“Agassiz Work Camp Opens,” Chilliwack Progress. June 20, 1961. Page 1 & 3. --- One Guard On Duty At Night ---- By John Davies You can forget all that nonsense about "criminal types."
The brand new Agassiz correctional work camp put out the "welcome mat" Friday afternoon for a bevy of press, television and radio representatives, And the only difference between the newsman and the inmates was that the inmates wore blue shirts and the newsmen wore pencils.
The ten former occupants of the B.C. Penitentiary who form the "advance guard" at the camp were, in fact, the most co-operative news subjects that this reporter has seen in a long time.
Did they mind having their pictures taken?
Surprisingly, not a bit. They sat down, stood up, turned around, mocked up a game of chess, transported plates to the dining room - all at the behest of successive photographers, and with all the friendly willingness of up-and coming starlets posing for the magazines.
The Agassiz work camp is now just a week old. The inmates will soon be joined by another 10 men. When permanent accommodation has been built, its capacity will be about 80 inmates.
There is a staff of four correctional officers headed by superintendent John Moloney. Eight local men are in process of being hired to become additional correctional officers. They will be given a month's training and then sent to the camp
At present, the inmates live in massive trailers. When the permanent buildings have been put up, the trailers will be moved out for use in other similar projects.
Right now, however, the work camp in unique so far as the Canadian department of justice is concerned.
NO GATES, WALLS The camp is tucked away on part of the Dominion Experimental Farm lands behind Maria Slough. There's no wall - not even a gate. A backwater curves round three sides of the site and forms a natural boundary beyond which an inmate must not pass without permission from an officer. On the remaining side is a hill covered with old timber, destined to be logged off by the work crews
The site adjoins 120 acres of bush-covered bog. Main project will be to clear this land and drain it so that it will be useable by the experimental farm.
It's work which, in the normal course of events, would not have been done in at least ten years.
A spokesman for the department of justice referred to the men as "the cream" of the penitentiary. Since this is a minimum security camp, with only one guard on duty at night, the inmates are picked with the utmost care.
No one with a record of physical violence is allowed to go to the camp. There are no drug offenders. No fewer than 12 people - including the psychologist - are consulted to see whether an inmate is a suitable prospect.
Most of them are drawing towards the close of their jail term but this will not invariably be the case.
“No one." explained Warden Tom Hall, is sent to the work camp with the intention of later returning him to the penitentiary. But if there are any doubts about his behaviour when he is here, he will be sent back."
Fear of being sent back to the "pen" is one of the few ways of ensuring discipline at the camp. The staff is completely unarmed and joins with the men in their work.
Inmates get up at 6:30 a.m. in the dormitory trailer, make up their beds and clean their area. Breakfast is from 7 to 7:30. At 8 am. they start work and keep at it until 12 There's a half hour break for lunch, then work resumes until 4:30 Supper is at 5 p.m. The rest of the day is their own. During their free time they can wash their clothes in automatic washers, write, play chess, checkers, soccer, softball or listen to the radio. Later there will be television.
TEACH HANDICRAFTS It's also hoped to organize training classes, and the staff is looking for local people who are willing to teach handicrafts.
"Lights out" is at 10:30 p.m.. except at weekends, when the men can stay up till midnight.
Said Warden Hall: "In their spare time we'll get the men to build a chapel for weekly services."
The inmate's work routine will be strictly an eight-hour day, five day week. Object is to adapt them as much as possible to civilian conditions and so prepare them for their eventual release.
Visiting by relatives will be permitted at weekends and there will be no restrictions within reasonable limits upon the time of the interviews, Picnic tables will be set up at which inmates and relatives can chat together.
The eight-hour work day, spokesmen pointed out, is a good deal heavier than is possible under maximum security conditions where about 4 hours work has been the usual rule.
Inmates are graded according to their conduct and their pay varies from 25 cents up to 55 cents a day for an exemplary prisoner.
Part of this is put aside as compulsory savings so that the prisoner will have a "stake" with which to start civilian life when he is released.
Correctional staffs foresee a great future for the minimum security camp which, they feel. is suitable for between 20 and 30 per cent of the prison population.
Apart from the good psychological effect on the inmates there's a substantial economic factor.
It cost $15,000 per inmate to put up a maximum security prison. A fully-equipped work camp can be put up for $2,000 per inmate.
Image captions: TOP left: PICTURE AT LEFT shows large trailers being used to accommodate prisoners at the B.C.Penitentiary’s new work camp at Agassiz. Above, inmates go to work clearing bush land of federal government property. LEFT: NEWLY ARRIVED inmates of the B.C. Penitentiary’s Agassiz work camp tested beds in their huge trailer homes Friday. About 80 men will eventually be accommodated in the correctional institution.