All new inmates, on admission, were placed
in the orientation area until their health
was satisfactory and it was felt by the
medical and classification staff that they
were ready for a living unit and placement
in one of the vocational or work teams.
Every effort was made to segregate new
offenders from old, and drug addicts from

non-users.22

This intention was not fully carried out, due to
a lack of available space.

In January 1962, Selwyn Rocksborough-Smith
became the new ditectot of correction, and
Ernie Stevens retited:

On his retirement from public service at
the end of January, Mr, E.G.B. Stevens
brought to a conclusion his long and
distinguished career in the Corrections
Branch, in which he served both as Director
of Correction and Provincial Probation
Officer. Joining the Attorney-General’s
Department in 1938, Mr. Stevens served on
the staff of the first New Haven. Following
its closure in 1941 and the passing of the
Provincial Probation Act, he was appointed
Provincial Probation Officer, a position he
held up to the time of his retirement in
1962, In 1951, he was named Inspector of
Gaols, a position that was later changed to
Director of Correction. For the last 10
years of his service, he served both as
Director of Correction and Provincial

Probation Officer. Mr. Stevens’ influence
in shaping corrections was largely
responsible for the growth and
development of the Provincial service of the
past 25 years.?3

Additional administrative changes were made in
the 1962-63 fiscal year:

» Gold Creek Camp was transformed into a
pre-release camp for Haney Correctional
Institution;

» Pine Ridge Camp was converted from a
pre-release camp to an honour unit where
inmates served their entire sentence;24

a Chilliwack Forestry Camps became
administratively independent of Oakalla in 1963.

Each camp operated as a separate unit. Each
had its own staff, defined work areas, and was
co-ordinated by an officer-in-charge.
Admissions wete recetved from central

classification rather than directly from
Oakalla.

Oakalla was reorganized on a decentralized
basis. Its facilities were divided into three
separately administered units:

= Westgate;
a Oakalla Women’s Gaol; and
«s Main Gaol.

Treatment and custodial staff were combined
under a single administration to better
co-ordinate their respective activities.

22 Annual Report of the Director of Correction, 1962-63 fiscal year.
23 Annual Report of the Director of Correction, 1961-62 fiscal year.

24 The function of these camp programs reverted to their former use in 1967. The pre-release program of Gold
Creek Camp was transferred to Pine Ridge Camp and vice versa. Pine Ridge Camp’s proximity to Haney meant
it was more efficient in terms of training time, and access to community and institutional resources for
pre-release trainees. Rapid turnover of the pre-release population also hampered the operation.

Era of Rebabilitation (1950-1969)

87