Pubdate: Tue, 09 Mar 2010
Source: Regina Leader-Post (CN SN)
Page: A1
Copyright: 2010 The Leader-Post Ltd.
Contact: http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/regina/leaderpost/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/361
Author: Jana G. Pruden
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration)

JOINT OPERATIONS

Former Inmates Describe Thriving Illicit Economy Behind the Bars at 
Regina Provincial Correctional Centre

A man who has served repeated stints at the Regina Provincial 
Correctional Centre says it's common knowledge to both guards and 
inmates that there is a plentiful supply of drugs inside the jail -- 
but he also says he's surprised that the situation has finally come 
to light. "Everybody in the jail knew about this, just nobody said 
anything about it," said the man, who asked not to be named. His 
identity is known to the Leader-Post. "It was a big operation in 
there. Big money."

The issue of drugs inside the correctional centre has been receiving 
lots of attention outside the facility in recent days, after the RCMP 
announced charges had been laid in connection with alleged drug 
trafficking to inmates.

But the situation is not news to many of those who have served time 
at the jail, who say drugs are readily available at the facility.

The man said inmates could buy a pinner -- street slang for a tiny 
marijuana joint -- for $20, and crack, speed, LSD and prescription 
pills were all easy to come by through a highly organized drug trade 
on the inside.

"Anything else you want from the street, you just go and talk to the 
guy and he would place the order," he said.

Here's how he said it worked: An inmate would approach a "gopher" on 
their range to request the kind of drugs they wanted. The buyer would 
then receive a list of canteen items, such as noodles and chips, 
which they would purchase and then trade for the drugs.

"You give him the bag, he gives you the thing," he said. "Pretty 
cool, eh? That's how they do it."

The canteen goods would then be converted back into cash, and 
delivered to people on the outside as payment, he said.

He speculated that a bad deal may have put an end to the arrangement.

"Maybe somebody got burned with the deal and that's what went south," he said.

While it was not possible to independently corroborate the former 
inmate's account, numerous sources who spoke with the Leader-Post 
said the availability of drugs inside the institution is widely known.

They said drugs can be smuggled inside the facility by family and 
friends during visits, or by men -- usually gang members -- who 
intentionally get arrested carrying a parcel of drugs inside their bodies.

The former inmate said drugs could also be smuggled in by someone 
working at the facility, carried inside a lunchbag, a briefcase or a thermos.

Another former inmate said the drug trade was discussed openly among 
the inmates at the facility while he was inside in 2008 and 2009, and 
that "every guy in the joint knew."

"Guys were just discussing it so openly," he said. "If I knew, 
everybody knew. And everybody knew."

One woman who spoke with the Leader-Post recalled numerous occasions 
where her friends or family members were involved in getting drugs 
inside the facility.

"It's easy to get drugs in the correctional," said the woman, who 
said her father used to pay to have drugs and cigarettes smuggled 
into the jail.

Another man, who did time at the jail 25 years ago, said there were 
drugs inside even then.

"You'd just have to trade something for whatever," he said. "I never 
did it, but I saw it."

The problem is not unique to Regina. A man who has served time at the 
Regina jail said he's heard of situations in Winnipeg where the 
girlfriends of gang members get jobs as jail guards solely so they 
can smuggle things inside.

He said the only barrier to getting drugs in jail is money.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom