Pubdate: Sat, 03 Feb 2007 Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB) Copyright: 2007 Canoe Limited Partnership. Contact: http://www.edmontonsun.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/135 Author: Ajay Bhardwaj, Sun Media GUARDS SAY PRISONS RIFE WITH DRUGS 'Dangerous Environment' Federal jail guards are calling for tighter drug enforcement in prisons after a record haul at a Manitoba penitentiary and nine seizures at Edmonton Institution. Guards at Edmonton Institution intercepted drugs coming into the Max nine times, valued at $44,000, last year and the union representing guards says the presence of drugs in jails makes for a dangerous environment. "There's a whole host of manipulation and violence that goes along with drugs," said Union of Canadian Correctional Officers Prairie region president Kevin Grabowsky. He said guards who step in to break up a dispute put themselves in danger. The largest seizure last year at the Max occurred Aug. 31 when a drug dog stopped a visitor, said Correctional Service of Canada spokesman Jeff Campbell. That seizure included 11 grams of marijuana, 100 grams of dilaudids, 36 grams of opiates and 37 grams of amphetamines. Staff at Stony Mountain Institution, a medium-security jail, seized 75 illegal drug shipments with an institutional value of more than $248,000 in 2006, said CSC. "That's about 60 per cent," said Grabowsky. "If you're closing the front door, there's always the back door." Grabowsky called on CSC to toughen policies for visitors to jails. Drug dogs and a high-tech patch, which reveals whether visitors have had contact with drugs, can single out drug mules, said Grabowsky. If caught, violators are interviewed and may still be allowed a visit with an inmate, he said. Campbell said guards conduct a "threat-risk assessment" on visitors - before deciding whether to allow them inside. Grabowsky said guards should be able to prevent anyone caught with traces of drugs on them from visiting. In a press release, CSC said it is "committed to a zero tolerance policy that uses a combination of screening techniques for visitors and dynamic security provided by correctional officers." - --- MAP posted-by: Derek