Elizabeth Fry Society welcomes ombudsman inquiry into conditions at Sask. women’s prison

The head of a prison reform organization has welcomed an investigation into conditions at a women’s prison in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.

The Elizabeth Fry Society of Saskatchewan will encourage people in the Pine Grove Correctional Facility to cooperate with the Saskatchewan Ombudsman, the organization’s executive director said.

“We will be posting on our social media and encouraging the women we support that if they have issues that they want to raise with the ombudsman, please do so and we will provide them with full support,” Nicole Obrigavitch said in an interview Wednesday.

This week, Ombudsman Sharon Pratchler made a rare public appeal for witnesses.

Pratchler asked people who have been incarcerated at Pine Grove to contact her office to share their experiences and how conditions at the facility have affected them.

“We are aware of the serious concerns raised by complaints filed with our office and have determined that it is in the public interest to investigate,” Pratchler said.

In July, the Elizabeth Fry Society of Saskatchewan raised the alarm about overcrowding at the women’s prison.

Provincial government officials confirmed that as of July 12, there were 263 inmates in the prison, which was designed to hold a maximum of 166.

This year, two inmates have also died at Pine Grove.

Nicole Obrigavitch, executive director of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Saskatchewan, believes overcrowding at a women’s prison in Prince Albert is the result of crises in poverty, addiction and housing. (Richard Agecoutay/CBC)

That’s why Obrigavitch is pleased with the news of an investigation.

“We really feel that women who are incarcerated are often ignored and stigmatized. We hope this research will give them a voice,” she said.

Obrigavitch believes the problem of overcapacity should not rest with the Department of Corrections, Police and Public Safety.

She believes it is not the ministry’s fault and points out that they are probably trying to make the best of a building that was built in 1965.

The executive director of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Saskatchewan believes prison overcrowding is being caused by the province’s ongoing drug crisis and housing shortage.

That doesn’t mean the association wants the province to build more prisons, Obrigavitch said.

“We believe that more money should go to the community for housing,” she said, adding that attention should also be paid to health care issues.

The Elizabeth Fry Society of Saskatchewan recently received a $330,000 commitment from the provincial government to provide reintegration support to female offenders released from prison.

This financing will be spread over two years.

Obrigavitch pointed to such programming as a possible solution to lighten the burden on the criminal justice system. She says the ombudsman’s investigation could also spur change.

“We really believe that women who are incarcerated are often ignored and stigmatized, and we hope this research gives them a voice,” Obrigavitch said.

Ombudsman starts investigation

In a press release sent Monday, the ombudsman’s office said it would consider the extent to which trauma-informed practices and truth and reconciliation principles are incorporated into the treatment of individuals in Pine Grove’s care.

There is no clear timeline for how long the investigation will take, as it “depends on how many people come forward and the types of issues they raise,” the press release said.

Once the investigation is completed, a report with recommendations will be issued.

People can contact the ombudsman in the following ways:

• Call the special lines at 1-844-608-1180 (toll-free) or 306-787-4236, available from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, plus Friday evenings and Saturdays.

• Write a letter to the Ombudsman at 500–2103 11th Avenue, Regina, SK, S4P 3Z8.

• Ask for a personal meeting with the ombudsman or a member of her team. They will travel to the communities, including the northern communities.