A new report by a prisoner rights advocacy group is urging the provincial government to enact legislation requiring independent monitoring of Nova Scotia’s jails. Nova Scotia's provincial flag flies in Ottawa, Friday, July 3, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld CANADAHALIFAX news Prisoner advocacy group calls on Nova Scotia to launch independent review of jails by admin 17 سبتمبر، 2024 written by admin 17 سبتمبر، 2024 33 CITYnews halifax / By The Canadian Press HALIFAX — A prisoner rights group is calling on the Nova Scotia government to pass a law requiring independent monitoring of the province’s jails. In a report released Tuesday, the East Coast Prison Justice Society says provincial inmates complain of issues such as prolonged lockdowns and poor access to health care. The group’s annual report is a compilation of comments gathered from nearly 800 phone calls with inmates in the jail system from Sept. 1, 2022, to Aug. 31, 2023. Its findings also come after six people died while in provincial custody since January 2023. “Nova Scotia’s provincial government should no longer be permitted to enjoy executive discretion on whether to hold a public inquiry when a death in custody occurs,” the report reads. The report criticizes the province’s approach to reviewing jail deaths by “committees that meet in secret, lack robust powers of truth-finding, and are not obliged to share factual conclusions with the public.” It said Nova Scotia should join the Canadian provinces that order public reviews of deaths in custody. Among the complaints from inmates are the frequent use of lockdowns and solitary confinement; difficulty having health-care requests granted; loss of personal items during cell searches, and “excessive force” sometimes used during strip searches; poor access to cultural and spiritual support programs, particularly for African and Indigenous Nova Scotians; and unhygienic conditions in jails. The group issued 42 recommendations, including one that asks the province to launch an independent review to identify necessary changes to the jail system, such as how it approaches health care. N.S. Justice Minister Barbara Adams told reporters on Tuesday the province is open to an independent review of its jails, but offered no details. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024. The Canadian Press 0 comment 0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail admin previous post Ottawa threatens to pull funds for Chignecto Isthmus if N.B., N.S. don’t partner next post Nova Scotia updates policing standards for the first time since 2003 You may also like Canadian Coast Guard crew member lost at sea... 18 سبتمبر، 2024 First American-born player unveiled as 36th captain of... 18 سبتمبر، 2024 Nova Scotia NDP accuse government of prioritizing landlord... 18 سبتمبر، 2024 Transport Canada orders plan to remove huge tidal... 18 سبتمبر، 2024 منعُ مدرّس في مونتريال من مواصلة التعليم لازدرائه... 18 سبتمبر، 2024 عمليات البدء في بناء منازل جديدة تراجعت 22,3%... 18 سبتمبر، 2024 تراجُع التضخم السنوي إلى 2,0%، هدفِ بنك كندا... 18 سبتمبر، 2024 Rogers acquires majority MLSE stake from Bell in... 18 سبتمبر، 2024 With strike over, Halifax Public Library staff return... 18 سبتمبر، 2024 Police charge relative with second-degree murder in Devon... 17 سبتمبر، 2024