British Columbia: Minister of Children and Family Development Grace Lore says she is reviewing findings of the B-C Ombudsperson that criticized the ministry for failing to take action on youth held in solitary confinement while in custody.
Lore says she’s told ministry staff no child in the province’s custody should be placed in prolonged isolation, and none have faced the punishment in the last five months.
A report in 2021 found kids in custody, either awaiting trial or serving a sentence, faced long periods of separate confinement, isolation and exposure to significant psychological harm.
An update from the Ombudsperson’s office says the ministry has failed to make any progress on 15 of the report’s 26
recommendations.
(The Canadian Press)