Day threatens legislation limiting inmate mail privileges

by CBC — July 30, 2008

The federal government is considering legislation that would prevent prison inmates from sending personal items to family or acquaintances, Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day said.

Day made the statement Tuesday after a crime memorabilia website began auctioning items from notorious Canadian serial killer Clifford Olson.

"I have asked for all legal measures to be considered so that we can end this unacceptable re-victimization," Day told the Canadian Press in an e-mail from his office. "If that means legislation, then that is the direction that I will consider."

Day earlier asked Canada's corrections commissioner to investigate after items from, or related to, Olson went on sale in an online auction.

Three newspaper clippings about the Olson case and a photograph purportedly signed by the killer were listed on the U.S.-based website.

Earlier in the week, the website had also included letters and legal documents purportedly from Olson, 68. He is serving a life sentence for killing 11 children and teenagers in British Columbia in 1980 and 1981.

It wasn't immediately clear why some items were no longer on the auction block.

Website operator Tod Bohannon responded to inquiries from the Canadian Press saying he couldn't comment until a later date.

Corrections Canada said it did not make any calls to request the items be removed.

Day said he would like to curtail inmates from making public any items that could be sold publicly, and suggested legislation to that effect could be incorporated in a wide-ranging prison reform bill he hoped to unveil soon.

"Under current legislation, it is difficult to limit all materials an inmate may send to family and others outside the jail. There may also be materials acquired prior to a criminal's incarceration in the hands of the public," Day said.

"Strengthening the rights of victims will also be addressed as part of the prisons reform we are currently working on."

At present, the government has no way of preventing the personal items of criminals from reaching memorabilia sellers and collectors if they come from outside the prison system.

What the government is supposed to be able to control is the release of personal items from inmates currently in custody, such as paintings or letters.

"Corrections Canada has the legal authority through the Corrections and Conditional Release Act to prohibit or restrict the dissemination of inmates' artwork or letters," said an official in Day's office. "They do monitor what's going out and what's coming in."

In Olson's case, Day has asked corrections commissioner Don Head to investigate what materials were available online, and to report back to him with options for preventing such items from being made publicly available. No time frame for when Head was to report back was given.

The four separate auctions of Olson memorabilia available Tuesday had starting bids of between $1 and $7 US, with no bidders showing interest.

Source:CBC