5 inmates mistakenly released from Sask. jails due to administrative errors

Five inmates have been mistakenly released from Saskatchewan correctional facilities due to administrative errors.

The Saskatchewan government said these administrative errors may involve clerical, communication, paperwork or processing mistakes.

The most recent case involved 26-year-old Keleisha Jackson, who was serving time in North Battleford for assault and forcible confinement.

She was mistakenly released on March 19. The public wasn’t notified until June 19.

Jackson was eventually arrested earlier this month — more than 100 days after her mistaken release.

The government said these errors are rare and account for less than 0.1 per cent of all releases.

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Grace Gardner, managing public legal counsel for the John Howard Society of Saskatchewan, said the errors can have consequences for an inmate’s rehabilitation plan.

“If somebody is released prior to when they’re supposed to be released, then they aren’t receiving the full extent of their programming,” Gardner said.

“That would ultimately affect their reintegration and their rehabilitation.”

The Saskatchewan NDP said the government hasn’t been transparent.

“There are a lot of questions and not a lot of answers,” NDP MLA Nicole Sarauer told reporters.

“We are calling for the government to launch an independent investigation.”

The government said every release made in error is reviewed by a committee which makes recommendations aimed at preventing similar mistakes in the future.