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This document is archival in nature and is intended Le présent document a une valeur archivistique et for those who wish to consult archival documents fait partie des documents d’archives rendus made available from the collection of Public Safety disponibles par Sécurité publique Canada à ceux Canada. qui souhaitent consulter ces documents issus de sa collection. Some of these documents are available in only one official language. Translation, to be provided Certains de ces documents ne sont disponibles by Public Safety Canada, is available upon que dans une langue officielle. Sécurité publique request. Canada fournira une traduction sur demande. REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF PENITENTIARIES CANADA 1950 - 51 011.Ft.P, St 1\hOSISisi O'r 114 SOLICII0G. 2:D el 030 • JU'd 101F-a.QU. ‘3110.. sou.‘cffi.og Gtotgi\L DU tsMNISIbtt. DOMINION OF CANADA ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF PENITENTIARIES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, 1951 • OTTAWA EDMOND CLOUTIER, C.M.0., 0.A., D.S.P. PRINTER TO THE XING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY CONTROLLER OF STATIONERY 1932 TO His Excellency Field Marshal the • Right Honourable Viscount Alexander of , Tunis, KG., G.C.B., G.C.M.G., C.S.I., D.S.O., M.C., Governe General - and Commander-in-Chief of the Dominion of Canada. MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY: • I have the hônour to laY before Your Excellency • the Annual Report of the , Commissioner of Penitentiaries for the .fiscal year ended March 31,. 1951; made by , him in pursuance of the provisions of Section 15 - of the Penitentiary Act, 1939. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your. Excellency's most obedient servant, • STUART S. GARSON, Minister' of Justice. 3 • To the Honourable S. S. Garson, P.C., K.C., LL.D., M.P., Minister of Justice. SIR,—In accordance with Section 15 of the Penitentiary .Act, 1939, I have the honour to submit herewith the following report for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1951, together with excerpts from wardens' reports and appropriate statistics dealing with the penitentiaries. .• I have the bonour o be, Sir, Your obedient servant, • R. B. GIBSON, Commissiôner. OTTAWA, September r, 1951. 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE I—INTRODUCTORY 7 .II,—ADMINISTRATION AND STAFF 9 Appointments .. 9 Promotions , 9 Retirements .. IO Permanencies .. IO New Positions .. Salaries .. Forty-four Hour Week.. .. II III—STATISTICS OF THE INMATE POPULATION.. 12 General Data .. 12 Recidivism .. 12 • Behaviour of Inmates.. .. 12, Nationality of Inmates.. .. 12 ' Young Inmates .. 12 Releases 1950-51 . 13 Admissions 1950-51 .. 13 Penal Record of Males Admitted 13 Young Inmates Admitted (Males) .. 13 Penal Record of Young Inmates Admitted (Males) 14 Nature of Offence (Young Inmates) .. 14 Employment before Conviction (Young Inmates) .. 15 IV—EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES • ' " • • 1 5 V—PHYSICAL TRAINING AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES.. 18 VI—HOBBIES 20 VII—RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES .. 21 VIII—CLASSIFICATION • .. 22 IX—TRAINING OF OFFIpERS 25 X—AFTER-CARE OF PRISONERS .. .. 28 XI—VOCATIONAL TRAINING .. Control Training .. 32 XII—INDUSTRIES 32 XIII—PENITENTIARY FARMS .. 35 Canning Operations .. 36 XIV—STEWARD'S DEPARTMENT • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 38 Kitchen Sanitation and Personal Hygiene .. 2 4 Penitentiary Farm Produce Sold to Stewards , .. • .. 42 PrOcessed Meats 42 Bakery Production .. . 2 4 Inmate Rations.. .. 2 4 XV—MEDICAL AND PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES 42 XVI—ACCOUNTS, STORES AND PURCHASING SERVICES , 43 XVII—CONSTRUCTION 44 XVIII—CONCLUSION . 46 5 PAGe TABLES' RESPECTING INMATES— , Table I—Movement of Population .. 48 • Table II—Nationality 49 Table III—Civil State .. .. 50 Table IV—Duration of Sentence .. , ./. 50 Table V—Ages Table VI—Creeds . 51 Table VII—Previous Convictions .. 52 Table VIII—EmPloyment of Inmates .. • 53 Table IX—Comparative Statement of Revenue .. 55 , Table X.—Comparative Statement of Disbursements .. 55 Table XI—Comparative Statement of Disbursements (by Penitentiaries) as at March 31, 1951 Table XII—Comparative Statement of Operating Costs for Services Rendered and Goods Consumed .. .. • •. 56 Table XIII—Statement of Operating Costs for Services Rendered and Goods Consumed in the Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 1951 57 Table XIV—Comparative Statement of Capital and Operating Costs for Services' Rendered and Goods Consumed .. • 58 Table XV—Expenditures on Medical and Allied Services 1950-51.. .. 58 Table XVI—Activities of Welfare Organizations .. 59 ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE WARDENS- Kingston Penitentiary .. 61 St. Vincent de Paul Penitentiary 67 Dorchester PenitentiarY 77 , Manitoba Penitentiary .. 