The creation of a new correctional centre in Yellowknife will not only provide more room for prisoners, but also boost the local economy when construction of the $27.3 facility starts.
Maria Canton
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Mar 30/01) - Less than a kilometre down the road from the Yellowknife Correction Centre a billboard sign marks the spot where the territory's new $27.3-million correctional facilities will be built.
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"We could be pouring concrete by the end of June," John Dillon, who is also the spokesperson for the project, said.
In addition to the new infrastructure comes the biggest hiring and training undertaking ever attempted by the Department of Justice.
"We are hiring and training almost 50 staff, the largest hiring initiative ever undertaken by the department. Right now we have hired the manager for both of the young offenders facilities and bit by bit we will have everyone ready to go," said Dillon.
"A huge amount of planning has gone into this project."
Inuvik is also getting a young offenders facility and planning for that is being done in conjunction with the Yellowknife plans.
With a focus on healing and aboriginal values, the new facilities in Yellowknife will have separate roadway entrances and Dillon says young offenders will never come in contact with the adult inmates.
"The bottom line is everything that can be shared will be, to the extent that a young offender will never see an adult offender - they will never have a conversation, they will never see them," he said.
The groups will share a common "central services" building connected by corridors, but the buildings are laid out so that one cannot be seen from the other and blocked times will determine when each group uses the shared building. The fourth building is a boiler room.
Although Dillon says the numbers can still change at this point, the designs indicate the adult offenders facilities will hold 146 people while the young offenders quarters will house 24 people.
According to official records, the Yellowknife Correction Centre (YCC) has a maximum capacity of 132, but has housed up to 212 inmates at times. Comparing YCC and the new facilities, said Dillon, is like comparing apples and oranges.
YCC is a dormitory set up, when it comes to overcrowding you just add another bed," he said.
"In the new facility inmates will have their own rooms.
"We want people every day to make a decision to pursue a path that keeps them from re-offending and we're pretty convinced that we will succeed."
The young offenders facility is scheduled to open by February 2002. On the adults side, Dillon said they are aiming for 2003.
Once the new jail is fully-operational YCC will be torn down.
