Thank you, Mr. Chair and members of the committee. Thanks for having me back to discuss how the Correctional Service of Canada manages the issue of drugs within our penitentiaries.
As you have already indicated, I am joined this afternoon by one of my security intelligence officers, Chris McLauchlan, who works out of Stony Mountain Institution, a medium-security institution near Winnipeg. I will point out as well that Mr. McLauchlan has also been a drug detector dog team handler and a correctional officer, so he has tremendous experience on the front line. He will be able to speak to his personal experiences in relation to detecting and interdicting drugs in the federal correctional system.
Mr. Chair, in managing the issue of drugs in our federal penitentiaries, as I've pointed out previously, CSC takes a three-pronged approach: prevention, treatment, and interdiction. This approach is employed to addresses the significant challenges we face every day in dealing with a complex and diverse offender population, many of whom present with significant substance abuse problems.
We are also challenged by motivated individuals on the outside who utilize a myriad of innovative ways to get drugs inside institutional walls. In the recent past we have intercepted drug delivery mechanisms such as dead birds, bows and arrows, and tennis balls.
In fact, just three days ago staff at Matsqui Institution in the Pacific region recovered a package of drugs and paraphernalia that had been lobbed inside the prison. We are investigating the exact nature by which the drugs were projected this significant distance, but we suspect that a potato gun was used. The package contained marijuana, heroin, and a digital scale, all of which have an institutional value of approximately $21,000.
As well, staff intercepted drugs at Leclerc Institution, in Quebec, the other day, with an institutional value of $28,900. They were able to intercept this before it made its way into the hands of the offender population.
I continue to be extremely proud of the great work that my staff do on a daily basis to keep our institutions safe.
CSC is also facing an increase in the number of offenders who have a gang affiliation. Currently there are approximately 2,200 offenders who have gang affiliations, and there are over 50 different gangs inside our institutions across the country. The majority of members had gang affiliations prior to their incarceration, and most of these came from street gangs. These now outnumber those associated with outlaw motorcycle groups or traditional organized crime groups that we've come to know.
Mr. Chair, I know this committee is specifically interested in the link between gangs and drugs, and I can tell you that approximately one-quarter of incarcerated offenders who have a gang affiliation are serving time for drug-related offences. This includes possession, importing, and trafficking of drugs, among others.
I will share with the committee a typical schematic that shows how gangs try to introduce drugs into a penitentiary. I believe members of the committee have that in front of them.
CSC has a wide range of tools at our disposal to detect and interdict any attempts to introduce drugs into our institutions. Our complement of security intelligence officers, like Mr. McLauchlan, has increased over the last couple of years and it will continue to do so. We expect that by the fiscal year 2012-13, we will have 250 dedicated officers across the country to enhance our capacity to detect a possible drug delivery into our institutions. This will also increase our knowledge of the drug problem and allow Chris and his colleagues to better share information across the regions.
Furthermore, we are now delivering new training to our security intelligence officers as well as our correctional officers that will focus more attention on dynamic security and gang management.
As I mentioned at my last appearance, we are also increasing our complement of drug detector dog teams, enhancing perimeter security, and making better use of technology to keep drugs out.
These are just a few examples, and they barely scratch the surface of what is a complex, integrated approach to drug interdiction within the federal institutions.
Mr. Chair, every day CSC employees across the country are working to ensure safe, drug-free institutions that will promote offender rehabilitation and create safer communities for Canadians. I am proud of my dedicated staff, like Chris, who exemplify the best of our mission, our mandate, our values, and our ethics.
At this point, Mr. Chair and members, I would welcome any questions you might have for me or Mr. McLauchlan.