Manitoba settles lawsuit that took aim at segregation of youth inmates
Manitoba agreed to pay $129 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over segregating youth inmates in solitary confinement.Summary
Manitoba agreed to pay $129‑million to settle a class‑action lawsuit alleging that it placed incarcerated youth in segregation cells, sometimes for months, violating Charter rights. The settlement, approved by Court of King’s Bench Justice Theodor Bock, was championed by lead lawyer James Sayce, who said it would end solitary confinement for children and others; the case stemmed from more than 34,000 segregation incidents involving youths as young as 12 and also covered adults confined longer than 15 days or with mental illness. The agreement provides payments from $3,000 to $100,000 to eligible claimants, commits to reviewing segregation conditions, and mandates quarterly meetings with plaintiffs’ counsel for two years to discuss policy reforms, while the province will await the written decision before commenting further.
(Source：The Globe and Mail)