Need an expert? COVID-19: Impact on prisons

Need an expert
A view into a prison cell through the bars

Members of the media may directly contact the following expert:

Justin Piché (English and French )
Associate Professor, Department of Criminology, Faculty of Social Sciences

Prisons visits have been suspended in all federal institutions because of COVID-19. What’s the impact on prisoners?

“(What could be done) right now is stop the lockdowns and put in place free jail calls on a temporary basis until the COVID-19 crisis is over so that prisoners can get access to info on what's happening in the world and check-in on their loved ones.”

Professor Piché is a prisoner rights expert. He oversees the operations of the Jail Accountability & Information Line that takes calls from prisoners held at the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre “We regularly update the public on what prisoners are reporting to us when they call,” said Professor Piché.