Sergetalks Blog ~ The Official Blog of Serge LeClerc

Soon after I arrived at Kingston Penitentiary, the deputy warden came to see me. We were no strangers. He had been my classification officer in Collins Bay Penitentiary, so he knew me well. (A classification officer has a caseload of convicts with whom he meets on a monthly basis. He gives advice regarding programs they should take and helps them fill out applications for day passes, paroles, or orders for court.

The C.O.’s primary role is to work with the convict to achieve some level of rehabilitation.) “I’d like you to do me a favor,” the deputy warden said, “and I will do one for you in return. Here’s the deal. We want to turn this prison into a full protective custody facility, but in the meantime, we need to get it back on its operational legs.

“I would like you to stay here in static population and become head of the inmate committee. You’re one of the few people I know who can pull this off because of your status and your reputation. You have only two years remaining on your sentence. If you will give me one year here, you can pick wherever you want to go for your final year. I don’t care where it is.” I said, “You’ve got a deal.” (more…)

The Charter of Rights made prisons immeasurably more violent and dangerous, and among other things, laid them wide open for unchecked drug use.

Under the new ideology, prisoners could not be called convicts anymore; they had to be inmates. Nor were they referred to by number. Everyone must be called by his name.

I wouldn’t let the guards call me by name. I only answered to my number: 7777. If I liked the guard, I would say, “I’ll give you a break. You can call me ‘Four Sevens’ for short.”

Nor would I use the term ‘resident’ or ‘inmate.’ To this day, prisoners are convicts to me.

Numbers were removed from uniforms which had also changed. Now we wore green pants and light green polyester shirts. Coats with linings were issued to replace the pea jackets, and for recreational wear we were given golf shirts and khaki pants. (more…)