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Justice
August 25, 2010
Consultations to Target New Corrections
Legislation
The Williams Government is moving forward with
plans to revamp the current Prisons Act and
Adult Corrections
Act
and is seeking input from organizations and interested
individuals in drafting the new legislation. Consultations will be held
with targeted interest groups, including inmate advocacy organizations,
women's groups and aboriginal groups.
"As recommended by the independent review of
adult corrections in the province, the Department of Justice is moving
forward to make changes to the legislation which governs our corrections
system in order to make it contemporary and comprehensive," said the
Honourable Felix Collins, Minister of Justice and Attorney General. "I
am extremely pleased with the progress our government has made in
implementing the recommendations of Decades of Darkness: Moving
Towards the Light and drafting a new Correctional Services Act will
no doubt further improve the delivery of corrections services in our
province."
In April 2008, the Provincial Government
launched the independent review into adult corrections in Newfoundland
and Labrador. Seventy-three of 77 recommendations contained within that
review have been either completed or are in varying stages of progress.
Since the release of the review there have been significant improvements
to programming and services in all provincial prisons, including better
mental health treatment and training, enhanced programming opportunities
and the hiring of additional correctional officers.
"Since receiving the independent review, our
government has allocated approximately $7 million towards adult
corrections in this province," said Minister Collins. "Any legislative
changes we undertake will serve to further the substantial enhancements
we have already implemented in our corrections system, and will be made
in the best interest of our corrections staff and inmates."
In addition to targeted consultations,
interested individuals can submit feedback by e-mailing written
submissions to
correctionsconsult@gov.nl.ca
or sending via mail to:
Provincial Government Corrections
Consultations
Department of Justice
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
P.O. Box 8700
St. John's, NL
A1B 4J6
Written submissions must be received no later
than October 8, 2010. For more information, including a consultations
discussion document, visit
www.justice.gov.nl.ca/just.
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Media contact:
Jennifer Tulk
Director of Communications
Department of Justice
709-729-6985, 699-6524
JenniferTulk@gov.nl.ca
2010 08 25
2:45 p.m.
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