Department of Justice

Whitehorse Correctional Centre

WCC Visiting and Other Frequently Asked Questions

Business Hours
What are the business hours for Whitehorse Correctional Centre?

Visiting
What are visiting hours?
What do I need to do in order to visit someone?
What are the rules for visiting?

Personal Items
What personal items can inmates receive?

Inmate Money
How can I transfer money to an inmate?
How do inmates transfer money out?

Communicating with an Inmate
Inmate Phone Procedures
Making Long Distance Calls
Correspondence / Mail

Complaint Process
How can an inmate lodge a complaint?

Case-specific Questions
How do I find out case-specific information such as admission dates, release dates, offence type, sentence length, or other specific questions?
What is the difference between the provincial/territorial correctional system and the federal correctional system?

 

Business Hours

What are the business hours for Whitehorse Correctional Centre?

Whitehorse Correctional Centre is open to the public Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 4:30pm.  Outside of those hours, only persons who have made an appointment for professional or visiting purposes will be admitted.

 

 

Visiting

What are visiting hours?

In order to maintain community and family contacts and to promote healthy relationships, the Whitehorse Correctional Centre will encourage visiting between inmates and their families and friends.

  • Open Visiting is defined as visiting in which there is no physical barrier between the inmate and the visitor(s).  Open Visiting occurs on Saturdays, Sundays and Statutory Holidays.  Female inmates from 12:30pm to 1:30pm, and male inmates from 2:00pm to 3:00pm.  Open visiting also occurs on Mondays, but at different times.  Female inmates from 6:00pm to 7:00pm, and male inmates from 7:30pm to 8:30pm
  • Secure Visiting is defined as visiting in which there is a secure physical barrier between the inmate and the visitor(s).  Secure Visiting occurs on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays & Statutory Holidays.  Male inmates from 7:00pm to 8:00pm, and female inmates from 8:00pm to 9:00pm.

What do I need to do in order to visit someone?

  1. Each inmate is required to submit a list of family members or other persons they wish to visit on a regular basis. This list will include full names, ages, addresses, and relationships to the inmate. Visitors under the age of 19 must be accompanied by an older member of their immediate family.
  2. Upon approval of the list, the inmate may then contact those persons and advise them to come to the Centre to complete a Visitor's Application Form.
  3. Prospective visitors must come to the Centre during regular business hours and complete a Visitors Application Form. Faxes will be accepted from persons living in the communities only.
  4. Prospective visitors will be screened for security clearance before being placed on the inmate's visiting list.
  5. Inmates will contact their visitors once they have been added to the approved list.
  6. Visitors must call the Centre after 5:00pm on business days to make an appointment to visit an inmate. This applies to Open and Secure visiting.
  7. Upon check-in, visitors will be asked to produce Government-issued proof of identity (driver's license, or other photo identification).
  8. Visitors may be asked to submit to a search as per the Whitehorse Correctional Centre Policy and Procedures. Failure to submit to a search could result in the visit being terminated.

What are the rules for visiting?

  1. WCC may allow special visits which must be made by appointment in advance with the Officer-in-Charge, and may only be approved if operational requirements allow for it.  The Officer in Charge will consider where the visitors have come from and the reason for the visit.  A special visit will be supervised by an Officer and monitored by camera.
  2. Intermittent inmates may not receive personal visits on weekends except in emergency situations as approved by the Officer-in-Charge.
  3. Inmates may not have any physical contact with visitors, except for a brief embrace at the beginning and end of the visit. No mouth-to-mouth contact will be allowed.
  4. Special visits for inmates awaiting transfer to the Federal system may be allowed at the discretion of the Superintendent.
  5. The directions or instructions of Correctional Officers must be followed at all times.
  6. Correctional Officers have the authority to deny a visitor entry to the Centre, or suspend or cancel a visit for any of the following reasons:
    • Insufficient identification;
    • Refusing to submit to a scan/search;
    • Persons who are under the influence of an intoxicant, e.g. alcohol, non-prescription drugs;
    • Loud or unruly behaviour;
    • Excessive or disruptive physical contact between visitor and inmate;
    • Groundless or excessive complaining;
    • Disrespectful or abusive language to any Correctional staff;
    • Persons who, in any way, offend against the good order and discipline of the Centre;
    • If the inmate refuses to see the visitor.
  7. The Superintendent or Deputy Superintendents have the authority to suspend or cancel visiting privileges for any of the following reasons:
    • Persons with outstanding charges, outstanding warrants, or restrictions such as No Contact Orders shall not be permitted visiting privileges;
    • Persons who may be under investigation or suspected to be actively involved in drug activity;
    • Persons who have previously been found in possession of contraband while visiting an inmate of the Whitehorse Correctional Centre;
    • Persons who may not have a positive influence on the rehabilitation of the inmate or who may be a concern to the security of the Centre.
  8. Any visitor or inmate who is found in possession of drugs or dangerous contraband as a result of a visit shall be dealt with accordingly, and the visitor shall be barred from the Centre for a period of time determined by the Superintendent.
  9. Any visitor who has been denied visiting privileges or is barred from entering the Centre shall be provided written reasons for the same. The written notification will identify the period of time that the visitor will be denied access to the Centre and will state that he/she has the right to appeal the decision to the Superintendent.
  10. Children must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian (legal proof of age may be requested). Visitors bringing children into the Centre will be expected to exercise such control that ensures they are not creating a disturbance or annoying other visitors.

