Concerns mount over needle exchange program at Alberta prison

BOWDEN (660 NEWS) — The Union of Canadian Correctional Officers is worried staff safety will be at risk once a needle exchange program initiates at the Bowden Institution, a prison just north of Calgary, on Mar. 1.

The Prison Needle Exchange Program (PNEP) is a federal initiative aimed to help prevent the sharing of needles among inmates and the spread of infectious diseases by allowing prisoners to have a kit in their cells to inject intravenous drugs.

On the PNEP website, it states “the safety and security of staff, the public, and inmates is a priority for Correctional Service Canada (CSC). Appropriate safeguards have been established in every institution to ensure that PNEP kits are safely stored and accounted for at all times.”

The union that represents correctional officers disputes this, saying the risk to front-line officers is high when you allow a hollow point needle in a prisoner’s cell.

“They compare it to things such as EpiPens. As every human being knows an EpiPen is a retractable needle, that is not what they are talking about in the prison cell, they are talking about handing them an open needle that is reusable,” said James Bloomfield, The Prairies Regional President for the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers. “On an EpiPen, it is logged and nobody has ever been attacked with an EpiPen. We have had people attacked with needles.”

Bloomfield understands the need to introduce prevention programs in prisons but wants a safer program such as an overdose prevention site like the one at the Drumheller Institution.

“It’s the better of two evils for us,” Bloomfield said. “The difference is the needle is removed from the living units and from the cell of the individual and increases the safety of everyone around.”

Correctional officers only have standard first-aid practice in comparison to medical staff who are trained to deal with people who are in a drug-induced psychosis.

There has been open dialogue between the two groups, however, the union says the CSC has “refused to listen to all front-line staff regarding their safety and has chosen to put a dollar value on the safety of first responders.”

In a statement to 660 NEWS, the CSC says the PNEP provides an opportunity for inmates to access clean needles in a safe manner as a harm reduction measure. Kits that are handed out are verified and safely stored according to the CSC.

“To date, PNEP has been implemented at 9 institutions and there have been no safety incidents involving staff or other inmates. Implementation is ongoing and the next sites for PNEP are Warkworth Institution in February 2020 and Bowden Institution in March 2020. PNEP implementation will continue along with ongoing consultation with partners,” reads the statement in part.

Full statement:

The PNEP provides an opportunity for inmates to access clean needles in a manner that supports their safety, the safety of other inmates, and the safety of staff. It forms part of CSC’s suite of harm reduction measures aimed at limiting the spread of infectious diseases in federal institutions and helping to ensure that offenders reintegrating into the community are doing so in a healthy and safe manner. CSC completes a Threat Risk Assessment to evaluate security concerns before an inmate is approved to participate in the PNEP.

Prior to introducing the PNEP, sharps were in institutions for injecting insulin and as Epipens and there are effective protocols in place to safely manage those. Appropriate safeguards have also been established to ensure that PNEP kits are safely stored and accounted for at all times.

 PNEP kits are verified by staff on a daily basis and this process enables accountability for all needles distributed. The kit and its contents are visually inspected and will be seized if they appear to be altered, or any of the contents are unaccounted for or are observed outside of the kit. This could also result in an offender being reassessed for participation in the PNEP program, as well as being subject to institutional or disciplinary measures.

CSC began implementation of PNEP in its institutions in June 2018. To date, PNEP has been implemented at 9 institutions and there have been no safety incidents involving staff or other inmates. Implementation is ongoing and the next sites for PNEP are Warkworth Institution in February 2020 and Bowden Institution in March 2020. PNEP implementation will continue along with ongoing consultation with partners.

 Substance use disorder is a global phenomenon and correctional environments are not immune to this. Almost 75% of offenders arrive at federal institutions with some level of substance use disorder, and many have multiple addictions. There are a number of tools available that are used to prevent the flow of drugs into our institutions. These include searches of offenders, visitors, buildings, and cells using search tools including ion scanners and detector dogs. CSC applies strict policies concerning contraband and unauthorized activities. CSC’s drug strategy focuses on reducing the demand for illicit drugs by providing treatment and rehabilitation. For example, we offer programming that addresses many criminogenic needs, including substance use disorder.

The union wants Albertans to call their local MPs to demand that safety be at the forefront for first responders at Bowden Institution.