The Quebec government is set to implement fresh strategies to combat contraband smuggling into its correctional facilities. A 12-month trial program will mandate inmates at the Roberval Detention Centre, located 350 kilometers northeast of Montreal, to wear standardized uniforms starting in September.
According to the Public Security Ministry, this move aims to streamline the search process, differentiate inmates from staff and visitors, and eliminate any signs of affiliation with criminal groups, which could potentially incite violence. Presently, detainees in Quebec detention centers wear their personal clothing, a practice that has led to issues like the smuggling of illicit items such as drugs concealed in clothing seams or shoes.
Isabelle Mailloux, the director of the Résseau correctionnel de Montréal, highlighted the challenges posed by inmates using their clothes for smuggling activities. She emphasized the need for improved security measures, citing instances where incarcerated individuals employed creative methods like soaking clothes in illicit substances to circumvent detection.
The initiative to introduce uniforms aligns with broader security enhancements in Quebec’s detention centers, supported by a significant government investment of $35 million in 2023. The uniform ensemble will include basic and comfortable attire like cotton-polyester T-shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants, shorts, shoes, socks, and underwear.
The selection of the Roberval facility for the pilot program was based on its existing sewing workshop, enabling inmates to manufacture their own pants. Quebec’s Domestic Security Minister Ian Lafrenière emphasized the program’s dual focus on security and social reintegration through employment opportunities.
In addition to the uniform policy, the government plans to implement stricter disciplinary actions effective September 28. Amendments to the Règlement d’application de la Loi sur le système correctionnel du Québec will empower detention center staff to report misconduct in a wider range of scenarios, including incidents involving drones delivering prohibited items.
Mailloux underscored the challenge posed by drones, labeling them as a persistent issue that authorities have been grappling with. Surveillance data from Quebec’s correctional services network revealed a significant number of drone sightings in detention centers, with 234 incidents reported between April and June of the current year alone.
The revised disciplinary system will enable disciplinary committees to impose harsher penalties for serious infractions such as smuggling cellphones and damaging property. Proposed sanctions may include community service, restrictions on canteen privileges, or extended periods of isolation, with a focus on considering the well-being of inmates, both physically and mentally. The government will evaluate the outcomes of the pilot program to determine the potential expansion of the uniform policy across all Quebec correctional facilities.