The Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services is launching a review of the segregation policy in Ontario's jails.
Officials say the goal is to improve both inmate and staff safety.
Those from the Canadian Mental Health Association are calling the move long overdue, yet applauding the government's efforts.
"Segregation is certainly not a therapeutic environment, nor is jail a therapeutic environment for those who are not well enough to manage their own behaviours, because their mental health is so compromised," says CMHA Knowledge Transfer and Exchange Specialist Marnie Wedlake. "It's just going to create a problem. It's not surprising that there are problems and the problems are growing."
The ministry says about 5% of the 7,700 people in Ontario jails are in segregation or solitary confinement for various reasons. Sometimes, for the inmates safety they are placed in cell alone and will not interact with others at all. In other situations, the segregation is a result of poor behaviour or mental health issues.
"The purpose of a jail is not to treat someone's mental health, so those who are quite unwell end up having significant problems there because when they are already experiencing a fair bit of disorder and chaos in their lives going into a jail just ramps that up," Wedlake tells BlackburnNews.com. "There needs to be a measure of control, and what they've chose to do is segregate and that is not going to address the underlying issue."
Once an inmate is placed in a cell alone the case is reviewed 24 hours later, then every five days after that.
Ministry officials will meet with mental health workers, correctional staff, the Ontario Human Rights Commission and representatives from the Ontario Ombudsman's Office this summer to develop the revised policy.