In response to Denis O’Gorman’s letter published on April 15, I would like to say I’m confused. You are quoting studies and communities in the United States.
After rereading the letter twice, I noticed there was no information relating to the extremely higher percentage of crime rates in the U.S. as opposed to Canada. He also failed to mention the fact that a fairly larger number of their “prisons” are just that, prisons, both medium and high security.
The institution proposed for Penticton is also a remand centre. I believe that while there are some disadvantages to this idea, there will also be many advantages. If you are going to try and advise people against the idea, the least you could do is research that applies to us as a people. The U.S. and Canada are apples and oranges in the area of the law.
Andrea Lee
Penticton