What is the purpose of segregation?
The purpose of segregation is to keep you from associating with the general prison population in order to ensure the security of the institution and safety of the staff and prisoners, including you.¹²⁹ If That being said, women in segregation have a right to be treated in a safe and humane manner and be subject to the least restraint necessary.¹³⁰

Segregation is an extreme measure and should only be used when it is believed there are no other reasonable alternatives.¹³¹ Because of its severity, the CSC has a duty to return segregated women to the general population at the earliest possible time.¹³²

What are the different kinds of segregation?
There are two main types of segregation – administrative and disciplinary.

Administrative Segregation

Administrative segregation is preventative in nature, and can be either involuntary or voluntary. The warden can order you into administrative segregation involuntarily if certain criteria are met. She must believe – on reasonable grounds – that one of three types of scenarios involving you is likely to unfold if you are left in the general population. These are:

• You threaten the security or safety of the prison or of a specific person or people
• You would somehow impede the investigation of a criminal or disciplinary offence
• Your own personal safety would be at risk

The first two points are usually the grounds for any involuntary administrative segregation orders. In practice, almost every time a prisoner is charged with either a criminal or disciplinary offence, she is immediately placed in segregation. If this happens to you, you should be provided with enough information to decide upon the reasonableness of the decision to place you in segregation. If you are not given this information, you should file a grievance. (See the section on remedies for further information.)