Inmates speak out on inhumane conditions inside Brandon Correctional Centre

A group of inmates at Manitoba’s Brandon Correctional Centre, are raising concerns about mistreatment at the ageing institution. They say the conditions at the provincial jail are actually hindering their rehabilitation inside, rather than helping.

“The ones that want the help. That want to change. That want to quit this life. It’s not there,” explained an inmate.

Awaiting trial on drugs and weapons charges, Jonathon Alexander Herntier is one of three men CityNews spoke to who say unsanitary food conditions, access to new prison-issued clothing, are just some of the factors, they say are contributing to an environment causing them harm.

“It’s disgusting.”

Inside BCC, inmates can purchase snack items at the canteen like instant noodles, but Herntier says they’re forced to prepare them in the shower.

“When you’re looking up at that showerhead and there’s green mildew around the showerhead that you can’t wash off and you’re there to cook a noodle with it, it’s not something you want to tell everybody. But nobody knows those things, because they haven’t been in here, been through here,” Herntier told CityNews.

He says some inmates awaiting trial like himself grow weary of waiting and mistreatment, will give up a trial, and their chance to access justice, for better support at a federal institution.

“They get tired of that treatment and tired of being talked to like they’re a kid or like they’re an idiot, or having a guard that just keeps pushing their buttons to keep them going to where they just emotionally snap and want out.”

For others like Jaime Grieves, who’s trying to turn his life around, it feels like there’s no one there despite reaching out for help.

“There’s not really any support, man. The only thing they do here is they give you the piece of the paper to do on their own to do programming, and if there is programming here, it’s only for like five days, and that’s not going to help anybody,” explained Grieves.

He says for him, he can’t get the help he needs, claiming some guards stoke tensions inside.

“Disrespecting inmates. Always egging people to freak out. It’s pretty rude. They’re pretty rude here man. Especially if they’re high-ranking guards and they should be professional. They should act professional, not act the way they do.”

CityNews requested an interview with the province to discuss the concerns raised by the Brandon inmates but a statement was provided instead.

“Senior managers travel to every correctional centre on a regular basis and are confident in the work that staff at Brandon Correctional Centre are doing, read the statement. “Any complaints brought forward to management are thoroughly reviewed.”

They add, if inmates are uncomfortable bringing a complaint to centre staff, they can file a complaint with the Manitoba Ombudsman.

But for younger inmates like 23-year-old Daniel Garvey Rodriguez, he feels caught in a negative cycle at the facility and says he’s eager for another chance.

“Before I really wasn’t trying to change my lifestyle, like I’ve been in the stuff since I was 13 years old, but now I’m kind of like, it’s 10 years later, I’m 23 now, I’m turning 24 and I am trying to make a change, I don’t want to sit in here for the rest of my life.”

He admits while there have been instances where he’s behaved poorly inside, he feels he’s in a broken system which is unwilling to help.

“Sitting here in a cage. It’s not helping nobody.”