectiveness of the review process.
"As a fully independent, impartial office that has been investigating thousands of complaints about Ontario correctional facilities for more than 40 years, we are uniquely placed to investigate and comment on this issue," Dubé said in a statement.
Prompted by complaints
The investigation, Dubé's office said in a media release, has been prompted by a large number of complaints received about the use of solitary confinment.
In fiscal 2015-2016, 186 complaints related to segregation were received, and the office has received 175 more since April 1, 2016.
Ombudsman's office staff also recently visited Thunder Bay to look into the case of Adam Capay, an inmate who spent more than four years in solitary confinement while awaiting trial.
The investigation will be handled by the Special Ombudsman Response Team, which conducts major field investigations.
The MCSCS has also announced it's own independent review of solitary confinement. That's scheduled to begin in January 2017.