Prison guards forbidden to wear protective gear

EDMONTON -- Corrections Canada won't let guards at maximum security prisons wear stab-proof vests because it sends a confrontational "signal" to prisoners. "If you have that kind of presence symbolized by (a stab-proof vest), you're sending a signal to the prisoner that you consider him to be a dangerous person," said Tim Krause.

"It interferes with what we call 'dynamic security.' We want staff to talk to prisoners, to see how they're doing."

Last month, Sun Media reported a guard at the Edmonton Institution was threatened with disciplinary action several times by prison brass for wearing a self-purchased stab-proof vest on the job.

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call me crazy, but aren't most pople in prison (espescially canadian prison, which isn't packed full of noviolent offenders, and victims of the American war on drugs) dangerous people? why not allow a guard to protect themselves, reguardless of the hurt feelings it causes among convicted felons?

I wouldn't be working there very long.

This is insane, the guards have to feel safe in order to do thier jobs.

I wonder how many guards have ever been attacked at this prison ?

My brother works as a prison guard in Pennsylvania. He has told me lots of stuff that makes me cringe. I would definately be wearing a vest.....screw their rules. "Oh, poor prisoners...we can't make them feel bad." What a load of crap.....speaking of which...he told me of one prisoner throwing his (crap) on a guard. By the way...this prisoner was beaten and everyone looked the other way. I say he deserved what he got. I don't go for violence unprevoked but this guy really deserved to get the crap beat out of him (pun intended).

Originally posted by dunkleskates
call me crazy, but aren't most pople in prison (espescially canadian prison, which isn't packed full of noviolent offenders, and victims of the American war on drugs) dangerous people? why not allow a guard to protect themselves, reguardless of the hurt feelings it causes among convicted felons?

Most are probably dangerous violent offenders who are angry. I think guards have a right to protect themselves, but I guess if the Service decides that wearing the vest will cause too much unrest among the prisoners, then it's wise not to wear them. I'm pretty sure the people who decided to make this rule have an understanding about human psychology.

Just as long as the guards can carry a baton, I think that would be reasonable enough.

I don't think there really needs to be any real dialog between prisoners and guards aside from telling them what to do and the prisoner doing it.

The guards purpose is to keep dangerous felons in line, not to be their camp guilds.

Are Canadian prisoners less dangerous than any other prisoner? I don't get it...do they want dead guards. I wonder how long it will be before the guards have to walk around with teddy bears and hug the convicts twice a day. You know....to help with convicts feelings.

its stupid because the guard has to give up hisright to feel safe for a prisoner (who in reality is a non citizen) who made a bad decision to be there, to feel good. Give me a freakin break i would love to talk to anyone who supports this idea. Heres a better idea if you dont think these prisoners are dangerous ill pay you to become a guard at one of those jails. Then you freakin idiot will see y they need protection.

The atmosphere in a jail is a totally different dynamic than what most people are used to. Things like batons are prohibited from being brought into the intitution, for fear that the inmates could get ahold if them. There is protacol for everything in a jail, follow that and the chances of a guard getting hurt is lessened. A guard is more apt to get hurt seperating two, or more, inmates that are trying to hurt each other.
You can imagine the repercutions to an inmate that goes after any staff. If anyone was attacked, chances are it was by a nutbar and not a career felon that knows the ropes. If there is major trouble there are highly trained teams to deal with that.
I walk by dozens of inmates a day, I don't sweat it, but I keep my eyes open.

During my whole time down I never saw an inmate attack a guard. I cant same the same about guards attacking inmates but never saw an attack on a guard for the reasons Intrepid stated everyone knows the drill and exspecially back then your Ass was Grass if you TOUCHED a guard.

Another thing overlooked here is that Canadian prisons -and canada in general- has far lower rates of violent crime than the US. Yes, I still think the guards need the vests for safety's sake. Also, like Intrepid said, the dynamic is totally different. I've known three people who have worked prisons - A highschool teacher, a current classmate, and a guy who worked in an asylum. All three said the same thing : Guards only go in in numbers greater than two, and they are generally not the smallest people on the block. All the prisoners know their asses will get thumped, so they back up and lie down, proclaiming "Not me, boss."

Then, the two inmates fighting get their asses handed back to them.

DE

Originally posted by intrepid
I walk by dozens of inmates a day, I don't sweat it, but I keep my eyes open.

What do you mean by this? Are you a guard? That sounded really sarcastic, but it wasn't meant to be I just want to know, that sounds intruiging...could you expand posssibly?

I work in a jail. Maintanence, not a guard.