Female inmates back at HMP during renovations in Clarenville

For the past three weeks, six female inmates have been housed at Her Majesty's Penitentiary from Monday to Friday while renovations take place at the women's correctional centre in Clarenville.

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A new air exchange system is currently being installed at the women's prison, and a number of cells are shut down during the work week, said Superintendent of Prisons Owen Brophy.

Since late June, six women have been housed at HMP's intermittent unit in St. John's and bussed back to Clarenville for the weekends.

Brophy said he hopes to have all women back in Clarenville full-time by the middle of August.

Population decrease in Clarenville jail

This is the first time women have been at HMP in roughly two months.

Fourteen women were temporarily moved to the male prison in March when the number of inmates in Clarenville rose to 36. The female prison has the capacity to hold 26 women.

The women were moved back to Clarenville in early May when the female population stabilized and the male intermittent population increased, said Brophy.

There is now a total of 22 female inmates assigned to the Clarenville correctional centre, including the six temporarily housed at HMP. There are 175 male inmates.

Brophy said the female population usually declines during the summer when the courts slow down.

He said it's possible they would move more women back to HMP if there's another spike in the population.

'We would try to avoid it, but I wouldn't say no," he said.

'They like coming in'

Brophy said that bringing the women to St. John's this summer incurs no additional cost for the prison. They have not hired any extra staff and already drive a bus from Clarenville to St. John's twice a week.

Brophy said there is still "total separation" between the males and females.

"We have no issues with the females here," Brophy said.

"They like coming in. They have access to a full size gym for recreation. Being in St. John's is closer for their family visits, so there's a few advantages for our female inmates."