While an inmate at the Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre (KRCC), Vince’s wife, Wendy, mailed him his prescription eyeglasses. When the package arrived at KRCC, it was classified as contraband and returned to the sender. Wendy, however, never received the returned package. With the package now missing, Vince called us because he felt that the centre had treated him unfairly.

The focus of our investigation was whether KRCC followed a reasonable procedure by classifying the package as contraband, refusing to accept it and by attempting to return it to the sender.

We learned that KRCC’s Standard Operating Procedure classified mail without a full name or return address as contraband and provided directions on how to handle such packages. In Vince’s case, the KRCC explained the package was returned because Wendy had not included her name on the package. The package did, however, have a return address. We noted that the correction’s network log indicated the return address, as written verbatim on the package, stated “General Delivery Kamloops”.

We contacted Canada Post directly and were informed that General Delivery Addresses are typically used for smaller communities. Kamloops is the fourth largest city in British Columbia outside the Lower Mainland. Once at the station, Canada Post sorts General Delivery mail by Addressee or sender name and asks the sender to collect their mail at the station. Because Vince’s package did not include a sender name there was no way for Canada Post to identify who the sender was.

In light of the above, we asked the KRCC to revise the Standard Operating Procedure to clarify that General Delivery Addresses require a sender name and to reimburse Vince so he could purchase new prescription eyeglasses. KRCC agreed and Vince was offered $300.