On the 19th of April 2012 Minister Toews announced the closure of Kingson Pen (KP) and Regional Treatment Centre (RTC) in Kingston, Ontario due to staff safety concerns and budget cuts. KP has been in operaton since 1835 and is designated a historical site. The prison employs well over 400 people and house's over 500 inmate between the 2 facilities. Significant improvements in safety and budget could be achieved by changing KP to a multilevel facility, KP would become a reception facility. While RTC maintained its important role of treating inmates with severe mental health concerns. New roles of the KP facility would include a High Profile Segregation Unit (HPSU) for inmates like Bernardo, Williams and Shafia, a 20 bed Special Handling Unit (SHU), Geriatric Living Units (GLU), Offender Assessment Unit (OAU)and Inmate Mental Health Unit (IMHU) Regional Hospital. Currently Ontario Region does not have SHU, HPSU or GLU! All the infrastructure is already at KP to support these units. Inmates housed in these types of unit would be lower risk to staff and could easily be managed with existing resources. This would reduce strain on human resources and minimise impact on Correctional Service employee's and their families. Tell the government they are making a mistake and have not thought this decision through by signing this petition.

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