Within a couple of weeks, northern B.C.'s female youth offenders will no longer be jailed in Prince George.
On Wednesday, the province announced that, starting the second week of Februrary, Burnaby will be the only location in the province housing female offenders
under the age of 18.
The new plan will free up about $2.5 million, which will be focused instead on other elements of youth justice and special-needs youth.
"We have fewer and fewer youth incarcerated in B.C. - a credit to our system and our services," said Minister of Children and Family Development Mary McNeil.
"This now allows us to enhance rehabilitation services for youth at all three centres in the province."
The move is being criticized
because it forces young girls behind bars to be cut off from their families and support systems.
"The facilities on the chopping block have allowed female youth offenders to remain in the same region as their family members," said BC Government Employees' Union (BCGEU)president Walker added.
"So much for the B.C. Government's families first agenda and the BC Jobs Plan."
He also criticized the change because the affected workers were blind-sided by the announcement., despite the fact that negotiations between the provincial government and the BCGEU are currently underway.
"More than two-dozen BCGEU members, who hold permanent jobs in corrections, will be affected by the closures," said Walker.
"Six jobs will be cut in Prince George and 17 in Victoria.
"The union expects auxiliary staff members will also be affected."
Alan Markwart, a senior executive director of youth justice services for B.C., said most employees would continue on in other jobs.
"I can say with great confidence that all staff in Prince George will be accommodated with employment," he said.
McNeil also said that centralizing incarceration means an increased population which brings treatment and counselling benefits.
No more than four offenders were detained at the Prince George female youth jail on its busiest day, and typically only one or two.
In Victoria the average population of girl offenders is less than five on any given day.
"If we can put them all together in one centre, we can offer more gender-specific programming," said McNeil.
The province's Elizabeth Fry Society also announced its support for the move.
"The centralization of girls' services in Burnaby will create a larger grouping of girls and permit the development and enhancement of programs that, for example, address addictions and trauma typically experienced by girls," said society spokeswoman Shawn Bayes.
