Part 1: B.C.’s promising, new jail grinds into motion
B.C.’s newest jail, though it came with promises of renewed inmate relations and a stacked list of programming, has been no stranger to trouble.
From assaults on inmates and staff and complaints of excessive force from staff, inappropriate use of solitary confinement, lengthy waits for doctor visits and at least six lawsuits being filed against the Okanagan Correctional Centre, the high-security jail saw its share of challenges in its first 14 months of operation.
From atop McIntyre Bluff at night, the flood of light that surrounds the jail is in stark contrast with the twinkle of Oliver’s streetlights and the darkness that separates the two.
But the building doesn’t immediately stand out after you turn off Highway 97 onto Enterprise Way, entering the sparsely populated but burgeoning industrial park of the Osoyoos Indian Band.
And the building isn’t particularly conspicuous. You aren’t confronted with the concrete block of heavily patrolled watchtowers you see in the movies.
The cleanly boxed design of the building’s facade has all the makings of an institution — on approach, you might mistake it for an airport. The neutral colouring of a library surrounds the public entrance, and a wall of windows hovers over the area, displaying several offices.
This series won first prize for Outstanding Reporter Initiative at the Canadian Community Newspaper Awards in 2019. Read the full series on the Penticton Western News.
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