Lazy Self-Indulgent Book Reviews

So, the Canadian government is trying to cut about $300 million from their Corrections budget over the next three years. And, to my complete shock, they’re closing my hometown’s biggest claim to fame (sorry, Queen’s University), Kingston Penitentiary.  Open for over 175 years, maximum security, a huge local employer.

They’re also closing the major psychiatric facility on the grounds AND another, medium security prison in Quebec.

So, now we’ve got a bunch of maximum-security cons we’re going to be ‘double-bunking’ at a variety of other prisons. (No, they will not be double-bunking Paul Bernardo or Russell Williams.)

And, um, this is kind of bad for Kingston. A lot of jobs.

Edit: I mean, seriously, Harper, you can do a big “tough on crime” initiative OR you can cut three hundred million from the correctional system over three years.  You do both, we’re going to see guards get hurt. Prisoners too.