For the record, apparently it's a mistake to confuse much more closely monitored and controlled conditions at federal prisons with the reportedly far rougher and looser conditions at remand centres. The former houses criminals who have been found guilty by the courts and are serving sentences. The latter run the gamut of offences from traffic violations to "fail to appear" to murder. There are far more arrestees biding their time in local jails/remand centres in Canada than there are in federal facilities - note that it is the latter venue that receives the lion's share of attention when it comes to criticism and occasional public concern, while the remand centres generally slip under the net. According to StatsCan, the average length of time an arrestee spends in remand is about one to three months - not years as in DM and MS's cases. They are definitely senior citizens in their respective jails by now. The implication IMO is that prosecutors need not take longer than a few weeks to come up with evidence sufficient to take a case to trial although evidence fishing expeditions for a couple of years may not be unusual in murder cases. I don't know for sure.
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/2011001/article/11440-eng.htm
It's of passing interest to learn that the Barton Street Jail guards like DM. Barton Street Jail, as we know, has well earned a reputation as being one of the most violent remand centres in the province and in the nation. Depending on the cause/source of the violence it may, or may not be a good idea to have the guards on side, IMO. IMHO.
http://www.900chml.com/2014/04/08/14445/
I happen to have a distant relative several times removed who is a proud "Correctional Officer" assigned to a remand centre. He wears a special uniform and everything. He has a grade 8 education and achieving that grade 8 certificate was a challenge. He is very brave. He's a naturally big, bulky, strong guy. He is proud of his job which he has held for nearly 3 decades. I think that several years ago he did take a basic first aid course but I know for sure that he doesn't know what a defibrillator is because I asked him how to change the battery in our machine and he had no idea what this essential life-saving equipment is used for or its simple operating procedure. He does not consider first aid (or last aid) as part of his responsibility. After all these years he now earns about $26.00 an hour. He has 7 children and 18 grandchildren. He knows, with unwavering certainty, that everyone in a jail cell is guilty of something. Otherwise they wouldn't be there. God has chosen to punish each one for some very good reason.
So, there's the bar that must be met. If any posters would like to join the ranks it turns out there are 80 positions currently up for grabs in Ontario. Successful candidates may get to befriend DM, too, or other so-called "high profile" inmates. (Yes, I said 80.)
https://www.gojobs.gov.on.ca/Preview.aspx?JobID=76313
