The Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services (MCSCS) announced its plan this week to overhaul the use of segregation practices in Ontario jails, following the initiation of a 2015 review. The plan calls for the reduction in the number of consecutive days spent in disciplinary segregation, from 30 to 15 days. Other changes include a review of current data collection practices, the establishment of a weekly review committee to assess the status of all individuals in segregation and an assurance that segregation will only be used as a measure of last resort – and under the least restrictive conditions to maintain safety.
CMHA Ontario was actively involved in the segregation review submission presented by the Provincial Human Services and Justice Coordinating Committee in 2015 to MCSCS. CMHA Ontario advised that the practice not be used with individuals who have mental health conditions.
Coinciding with the ministry’s announcement this week, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) released a supplementary submission on segregation, revealing statistics obtained from the ministry and their assessment of the human rights implications therein. The OHRC calls on the government to improve its data collection on the use of segregation and to provide that information to the public. The reported number of people in segregation who are known to have mental health issues is of serious concern we agree must be addressed immediately.
CMHA Ontario is actively engaged in quality improvement initiatives, and advocates for the collection of socio-demographic data and evidence-based practices. CMHA Ontario is also supportive of the OHRC’s submissions on this subject with a view to improving the treatment of individuals with mental health and addictions conditions in correctional and detention facilities.