86 British Columbia Penitentiary .. •91 Saskatchewan Penitentiary.. 98 Collin's Bay Penitentiary .. 103 STATISTICAL DATA ON INMATES RECEIVED DURING THE YEAR BY THE DOMINION BUREAU OF STATISTICS (Table of Contents) .. 111 • • • , ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF PENITENTIARIES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR. ENDED MARCH 31,. 1951 I—INTRODUCTORY 1. Under the authority of necessary amendments to the Penitentiary Act, the Penitentiaries Branch was reorganized in September, 1947 and immediate steps were taken to begin a programme which would effectively implement the recommerida- tions of the Royal Commission to Investigate the Penal System of Canada, com- monly described -as the Archambault Commission. These recommendations, 88 in number, introduced into Canadian penology a new emphasis on the reformation and , rehabilitation of prisoners. The report stressed that the primary purpose of a penal,/ system is the protection of society and that such a system should be characterized by"' that firm dignity which is traditional in, the British administration of justice, with no place in it either for weak sentimentality or for cruel severity. 2. The Commission recommended a thorough: and complete revision of peniten- tiary rules and regulations based on four points: a. the protection of society; ■ b. the safe custody of inmates; c. strict but humane discipline; • d. reformation and rehabilitation of prisoners. 3. It is not necessary to review the detailed recommendations of the Commis- sion except to note here than in so far as these recommendations apply to institutional practices and procedures the major emphasis is on rehabilitation of inmates. In the - programme which is now being introduced into the penitentiaries this emphasis is •being kept continually in our thinking. 4. The prison system as we know it todaY was founded less than 200 years ago. It was intended to be a substitute for indignities which in previous days had been forced upon the law-breaker and which inevitably reduced his status as a human being. The bastille type of prison, however, with its stern discipline and enforced silence and unremitting, hard and purposelesS' labour had its own new terrors. , It is only as we have attained a broader knowledge of the sciences of human behaviour and some understanding of the factors which create crime that we have learned that prison treatment, although some improvement on earlier and more primitive forms , • of punishment, was, nevertheless, based on false assumptions and that it was just as injurious to human personality and character as earlier methods. 5. As rapidly as it may be possible it is our hope to eliminate those remnants of the old system, its philosophy and practice which may still survive if only in the mind of the general public and in outmoded buildings and facilities. 6. It is, however, impossible to replace obsolete buildings and equipment imme- diately. Time, money and effort are required and it will undoubtedly take many years,‘much money and many hands before the ultimate goal is achieved. 7. This report will indicate that steps are being taken to improve and modernize our buildings and equipment; constant thought is being given to the addition of physical facilities which will in themselves be a material expression of the newer philosophy. 7 DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 8. In the• meantime, however, every effort is being made within the present limitations to introduce new and progressive concepts of modern penolog -y into our total programme. This report indicates the steps which have been taken to improve the calibre of prison personnel and to train present staffs 'so- that they may be able to apply the principles of a humane penology in their daily work. 9. There are at least two major factors which operate to limit the effectiveness• treatment programme in any prison. One of these is the sense of isolation and of a social ôstracism which weighs heavily on a great many of those who are committed to our prisons. For 'years prisons have stood within our communities, grim and for- bidding testimony to the punishment which society measures out to those who violate its laws. Contacts between the inmates of the prison and the outside world were extremely limited. It appeared that society had little or no interest in the ultimate fate of those who were confined behind the secure walls and inevitably there grew up a feeling that inmates of such institutions were in sonae sense a race apart. And this feeling inevitably communicated itself to the inmates who quite naturally, under the circumstances, felt that they had been thrown on a human scrap pile and that society had little further use for them. oi If, however, the prisoner is to have any opportunity of changing his point of. ,view and of being restored to society as a law-abiding and contributing citizen, he , should not be permitted to develop this feeling of social uselessness.