Caroline Wawzonek, Minister of Justice and Attorney General for the Northwest Territories, issued the following statement today in response to questions about inmates being released during the COVID-19 pandemic: “As the Minister of Justice, the safety and well-being of our corrections staff, inmates and people of the Northwest Territories, is a top priority. Good government protects the well-being of all citizens, particularly the most vulnerable.  The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is aware of the particular challenges and risks that COVID-19 poses to NWT Correctional Facilities and continues to take steps to manage and mitigate these risks. “To keep everyone safe and healthy it’s imperative we keep our incarcerated population safe. Our corrections facilities do not operate in isolation from our community. The flow of individuals entering our facilities, including workers and medical staff, can make these institutions more vulnerable to infection. “The government’s approach has had two parts: first, safely reduce the number of people in our facilities and, second, ensure that the procedures in place to assess the health of those entering the correctional facilities rely on the best available medical evidence and techniques. “The strategic and safe release of low-risk offenders and supporting the process by which individuals facing charges can await disposition of their matters on judicial interim release, are our best options as we work to prevent the spread of COVID-19 inside our corrections facilities, and across our territory. This initiative needs to be done carefully, thoughtfully - and most importantly - safely. “The World Health Organization, the Canadian Bar Association, and the Canadian Human Rights Commission, among others, have all recommended governments decrease the number of inmates wherever it is safe to do so. To date, our response has been one of the most successful nationally, resulting in a reduction of approximately 22% in the number of inmates in our facilities. By reducing the population, we reduce the level of stress placed on our staff, allow those within the facility to more easily practice physical distancing, and reduce travel between NWT correctional facilities and peoples’ home communities. “The use of early releases or Temporary Absence is in line with existing law and policy to reintegrate those who have completed a statutory period of incarceration and who meet criteria to begin their return to the community. What has changed is our emphasis on the availability of this process and the priority given to processing these applications. Offenders are not released without plans for their reintegration into the community which includes a place to reside. The majority of individuals have family homes to return to and without a place to reside an offender will not be approved for an early release.  “In addition to early releases, the Department of Justice is working with our partners in the justice system to ensure we only send individuals to jail who need to be there to ensure public safety. The legal process of seeking judicial interim release (a.k.a. “bail”) has not changed. What has changed is a more collaborative approach to determining if an individual meets the legal standard of posing a risk to public safety. The final decision on whether an individual will be released on bail rests with the Courts. As well, the delivery of judicial interim release hearings by telecommunications means that people can remain in their home communities and reduce the need to travel for their hearings.   “For those who are denied bail or are sentenced to a period of incarceration, the Department of Justice has implemented a number of safety precautions across our facilities to ensure that the health and safety of everyone entering the building is protected. All protocols are in line with direction provided by the Chief Public Health Officer. “All new intakes to our facilities are properly screened, questioned and must be medically cleared by our health staff prior to being introduced to the general population. Our testing protocols are in line with those of the Chief Public Health Officer’s office, and while we don’t currently require all new inmates to be tested for COVID-19, our medical clearance process does include a temperature check and rigorous medical-specific questioning.  As well, staff and anyone else entering are also required to undergo screening before entering any of our facilities.  “So far, thanks to the dedication and diligence of our staff and healthcare professionals and measures implemented by the Chief Public Health Officer we’ve been able to protect our staff, health workers and inmates from the virus. No one at any of our facilities has become infected. “The GNWT understand that this global health pandemic is fluid, and as this situation evolves, the department’s response will continue to evolve too.”