Finding Mason Jenkins top priority of Correctional Service Canada; killer’s escape being investigated

Correctional Service Canada is investigating how Chatham killer Mason Jenkins walked away from the Bay Collins Institution in Kington while serving a life sentence for the death of his sister.

But the top priority is locating and apprehending Jenkins and the CSC said it is working with police to locate him as quickly as possible.

Jenkins, 49, convicted of first-murder for killing his sister Jennifer in the family home in Chatham in January 1998 when she was 18, was discovered missing Thursday when staff did a formal count of inmates 11:15 a.m.

The Chatham Daily News contacted Correctional Service Canada to ask about Jenkins being in a minimum security facility.

“CSC ensures that all inmates are placed in institutions that correspond to their security level,” read an email from the agency.

It added CSC’s approach to initial security classification and subsequent reclassification includes the use of evidence-based assessment tools, the professional judgment of specialized staff, and psychological evaluations.

“Research shows that reclassifying inmates to lower security levels increases their sense of responsibility,” CSC said.

“The environment of a minimum-security institution is designed to foster the skills needed to function in a setting with minimal supervision,” the agency added. “This is why the perimeter is clearly defined but does not include a fence.”

The CSC said reclassfications are a key part of the offender reintegration process and helps them become law-abiding citizens.

“Even for inmates who will never be released, it promotes prosocial behaviour and personal development,” the CSC said. “This environment contributes to a safer institutional setting for both staff and other inmates.”

The CSC added an inmate can be transferred to a higher security level at any time “if deemed necessary to ensure the safety of the public or our institutions.”

The agency added: “Inmates who escape or become unlawfully at large may be subject to a security classification review and could face additional criminal charges.”