Ontario ombudsman to probe use of solitary confinement

Ontario's ombudsman has launched an investigation into how the province's correctional facilities handle inmates placed insolitary confinement.

On Friday, Ombudsman PaulDub said his office will examine how the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services (MCSCS) tracks and reviews inmates who have been placed in solitary confinement.

The investigation will also look at the effectiveness of the review process.

"As a fully independent, impartial office that has been investigating thousands of complaints about Ontario correctional facilities for more than 40 years, we are uniquely placed to investigate and comment on this issue," Dubsaid in a statement.

Prompted by complaints

The investigation, Dub's office said in a media release, has been prompted by a large number of complaints received about the use of solitary confinment.

In fiscal 2015-2016, 186 complaints related to segregation were received, and the office has received 175 more sinceApril 1, 2016.

Ombudsman's office staff also recently visited Thunder Bayto look into thecase of AdamCapay, an inmate who spent more than four years in solitary confinement while awaiting trial.

The investigation will be handled by the Special Ombudsman Response Team, which conducts major field investigations.

The MCSCS has alsoannounced it's own independent review of solitary confinement. That's scheduled to begin in January 2017.