Inmates in Newfoundland jail say they feel hopeless, alone and increasingly unwell 

By Sarah Smellie THE CANADIAN PRESS JOHN’S, N.L.- Two men incarcerated at Newfoundland and Labrador’s largest jail say inmates are struggling with hopelessness, desperation and worsening mental health as they allegedly spend days locked in their cellblocks without family visits, counselling or trips outside. Kevin Reid said men inside Her Majesty’s Penitentiary feel they can’t show any vulnerability or emotion. As their distress grows, they have nobody to turn to about their mental state. “To be honest, there are guys here whose mental illnesses are deteriorating by the day,” Reid said in a recent phone call from inside the St. John’s jail. “Guys here are feeling like they’re lost, like there’s no hope. I mean, we’re not having contact with family, we’re not being able to see our friends.” Those…

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