The Director of Adult Forensic Services, J.A.
“Gus” Richardson, was seconded to the
Corrections Branch as Director of
Psychological Services to help implement the
protocols. Corrections Branch staff took the
lead in implementing the protocols and
co-ordinating services with other agencies.

According to Richardson, the protocols “...are
important for a number of reasons, but
particularly due to the fact that they indicate
that no one in B.C. should be denied services
on the basis of being involved with the criminal

justice system.””"*

Replacing and upgrading adult secure institutions

As noted during the reparation era, most of the
adult and youth institutions of the Branch
required upgrading or replacement. Many
facilities were overcrowded due to increases in
the population of offenders. While plans
proceeded to replace the older facilities,
conditions in these centres deteriorated.

In December 1987 and January 1988, a riot and
mass escape highlighted the need to replace
Oakalla and other aging facilities. The Drost
Inquiry report’? addressed issues arising from
these incidents and called again for the facility
to be closed. The report highlighted the
overcrowded conditions, dilapidated state and
antiquated security of Oakalla to emphasize that
a replacement was urgently needed.

As a result of commitments from the reparation
era, most secure institutions were replaced
through the 1990s. Two community
correctional centres were also replaced. Most of
the planned new centres focused on housing
remanded and higher risk offenders. Lower risk
offenders were to be released into the
community as soon as possible. The closure of

several community correctional facilities and
camps resulted from reduced numbers of
offenders suitable for these levels of custody.

By early 1990, construction of Fraser Regional
Correctional Centre (FRCC)—the second of
the Oakalla replacement facilities—neared
completion. Rene Gobillot left Oakalla to
become the centte’s first director. Deputy
Director Grant Stevens became responsible for
the closure of Oakalla.

FRCC, located in Maple Ridge, officially
opened with a capacity of 254 beds for
sentenced offenders in July 1990. Surrey Pretrial
Services Centre (SPSC), the last of the
replacement centres for the men’s Oakalla
facility, opened with a capacity of 150 beds in
May 1991. This centre was designed to
accommodate the remaining remand population
at Oakalla. While Oakalla had the capacity to
house mote than 600 men, the three

replacement facilities had a combined capacity
of only 554.

An official ceremony closed Oakalla prison in
July 1991. Following this event, the prison was

14 CorrTech Quarterly, Corrections Branch, Spring 1994.

15 Released in November 1988. The Royal Commission of Inquiry, headed by Judge Ian L. Drost, was established
under Order-in-Council No.1 January 6, 1988) to review the escape of prisoners from the Lower Mainland
Regional Correction Centre (Oakalla) on January 1, 1988.

The Era of Risk Management (1990-1997)

179