Public Safety committee  It makes it safer and more conducive to the work we're trying to do here, when we don't have drug abuse happening. The really nice thing is that women tend to be very highly motivated, so they engage effectively and make a lot of changes while they're in prison. My job is to mak

Public Safety committee  Yes, that's correct. It can be difficult.

Public Safety committee  We can do strip searching, and we do strip searching, but you may be referring to body cavity searching. Is that what you're asking me about?

Public Safety committee  Strip searching is the removal of clothing and a visual inspection, which is something that happens on a regular basis in all prisons, and would certainly happen quite often when women are coming back from escorted temporary absences and that sort of thing. Body cavity searches

Public Safety committee  I'm aware that Ms. Pate made those comments, and I profoundly disagree with her characterization of a strip search. A strip search for all intents and purposes is done on a consensual basis in a very private and respectful way, and the women understand it's done for their own saf

Public Safety committee  Absolutely. Efforts on all fronts are necessary to help the inmates manage their addictions.

Public Safety committee  I guess we have to be realistic, in that folks with substance abuse issues are at times going to be seeking drugs. That happens in treatment centres, in schools, and everywhere. The most important thing is to strive to create an environment that is safe and that facilitates recov

Public Safety committee  I don't know if it's possible, but the key is to strive for it. For folks working on their recovery, the presence of drugs can be a triggering event that can sabotage their recovery. We need to do that for them. We need to do it because of all of the violence associated with the

Public Safety committee  Some of it is not within my control; I guess I got lucky. I'm the warden of a women's facility, and women are somewhat different when they come into custody. They are highly motivated, less connected, with fewer resources, and they want to get out of prison to take care of the ki

Public Safety committee  If you want, I'll compare the most recent data from the last fiscal year. It's a calculation per 100 inmates. The national average, which includes all facilities, for positive urinalysis testing is 7.43%, and the average among the women's sites is 2.4%.

Public Safety committee  I believe that has certainly helped. You just need to look at the women's facilities somewhat differently and recognize, I think, that the numbers have always been lower, which in part is because we have less drugs coming in for the reasons I've already explained. Sometimes, th

Public Safety committee  We have a program for visitors. Before they're allowed to come in for the first time, they watch a video, and we educate them about the rules and some of the risks and how they can reach out for help if they find themselves being pressured or feel that their loved ones are in dan

Public Safety committee  It's much, much lower.

Public Safety committee  That I'll have to get for you. If you are looking for trends over the last five to ten years, let's say, of positive urinalysis rates in women's facilities, I know that the folks in parliamentary relations will pull that data for you and get it to you. I'll arrange that.

Public Safety committee  I would agree very much with what Darcy said. In the end, it comes down to staff. The tools are excellent. The staff need to remain vigilant, and they do. They're well trained and do a good job. And I'm not just talking about correctional officers; it's everybody's responsibility