Prisoners' Justice Day

Edward Nalon On August 10, 1974, while in segregation at the Millhaven Institution, inmate Edward Nalon took his own life by severing the arteries in his elbow. Nalon was then released from solitary confinement back into segregation, where he requested to be transferred back into general population on July 28, 1974. • Communication regarding transfers be carried out without delay • Prison medical practitioners relate mental and physical concerns regarding the prisoners being kept in segregation to the Segregation Review Board • Operational emergency alarm signals within cells • A functional time clock to ensure hourly check-ups by guards • Emergency first aid training for all Millhaven institutional staff Robert Landers On May 21, 1976, Robert (Bobby) Landers died while in segregation at Millhaven Institution. Landers tried to call for medical help, however, the emergency system within the prisoners' cells was not functioning, despite having been recommended for repair during the coroner's inquest into Nalon's death. Later, an inquest into Landers' death was held, during which a heart specialist determined he had died from a heart attack, and that he should have been placed in an intensive care unit rather than in solitary confinement. Landers' death not only forced the Correctional Service of Canada (then Canadian Penitentiary Service) to implement emergency call systems but also resulted in further National support for Prisoners' Justice Day. ==Committees ==

Prisoner justice committees formed in several provinces across Canada; including Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia, and contained both incarcerated and non-incarcerated members. These groups demanded changes in the treatment of incarcerated people, specifically regarding their human rights. The Quarter Century Group was one of the founding committees in the Millhaven Institution which paved the way for the creation of the Odyssey Group in 1976 == Demands ==

Across Canada, the advocacy groups demanded various human rights improvements for prisoners. The following demands were published on August 10, 1979, in The Odyssey Newsletter: It prevents prisoners from having access to physical exercise, social encounters and hobbies. Solitary confinement can cause mental distress and increases the risk of self harm and suicide. Between 1970 and 1974, seven prisoners spent 11.5 years in solitary confinement at the British Columbia Penitentiary. Specifically, Jack Emmett McCann spent a total of 1,471 days in solitary, McCann and several other plaintiffs filed a statement of claim McCann et al. v. The Queen and Dragan Cernetic stating that their containment "infringed upon their right to freedom from cruel and unusual treatment or punishment under section 2(b) of the Canadian Bill of Rights." According to the United Nations "prolonged isolation of detainees may amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and, in certain instances, may amount to torture" In 2019, Bill C-38 was passed which replaces the use of segregation in federal penitentiaries with structured intervention units (SIUs). Inmates in SIU will remain in the same segregation cells as before but will be allowed four hours outside their cells per day and additional healthcare access. Over-incarceration of minorities and marginalized people Prisoners' Justice Day advocates want to combat the overrepresentation of racial minorities and marginalized peoples in penitentiaries. in countries formed through colonization such Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. The Canadian Parliament enacted section 718.2 (e) of the Criminal Code in 1996, better known as the Gladue Report to combat the overrepresentation of Indigenous peoples in Canadian prisons. Additional Indigenous programming was implemented inside prisons, and Indigenous courts were created in Toronto, Despite the implementation of Gladue Reports, Indigenous programs, and Indigenous courts, the percentage of federally incarcerated Indigenous peoples doubled in the period from 2005 to 2015. The Prison for Women (P4W) in Kingston, Ontario was the only maximum security women's prison until its closure 2001. The facility closed after fifteen inquiries, commissions and reports concerning poor conditions for women and the effect these conditions had on increased suicide rates. ==International event ==

In 1983, prisoners in France joined the August 10 solidarity movement by refusing to eat. Germany, England and the United States began practicing non-violent protests during the 1990s. == References ==