individuals who were jailed.

In 1997-98, about half of all adults admitted to custody were on remand, The average increase across all jurisdictions

in the number of remands varied widely among provinces and territories. British

followed by Ontario (83%) and Saskatchewan (50%).

B.C. shows largest increases in custodial remand through the 1990s

The Use of Custodial Remand in Canada examined the trend of remanding people into custody while they awaited their next court appearance. In this study, it was reported that the number of adults remanded into custody represented a growing proportion of all

between 1988 and 1998 was 39%. Increases

Columbia (128%) had the sharpest increase

150 Increase in custodial ® remand — 1988-1998 oO +100 — ra 8 5 50 a 0

B.C. Ont. Sask. Canada

Addtessing population growth in institutions

Until the construction of North Praser Pretrial Centre in Port Coquitlam, all the replacement facilities of the Branch produced only a seven-bed increase in capacity. While the offender population in sentenced and remand custody continued to grow, there were no

additional resources through most of the 1990s.

Because most provincial offenders served sentences of 90 days or less, early release options were developed for this group. For the remaining institutional population—the burgeoning remand population and a significantly hardened group of sentenced offenders—the Branch required additional secure custody space.

The pressure became acute by 1993, In March of that year, the count at Vancouver Pretrial

Services Centre (VPSC) reached 197—or 47 more than the design capacity of 150, The Branch decided to use some beds at Fraser Regional Correctional Centre (RCC) for remanded inmates and transfer inmates from VPSC to FRCC and Surrey Pretrial Services Centre (SPSC), At PRCC, counts averaged slightly below capacity (244 inmates with 254 available beds). SPSC counts averaged slightly above (155 with 150 available beds).

Once maximum bed capacity was reached, double-bunking became the only option. Additional beds were installed to address the increased population. In January 1994, 36 cells at SPSC received extra beds, increasing the institution’s capacity from 150 to 186.

In 1994, the Corrections Branch instituted a double-bunking policy. It stated that double bunks were only to be used when:

190

Corrections in British Columbia