In response to the May 6 letter by Andrea Lee, I agree that spending on a remand centre/prison will have economic benefits. However, these must be weighed against potential disadvantages.
While I’m only a citizen and not a research institute, searching led me to the long-term study spearheaded by Washington State University which unequivocally concluded that prisons impede growth in rural communities like ours.
The WSU findings, in the apparent absence of Canadian studies, appear applicable to the South Okanagan. Patterns of land use and community development, land markets and consumer response are similar in Canada and the U.S.A. It’s reasonable to conclude the WSU findings are relevant, including: adverse effects of prisons on other economic activities; reduced incentives to investing; stigmatization; and losses from businesses and people who move or decide against locating.
Markets dislike risk and uncertainty which a prison potentially presents, such as induced effects on local crime rates, associated demands for extra policing, and costs for new social and employment services.
Corrections BC officials have not responded to the WSU findings. They cite projections as the basis for an Okanagan prison. However, RDOS studies indicate low population growth, which with reported dropping crime rates, calls this into question. They cite efficiency as a location factor, suggesting a jail location closer to main demand centres where social support capacities are presumably higher.
Andrea Lee raised factors which do not alter the disadvantages concern. First, differences between incarceration rates aren’t pertinent to potential adverse effects of a prison facility. Second, distinctions regarding medium and high security aren’t pertinent as the proposal is for B.C.’s largest high-security provincial jail. Third, operating differences between prison systems seem unlikely to alter the conclusion that prison locations adversely affect a rural economy.
If Andrea Lee can advance better research findings, they will be welcome. She too may find a dearth of Canadian studies on prison impacts. I agree that balanced information on economic and social benefits and costs (including risks) is essential for a due diligence assessment. This requirement has not been met.
WSU emphasized jails are not a cure-all; in fact they present significant risks. This is the result of empirical analysis and is not misinformation, innuendo or fear mongering.
Instead of jails, WSU suggests “higher road” economic strategies. For our area, these might include training (e.g. sustainable building, aviation, sports), technology, agricultural innovation, software development, tourism diversification, geriatric health care and encouraging amenity migration and niche manufacturing.
Denis O’Gorman
Penticton
