Friday, April 20, 2012

It could be a SAD Day when they close Kingston Penitentiary

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Today’s Blog Post
It could be a SAD Day when they close Kingston PenitentiaryAfter reading the newspaper articles today I am a little sad. KP is closing.  (KP for non-Ontario people is Kingston Penitentiary.) The dark and cold prison is closing for good. The decision has finally been announced. The old gray building that sits on the shores of Lake Ontario is now going to be done.
How can anyone be sad when something that represents a cold and heartless way to treat people?  Men and women back in the late 1700s would be housed in this place because of being bad people.  Their “housing” was horrible to say the least.
Back then the rules were very different from now. The prisoners were not allowed to speak at all. If they did they were beaten with whips and sometimes kept in small boxes.
In the Prison Museum across from the KP are artifacts that have been assembled to show the torture methods that were used on human beings in KP.
I am very happy that this “old days” are now gone and that we as human beings can see a faint glimpse of light in the humane treatment of even the worst creatures that exist in our society.
I am not happy that men and women will lose their jobs with this closure.  Politicians have stated that they staff will be moved to other institutions in the area.  They will be “assimilated” or something into the other places of work that house prisoners.
BUT and it is a big BUT… these institutions all have a full contingent of staffing already in place.  A politician’s “promise” – or in reality a statement is not something that I could put much faith in.
But what about the men that are in that prison?  Where will they go?
The paper today states that there are 400+ inmates in the KP.
I am not sure of the numbers but I do know that at least half of that number are some of the most severe, psychological problem people in our country.
How do I know?  I have visited Regional Treatment Centre at KP.  I have been inside of KP and RTC.
Where in the world will these people go?
The politician says that they will go to other prisons in Canada.  I think the statement was in the region or area.
These prisons are all full now.  How can they move them and to where will that happen?
The prison guard union reps stated that they do not believe that there is a plan yet.  I tend to think the same.  They are worried for their own safety and the safety of inmates.
The Millhaven Prison that was built to replace the KP, is full to capacity with KP still serving as a Maximum Prison.
Canadians generally have a fairly strong feeling that states simply – NIMBY – not in my backyard!!  New prisons will not be built. Old ones will be added to, is what we have been told by the politician.
I am involved in watching what happens in our prison.
I know from my past years of watching the Kingston prison riots were a nightmare for everyone. Conditions were horrible for the men and staff inside.  It was dangerous back then.  I became involved as a volunteer to help the prison system and prisoners inside and outside in 1974… just after the riots took place. It was not a good time at all!
Things were changed and new policies were enacted.
But now there is a great danger that with the lack of facilities that are a problem now, the closing of a place that houses 400+ people will put a new strain on everything. That is a real factor to consider.
But what politicians think and do is all that matters.
Hey that is the same thing that was happening when the politicians opened KP so long ago.
Sheesh!
~ Murray Lincoln ~
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