Dear Editor:
So now we have the interesting and uncomfortable sight of our local politicians in the South Okanagan rubbing their hands with glee, greed and, or, desperation over the prospect of establishing a penitentiary in the area.
Let us take a look at the values of this endeavour first.
They are proposing that it would be very astute of us to benefit economically on the misfortunes of the poor, the unfortunate, and those who commit crimes. All while saying that there are no downsides to such a facility.
Now let us look at the actuality of having a penitentiary in your community and what the jobs are like there.
I lived in Kamloops for many years, where there are three prison facilities, and was closely involved in the justice system, working in a legal centre, serving on the local Justice Council, and working in the difficult field of rehabilitation of ex-criminals.
So I have seen the system up close, including being inside penitentiaries. This is not a pretty business.
You can be sure that it will attract the families and friends of those in prison (wouldn‘t you want to visit your loved one?) That will absolutely increase the welfare roles, because these people will not have jobs here and they will be unlikely to find employment.
It will also attract a range of other fairly undesirable people to the area, such as drug dealers, prostitutes, addicts, bikers (that is, more than we already have). Homelessness will increase.
What of the people who work in penitentiaries? It is a thankless, dangerous, and depressing job.
Ask yourself who would want to be a prison guard? Do you think your children would want to grow up to be prison guards? I knew a correctional officer once who said to me “I don’t know anymore if I am the jailor or the jailed.” They interact day in and day out with the worst five percent of the population, and it changes them for the worse.
Police officers have it much better, because they interact with the other 95 percent of us as well.
And consider that at present there are serious discussions going on between the province and the federal government about changing the prison system so that anyone serving over six months will be put into a federal penitentiary and there meet up with the really serious offenders, where they too can learn how to be really serious offenders.
That means that the facility which is built could be changed into a long term one, at any time, with those serving longer than two years being housed in the local facility.
There are absolutely no guarantees that this will remain a provincial facility housing less dangerous prisoners.
Do you not think that we would be wise to look elsewhere for economic opportunities for our communities? I unequivocally do.
Sharry Schneider
Summerland
