Military Institute of Windsor hears from local corrections officer

Corrections officer Stefan Miller speaks to the Military Institute of Windsor (MIW) at a recent luncheon at Royal Canadian Legion Br. 594.

The Military Institute of Windsor (MIW) got a lesson in what happens in a detention centre from a correctional officer (CO) who lives in Amherstburg.

Stefan Miller was the guest speaker at the MIW’s luncheon meeting at Royal Canadian Legion Br. 594 in Tecumseh. The topic was “Modern Jails: Indirect vs. Direct Supervision.”

Miller noted that indirect supervision can lead to as many as three inmates to a unit with inmates in their cells upwards of 22 hours a day. New legislation brought that down from 23 hours per day in their cells.

Correctional officers would be on the outside looking for such things as drugs and suspicious behaviour and inmates would have a lot of time to “conjure up things.”

“With indirect supervision, a rapport is built but nothing is concrete,” he said. 

Less supervision often leads to a hierarchy within the jail, from the “heavies” down to what is known as the “goofs.” The heavies would be on top of the hierarchy, backed up by the “enforcers.” Miller recalled a case where one person could control a jail from his cell.

The “snitches” were people that no one wants to be around while calling someone a “goof” would often lead to a fight.

“Once you are labelled, that’s it,” he said.

Direct supervision “is the way Ontario is going,” Miller added. He said inmates interact more with corrections officers and can head off trouble in advance if the CO sense something is about to occur.

“We can see it before it happens,” said Miller.

Miller said treating the inmates with respect is important. He said it is preferable to treat the inmates with the same level of respect as a person would treat their own family.

“Respect will save your life in a jail,” said Miller. “As a CO, we treat the inmates as no less than you.”

With indirect supervision, inmates often have their guard up while it is not so much with inmates in a direct supervision detention centre. While there was a case several years ago with an inmate following a CO home with the intent to kill him (before being caught by police prior to anything tragic happening), Miller said the fact he shows inmates respect leads to him not being concerned about that happening. “All inmates have their dignity,” he said.

Military Institute of Windsor hears from local corrections officer

By Ron Giofu