A local human rights advocate says recent changes to provincial policy has made it difficult for recently released inmates to access necessary reintegration services in Alberta. Mark Cherrington works with incarcerated people to reintegrate them into society by connecting them with addiction support services, emergency housing and other supports. Last year, Cherrington attempted to secure a spot at a treatment centre in Fort McMurray for a client ahead of their release day, but was surprised when Recovery Alberta told him their application process had changed. “If a client has a release date that is within 60 days, we can open up a file,” said an email from Recovery Alberta shared by Cherrington to CTV News Edmonton. “However, the pre-admission process will not begin until (the) client is released.” Prior to the policy change, incarcerated people were able to begin their pre-admission process while still in custody, allowing for them to enter treatment when they are released. Recovery Alberta said policy changes were driven by “data tracking for hours spent attempting contact with various treatment centres, beds lost to clients who detoured on their way to the centre, and struggles encountered at the treatment centre in supporting the population through increased challenges, behavioural concerns and subsequent premature discharges.” Cherrington said the shift in policy has resulted in an increased number of individuals being “dumped” on street corners by corrections officers. Recent surveillance footage obtained by CTV News Edmonton shows corrections officers dropping off eight people on 100 Street near the Hope Mission on Friday around 9 p.m. “This puts the client at risk. This puts the public at risk,” said Cherrington. “This causes significant stressors, and in my opinion, leads to more likelihood of recidivism and criminal behaviour.” Cherrington said he has worked with clients who have been sexually assaulted right after being released while others were back in jail the next morning. “They have no access to housing, they have no access to addiction treatment centres … They’re left at the mercy of the system. “The province is not providing any alternatives but street corners.” A spokesperson from the Ministry of Public Safety says decisions on where to release individuals are made on a case-by-case basis. “When individuals do not have transportation, family support or a place to go upon release, staff work to connect them with appropriate community supports and available services,” said the spokesperson in a statement to CTV News Edmonton. “They weigh public safety, the individual’s home community, their wishes and immediate needs, and the location of available supports.” While most of these drop-offs are done in Chinatown, where there is a concentration of shelters and services, many of them are not open in the middle of the night. Cherrington says shelters also don’t provide the services needed by recently incarcerated individuals to set them up for successful reintegration. “Shelter beds do not work … they are Band-Aids,” said Cherrington. “(Individuals) require social housing. They require ID. They require access to their banks. They require income support.” The advocate suggests the province make these services accessible while people are still in custody. “This is low-hanging fruit the government can fix.” On Monday, Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack called on more provincial and federal supports to address inmate drop-offs. “We are doing our part to address the systemic issues that many inmates struggle with when they’re released, such as lack of access to affordable housing and community supports, but we are limited in what we can do,” said Knack. The province said it intends to work with the city on providing a solution, but no concrete plans were revealed. With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Jeremy Thompson
