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Kids being abused in province's jail
June 13, 2007
Mia Rabson, Winnipeg Free Press
The Manitoba Children's Advocate hit the provincial government with yet another damning report Tuesday, this time with concerns kids in Manitoba jails are being mistreated.
Children's Advocate Billie Schibler said her office has received complaints that female inmates have been monitored by male guards while they used the bathroom, and kids are being subjected to excessive use of power and authority, including physical restraints.
Schibler also said, in the agency's 2005-06 annual report, tabled in the Legislature Tuesday afternoon, that youth were improperly being kept in maximum security facilities simply because other jails were overcrowded. As well, there is a lack of proper services for kids with mental challenges such fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, and a lack of adequate psychological and psychiatric assessments and programming, including access to spiritual leaders.
"These are serious concerns," said Schibler. "I'm not going to be the popular person on the block for identifying some concerns that I suppose people would say typically fall outside of our mandate."
Liberal Leader Jon Gerrard said the concerns Schibler raised are "appalling.""It's no wonder these kids are having problems adjusting and healing and are causing more trouble," said Gerrard.
Tory Family Services Critic Mavis Taillieu was shocked when she read Schibler's report. "Oh my god," exclaimed Taillieu. "These issues are outrageous."Many of the complaints raised to her office are out of her jurisdiction said Schibler, because the Children's Advocate is only mandated to help kids in the child welfare system. But she said someone has to advocate on the behalf of other youths, and who better than her office?
In the report, Schibler said the Department of Justice hadn't responded to the issues yet, but in an interview Tuesday she said that has now happened and a review is taking place.Justice Minister Dave Chomiak confirmed that fact Tuesday and said all the complaints are being dealt with.
"It's our job throughout the system all the time to protect people," said Chomiak. "If there is a problem we will fix it."There are currently 264 kids under 18 incarcerated in Manitoba.
Schibler's report also discussed concerns about the high rates of youth suicide in Manitoba (25 in 2005), including one child who was just eight years old. And Schibler said, that number doesn't reflect the number of kids who attempted suicide."What we do know for certain is that our children are in such a state of despair that many are unable to see a glimmer of hope in their future," said Schibler.
She set up a committee to seek out information from kids themselves about how to help them before they consider suicide and said the work of that group is ongoing.The number of kids in care has jumped almost 20 per cent in the last three years, said Schibler. In 2005-06 there were 6,629 kids in care, and 5,100 of them were aboriginal.
Source: www.winnipegfreepress.comOther articles on youth in prison on prisonjustice.ca