Regional Reception Centre

Regional Reception Centre
Map
LocationSainte-Anne-des-Plaines, Quebec
Coordinates45°45′02″N 73°51′35″W / 45.750467°N 73.859586°W / 45.750467; -73.859586
StatusActive
Security classMultiple
Capacity283
Population?
Opened1973[1]
Managed byCorrections Canada
DirectorWarden
Special Handling Unit
Map
LocationSainte-Anne-des-Plaines, Quebec
Coordinates45°45′02″N 73°51′35″W / 45.750467°N 73.859586°W / 45.750467; -73.859586
StatusActive
Security classSuper Maximum
Population90 (as of 2008)
Opened1984[2]
Managed byCorrections Canada
DirectorWarden

The Regional Reception Centre (French: Centre régional de réception[3]) is a Canadian federal prison for men located with Archambault Institution at the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) complex at Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, Quebec, a short distance from Mirabel International Airport.

The Special Handling Unit (SHU; French: Unité spéciale de détention or USD[3]), within the centre, is Canada's highest security (supermax)[4] prison. As of 2008, there were 90 prisoners at the SHU.[5] In English it is nicknamed "the SHU" (pronounced 'shoe'), and in French it is the "USD".

The six-wing radial-shaped facility is surrounded by three rows of fencing, which is in turn surrounded by farms.

Inmates are always handcuffed in the presence of officers. When escorting inmates, officers are unarmed to prevent inadvertently placing a weapon in the vicinity of the prisoner. Escorting officers do carry pepper spray. Weapons and other equipment are carried by officers manning the elevated catwalk. Inmates must progress through programs in the SHU before being transferred back to the general population of other maximum security prisons; however, some inmates are considered to be too high-risk to be eligible for this and are detained in the SHU for longer periods.

  1. ^ "Regional Reception Centre." Correctional Service of Canada. Retrieved on August 6, 2016.
  2. ^ "Correctional Service of Canada - Publications - Let's Talk". Csc-scc.gc.ca. December 18, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Centre régional de réception." Correctional Service of Canada. Retrieved on August 6, 2016. See English version
  4. ^ Amellal, D. The Special Handling Unit: High Security, Special Expertise, Safety and Security - Inside CSC Institutions. Let's Talk, Correctional Service of Canada. Retrieved on: September 4, 2011.
  5. ^ "Institutional Profiles". Csc-scc.gc.ca. February 11, 2013. Retrieved April 22, 2014.