Ferndale Institution
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 Interactive map of Ferndale Institution | |
| Capacity | 166 |
|---|---|
| Opened | 1973 |
| Managed by | Correctional Service of Canada |
| Website | http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/institutions/001002-5002-eng.shtml |
Ferndale Institution is the former name of the minimum-security federal correctional annex of Mission Institution, now referred to as Mission Minimum Institution. It is located in Mission, British Columbia, in the central Fraser Valley, about 80 kilometres east of Vancouver. Ferndale opened in 1973 and can house up to 166 inmates, who live in residential-style units on a federal reserve shared with Mission Institution.[1]
The current Warden is Shawn Huish.[2][failed verification]
Previous warden Ron Wiebe (deceased) was the founder of the "Restorative Justice" project, which brought together offenders, victims and their families for reconciliation/mediation.[3]
Offenders housed at Ferndale are classified minimum security. Correctional Service Canada calls these Level II prisons.
Most offenders have "cascaded" down from maximum or medium security (levels IV or III). Strict guidelines need to be met to reach minimum security. The Security Reclassification Scale is used to determine suitability for minimum security.[4]
Many Ferndale inmates are at pre-release status, meaning they are very close to reintegration into society. All required programming/expectations laid out in the offenders correctional plan, created on arrival in prison, must have been completed to reach this level. Institutional behavior must be stellar, and all drug tests negative. Other factors such as community support are also considered.[5]
In 2008, a directive from Ottawa was given to involuntarily transfer all inmates with the "Dangerous Offender" (DO) classification to higher security prisons (medium or maximum).[6]
Some non-violent offenders may be directly classified to minimum security without cascading.[7]
There is also a small contingent of those serving life sentences who have served substantial portions of their parole eligibility terms, normally more than 15 years, and have good institutional records. (e.g. Colin Thatcher).