 

Personal Items

What personal items can inmates receive?

Inmates wishing personal items dropped off at the Centre must first obtain written approval of the Deputy Superintendent.  Personal items may include:

  • some religious items
  • eye glasses, hearing aids, dentures, contact lenses
  • wedding rings with a smooth finish only
  • photographs
  • letters, cards and other correspondence
  • medical items (to be authorized by the Nurse)
  • reading material
  • anything else authorized by the Deputy Superintendent in writing.

Please note: No personal item(s) will be accepted at Reception or Control without the prior written authorization of the Deputy Superintendent.

Personal Clothing

Inmates are issued clothing while at WCC. They are not allowed to have any of their own personal clothing while in custody, with the exception of items required for medical reasons.

Visitors may drop off clothing for an inmate if the inmate needs those clothes for court (e.g. a suit).  Space is limited in our storage area, so only one change of clothing will be permitted at a time.  Inmates may request to exchange their court clothes through a visitor on a one-for-one basis.

 

Inmate Money

As part of the Centre's admission procedure, an inmate's personal property and money is surrendered, inventoried and secured. A trust account is opened and maintained for each inmate who has or may receive money while incarcerated at Whitehorse Correctional Centre.

A trust account is a formal record of money transactions maintained within our accounting system. It is not to be used as, or considered to be, a "regular" bank account. Only cash, government-issued cheques (which includes First Nation band offices), and money orders will be accepted.  Personal or corporate cheques may be accepted, but will not be applied to the inmate's trust account. They will be placed in safe-keeping until the inmate is released from custody. However, it is preferred that these types of items not be dropped off at all.

How can I transfer money to an inmate?

The public can drop off money for an inmate during business hours only.  The Receptionist will accept the money on behalf of the inmate, issue a receipt, and forward the money to Finance.

Visitors may drop off money during visiting hours, but only to the inmate they are visiting. The Control Officer will accept the money on behalf of the inmate, issue a receipt, and forward the money to Finance.

How do inmates transfer money out?

Inmates wishing to transfer money out from their trust account may do so by completing the appropriate paperwork. The Finance Officer processes approved cash transfers each Monday and deducts the money from the inmate's trust account. The money is placed in a sealed envelope in Control and is available for pickup during business hours. Whitehorse Correctional Centre will not send cash through the mail.

Money transfers may only be picked up by the person designated on the transfer request, and only after proper identification has been provided. Transfers not picked up within ten (10) business days will be re-credited back to the inmate's trust account.

Upon release

When an inmate is released, any money remaining in his/her trust account is returned to him/her in a sealed envelope along with a receipt.

 

Communicating with an Inmate

Inmate Phone Procedures

Inmates may use the phones in the living units from 09:30am to 10:00pm seven days a week.

Inmates cannot receive incoming telephone calls. Messages will only be taken for inmates in a family emergency. The best way to get a message to an inmate is to drop off a note to the Centre, or to write them a letter.

The Superintendent is authorized to conduct monitoring of conversations in order to obtain a certain degree of control over an inmate's communication in the interest of the safety and security in the Centre.

Making Long Distance Calls

Inmates pay for long distance phone calls by charging them to a calling card. Calling cards may be purchased through Canteen. WCC staff will not take personal calling card information over the phone.

Correspondence / Mail

Inmates have the right to correspond with their families and friends, as well with public officials, the courts and their lawyers. WCC encourages inmates to maintain and develop family and community ties through written correspondence.

Inmates can send up to seven letters per week, and receive an unlimited amount of mail, subject to the conditions listed below. Mail can be sent to an inmate c/o Whitehorse Correctional Centre, 25 College Drive, Whitehorse, Yukon, Y1A 5B6.

Inmates are not allowed to correspond with anyone with whom they have a non-contact order issued by the court.

