Dangerous Offenders -- don't pen them in

Blane MacDougal is a multiple rapist, a murderer, and is also a free man, after walking out of Ferndale minimum security prison a few weeks ago. MacDougal has been in and out of US and Canadian jail for the last forty years on violent offenses like robbery, rape and murder. He served ten years of a thirty-five year sentence in Texas for robbing a man and leaving him tied in a field to die from exposure. After the ten years, he was transferred back to Canada, where he was released within a year.

He then kidnapped and raped two women in one day and was sent back to prison for another four years. He was paroled after serving half that time, only to kidnap and rape another woman shortly after. He was then, after a murder, three rapes and probably dozens of other crimes he got away with, finally classed as a ‘dangerous offender' in Canada, which means he can be held indefinitely. Where he was held though, is the very reason he is now walking the streets. It was in Ferndale Minimum Security, which has a tennis court, full gym, free cable and internet, and also no walls or gates to keep their prisoners inside.

MacDougal was not the only person there classed as a dangerous offender either. He was simply one of ten that we deemed dangerous enough to hold indefinitely, but not dangerous enough to hold in a facility that can actually hold them indefinitely. This is a serious flaw in our system that needs to be addressed before more Blane MacDougal's start walking away from the consequences of their actions.