Pubdate: Fri, 25 Jan 2008
Source: Abbotsford Times (CN BC)
Copyright: 2008 The Abbotsford Times
Contact:  http://www.abbotsfordtimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1009
Author: Christina Toth, The Times

BABIES ARE DRUG MULES FOR INMATES: UNION

Prison Guard in Hot Water for Reporting Abby Incident

Babies are being used to smuggle street drugs into federal prisons, 
including Matsqui Institution, says the union representing 
correctional officers.

Now an Abbotsford guard may face discipline after he reported 
concerns about the safety of two babies.

Corrections officials say the officer, Terry Leger, breached inmate 
privacy rights when he made the report in November, said Gord 
Robertson, president of the B.C. region of the Union of Canadian 
Correction Officers.

"CSC basically said the privacy of the inmate trumps the well-being 
of the child," said Robertson.

The union held a press conference Thursday to highlight the use of 
infants as 'drug mules,' and to push for greater controls over drug movement.

Robertson said the CSC has inconsistent standards regarding searches. 
While medium-security Matsqui Institution does swab visitors, 
including infants, maximum-security Kent Institution in Agassiz 
doesn't test children.

Leger learned last fall that babies' clothes were testing positive to 
an ion drug scan. One visitor tested positive to a variety of drugs 
eight times last year, for morphine, heroin, cocaine and marijuana 
residues, but was still allowed to visit three times.

The clothes on the infant twice tested positive for cocaine and 
amphetamines. Leger learned that a baby stroller belonging to another 
inmate visitor showed cocaine residue on Nov.11. He reported his 
concerns to MCF. His thoughts were for the children, he said.

"Any kid who's around this stuff is in serious danger," Leger said.

Soon after, Leger was told he would face a disciplinary 
investigation. Later, he was told the CSC would carry out a 'fact 
finding' investigation. To Leger, it's the same thing.

"Anything shared in the fact finding could result in a disciplinary 
action," he said, adding the threat of discipline makes him think 
twice about doing it again.

"But would I? Yes, I would. The right of the child is greater than 
CSC," he said.

Leger says he has come across two more incidents where babies tested 
positive for drug residues, and passed the information on to the 
warden's office, but has not reported them to MCF himself.

Robertson did note the CSC's Roadmap to Strengthening Public Safety 
recommends more stringent control on visits, more dog drug detention 
teams, more thorough searches, and closer ties with police and Crown 
counsel offices to ensure people smuggling drugs into prisons are penalized.

Some institutions and wardens are trying to be proactive, said Robertson.

Matsqui Institution for example, is looking at installing large nets 
to stop people throwing drugs and cellphones over the fences.

Local CSC officials were not available for comment.

Instead, Ministry of Public Safety Stockwell Day's office sent an 
e-mail, saying he wrote to CSC Commissioner Keith Coutler asking him 
to make drug deterrence a priority, and to ensure that the use of 
children to bring drugs into prisons is not inadvertently encouraged 
by CSC policy. 
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