Prince Edward Island’s provincial jail has lifted restrictions on inmate phone calls, allowing them to contact anyone who is not blocked by court orders. This change comes after intervention from the Island’s Ombudsperson, Sandy Hermiston, who had been receiving complaints about the limited phone access for over two years. Previously, inmates could only call a few approved telephone numbers, and requests for additions were subject to a lengthy screening process by provincial Probation Services and Victim Services staff. OmbudsPEI highlighted that Prince Edward Island was the only province in Canada to impose such restrictions on inmate phone contact. Other provinces permitted inmates to call anyone they wished, except for numbers blocked for safety and security reasons or when there was a legal requirement to restrict contact. The correctional centre typically limited calls to the inmate’s close family members, lawyers, and offices like OmbudsPEI. However, inmates argued that this limitation hindered their ability to arrange pre-trial release plans and maintain personal and professional relationships that would facilitate successful reintegration into society upon their release. The federal correctional system also has approved contact lists for its inmates, but the number of contacts permitted per inmate is considerably higher. The previous policy in Prince Edward Island was justified by concerns about inmates breaching court orders or contacting victims or witnesses to threaten or coerce them. However, OmbudsPEI emphasized that individuals who receive unwanted calls from inmates have the power to decline or block future calls from the correctional centre’s inmate phones.
Inmate Phone Call Restrictions Lifted in P.E.I. Jail
