a

Dr. Diane Rothon (Director of Health Services), Dr. James Ogloff (Director of
Mental Health Services) and Joye Morris (Senior Nursing Consultant) (2000)

Corrections Branch Archives

Following Dr. Ogloff’s report,”® changes were
made to provide a minimal level of mental
health services in all correctional centres. In
1999, Dr. Ogloff was appointed Director of
Mental Health Services to improve services to
mentally disordered offenders MDOs). Mental
health screening was introduced for offenders
being admitted to custody. Separate units for
MD0Os was also a major development.

WCB tregulations—no smoking

In 1999, the B.C, Workers’ Compensation
Board (WCB) introduced revised occupational
health and safety regulations that included
provisions to eliminate staff exposure to
smoking in the workplace. A cessation policy
was approved for all correctional centres. For
the Branch’s six secure male correctional
centres, a total ban on smoking was applied.

The WCB, however, made

proposals that would allow
smoking in cells and during
lockdowns.

Worker complaints followed
implementation of the changes,
and WCB inspected Surrey Pretrial
Services Centre (SPSC) and Fraser
Regional Correctional Centre
(PRCC), As a result, a complete
smoking ban was introduced at
FRCC on March 1, 2000. The
Supreme Court later determined
that WCB failed to provide
adequate public consultation for

certain operations, including
prisons. The Branch again allowed
inmates to smoke in their cells
during lockdowns, and a prohibition on
smoking was phased in over a lengthier period.

On a matter related to smoking cessation in
bars and restaurants, the B.C. Supreme Court
tuled that the applicable section of the
environmental tobacco smoke regulations was
null and void. As a result, there was no
requirement for the Branch to change its
restricted smoking policy.

Inmate call control system

Technology at the turn of the millennium
enabled the Branch to develop a new way for
inmates to communicate by telephone with
contacts on the outside. Some high profile
abuses—threatening witnesses or contacting
victims—tresulted in bans on telephone use,
officer dialled calls, and other responses. To

26 J.R.P. Ogloff, A Review of Mental Health Services in the British Columbia Corrections Branch: Planning for Essential Services.
Report prepared for the Corrections Branch, Ministry of Attorney General, British Columbia, 1998.

The Era of Directing Change (1997-2001)

255