Incoming mail (including packages or parcels) will be opened and inspected by a staff member for money, personal property or contraband. Money found will be deposited in the inmate's trust account. Contraband or personal property found will be confiscated and handled in accordance with policy. Incoming general mail is then delivered to the inmate.

Letters considered unfit for delivery will normally be returned to the sender. The original letter or copy may be retained by the Centre, depending on the circumstances, such as an illegal act, threat to security or life, or the introduction of contraband. In such cases, the sender shall be notified.

The Superintendent may authorize in writing a staff member to read correspondence when he or she believes on reasonable and probable grounds, that the correspondence:

  • contains plans for sending contraband in or out of the Centre;
  • contains plans for a criminal act; or
  • contains information, which, if communicated, would affect the security of the Centre or the safety of any individual.

In all cases, the reasons for reading shall be recorded and the inmate notified.

Outgoing general mail must be inspected for money, personal property, and/or contraband. Outgoing general mail shall not be read unless there is reasonable grounds to suspect the inclusion of information as listed above. Information found to be contrary to the rules of the Centre will be censored and the inmate notified in writing of why his/her letter is being censored. Outgoing general mail shall be sealed before leaving the Centre and will normally be forwarded to the post office within twenty-four (24) hours of receipt.

Inmates may subscribe to and/or receive books, magazines, or other printed matter that does not jeopardize the security of the Centre, is legally available on the open market, and adheres to the limitations and licensing requirements of the Copyright Act.

Material that includes the following content shall not be permitted entry into the Centre:

  • detailed information on the fabrication of any weapons or commission of a criminal act;
  • advocates or promotes genocide or hatred of any identifiable group;
  • sexually oriented material involving violence, coercion, compulsion, force, bodily harm or other similar acts;
  • sexually oriented material involving children; or
  • advocates or promotes tattooing.

Privileged Correspondence

Incoming privileged mail shall be forwarded to the addressee unopened. The name and official status of the sender must appear on the envelope.

Privileged correspondence is mail between an inmate and any of the following:

  • lawyers;
  • Director, Community and Correctional Services;
  • Deputy Minister of Justice;
  • Members of Parliament (Federal);
  • Members of Legislative Assembly (Yukon);
  • Federal or Territorial Court Officials;
  • National Parole;
  • Canadian Human Rights Commissioner;
  • Governor General of Canada;
  • Commissioner of Official Languages;
  • Information Commissioner;
  • Privacy Commissioner;
  • Solicitor General of Canada;
  • Deputy Solicitor General of Canada;
  • Commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada;
  • Correctional Investigator of Canada;
  • Consular Official;
  • Investigations & Standards Office;
  • Yukon Ombudsman; and/or
  • Yukon Review Board.

 

Complaint Process

How can an inmate lodge a complaint?

Staff will attempt, whenever it is reasonable and practical to do so, to resolve inmate issues and complaints at the living unit level.  However, Inmates have a right under the Corrections Act & Regulations to submit complaints directly to the Person In Charge, generally the Superintendent, who will review the matter and respond to the inmate as soon as practicable.  An inmate may appeal a finding of the Person In Charge to the Director of Investigations & Standards via a sealed, confidential envelope.

The Investigation & Standards Office, established as part of the Corrections Act, 2009, is the office in the Department of Justice which is responsible for conducting reviews of inmate discipline and investigating inmate complaints.

Normally, the Investigations & Standards Inspectors will not be involved in reviewing any matter in the Correctional Centre until the available complaint, grievance and/or appeal processes within the Correctional Centre have been exhausted.

Inmates also have the right to have legal assistance, through counsel or counsel substitute, with problems or proceedings relating to their custody, control, management, or legal affairs while undergoing confinement.

 

Case-specific Questions

How do I find out case-specific information such as admission dates, release dates, offense type, sentence length, or other specific questions?

Details about an offender's case can be made available to individuals in the community if there is a legitimate reason for the request. Any issues regarding the safety or security of an individual would form the basis for the release of information.

Please call the Centre to speak to the designated Case Manager.

What is the difference between the provincial/territorial correctional system and the federal correctional system?

When offenders receive a term of incarceration of up to two years less a day, they serve their sentence in a provincial/territorial correctional centre. Offenders who receive a sentence of two years or more serve their sentence in a federal penitentiary.

WCC is a territorial correctional centre. Offenders who are sentenced in the Yukon to more than two years, go to the Regional Reception & Assessment Centre in Abbotsford, BC. There offenders are security rated, oriented, and then referred to other BC penitentiaries where they will serve their sentence.

Offenders who receive a term of probation or a conditional sentence also fall under the jurisdiction of the provincial/territorial correctional system. All offenders who receive either day or full parole are the responsibility of the federal correctional system.