News Releases

Ontario Region

News Release

Communiqué

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LOCKDOWN AT JOYCEVILLE INSTITUTION

JOYCEVILLE, ON, March 31, 2008 - Joyceville Institution is currently on lockdown status following a disturbance which occurred in the evening hours on March 31, 2008.

At approximately 1700 hours, while staff was conducting an institutional count, an inmate was found in medical distress due to an assault. The inmate was transported to outside hospital for treatment of non life threatening injuries. He currently remains at outside hospital.

Later in the evening, a group of inmates covered windows and began smashing institutional property and setting fires on a number of ranges. Inmates also broke water pipes which caused a significant amount of flooding. The Institutional Emergency Response Team (IERT) was deployed to assist in gaining compliance from the inmates involved in this disturbance.

All ranges were eventually secured.

No staff members were injured during the disturbance.

The institution will be completing an evaluation of cost associated with this disturbance.

At this time the institution is on a modified routine and visits have been suspended. The facility will reopen once institutional management determines that it is safe to do so.

Ensuring the safety and security of institutions, staff and public remains the highest priority in the operations of the federal correctional system.

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For more information, media representatives may contact:

Janine Chown
A/Regional Communications Manager
Ontario Region
613-545-8210