Two types of forestry camp programs evolved
in the B.C, Gaol Service:

» Pre-release camps, where men spent the final
two ot three months of their sentence; and

« Camps where men were sent for their entire
sentence.

The first forestry camp program emerged from
the YOU. In the summer of 1951, 11 YOU
inmates were released under the Ticket of Leave
Act and taken to a forestry camp on the Kettle
Rivet in Monashee Pass, 55 miles east of
Vernon.

Rehabilitation Camp No. 1 was
administered in co-operation with the
British Columbia Forest Service of the
Department of Lands and Forests to
provide inmates with constructive
employment for the latter part of their
sentence. The program was three and
one-half months long. At the end of
that time, inmates were released on
parole supervised by the B.C. Probation
Service. R.M. Deildal, an assistant
probation officer, was in charge of this

program.

Because there was no precedent for
administering such a program, rules and
regulations were drawn up as the camp
program evolved. When the lack of
clarity created initial difficulties, it was
recommended that policy be developed
before opening the camp in the
following year. There were only two
escapes, so this experimental program
was considered successful.

Ls

Another pre-release camp, Rehabilitation Camp
No. 2, was set up the following year. Like the
first camp, it was located in the Nelson Forest
District. In the second camp, inmates were
selected from Oakalla as well as the YOU. The
operation of both camps was viewed
favourably, which set a trend for the future of

forestry camp development.

Correctional forestry program (date: unknown)
Corrections Branch Archive

Era of Rebabilitation (1950-1969)

63