Drug-saturated postage stamps. Tennis balls filled with narcotics, thrown into yards. Even a bird carcass.

These are some of the innovative ways drugs make their way into Canada's correctional facilities, said Howard Sapers, Canada's Correctional Investigator. He added many also come in hidden in body cavities, or inmates will "cheek" prescription pills they've been administered in jail.

Despite millions spent on security, drugs remain a major problem inside provincial jails and federal prisons across Canada and North America.

Some say the answer is beefed up security, including the latest technology, such as body or ion scanners, others say it's about helping inmates overcome addiction issues and fostering a healthier atmosphere inside the institution.

In Canada, the federal government spent $122 million over the last five years on beefing up security at its prisons; yet statistics from random urine drug tests, overdoses and deaths remain steady.

In Ontario, the government said it's constantly adding to security, including recently spending nearly $780,000 on metal detectors, netting and cameras at the Hamilton Wentworth Detention Centre, yet drugs remain rampant.

The Hamilton Spectator has reported on a string of recent overdoses and three suspected drug-related deaths among inmates of the Barton jail. In addition, there have been four provincial inmate overdose deaths since 2010, according to the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services. And it's possible there are other deaths that are still under investigation - it typically takes a year to a year and a half for an inquest to be called.

Federally, there have been three overdose deaths and 70 "interrupted overdoses"-meaning intervention saved the inmate's life - between 2010 and 2012. These are the latest statistics available from the Office of the Correctional Investigator.

At Ontario jails, the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services does not track overdoses that do not result in death.

Jails and prisons have access to metal detectors, sniffer dogs, BOSS (body orifice security scanner) chairs, and security cameras. Prisons also use ion scanners, which can detect traces of drugs by wiping down an object and putting that wipe in the scanner.

Correctional officers want to see body scanners, like those used in airports, in jails, said local officer and OPSEU local 248 president Stephen Smith. This type of scanner, which essentially gives an X-ray image, is already in place in some U.S. correctional institutions.

Canada's Correctional Investigator, who is federally mandated to investigate issues in federal prisons, contends government can spend endless dollars on the latest security, but those in the correctional institutions are likely to always find ways to bring in contraband. He does not have authority to investigate provincial jails.

"Surveillance is static," Sapers said. "But the best way to actually control contraband in an institution is through a process referred to as dynamic security."

Dynamic security is essentially human interaction - the idea that if correctional officers are regularly interacting with inmates and are visible on ranges and units, they will have a better idea of what's happening and can intervene when necessary.

"Having that kind of visible, physical presence is actually the best way," Sapers said, adding that dynamic security is a policy for corrections in Canada, but is rarely followed.

Spokesperson Brent Ross said the Ministry of Safety and Correctional Services uses both "static" and "dynamic" security at provincial jails, such as the Barton Street facility. But he said he cannot give specific details for security reasons.

He noted that the moratorium on hiring correctional officers has been lifted and 279 have been hired across the province, including 19 in Hamilton.

There are serious health issues related to drug use, including infectious diseases - particularly blood-born illness such as HIV and Hepatitis C. Sapers said the risk of overdose is also higher because inmates don't know what they're taking and have to take drugs quickly to avoid detection.

That $122 million earmarked for drug security in 2008? Sapers said he would have liked to see some of spent on harm reduction and addiction treatment programs, instead of all basically on infrastructure.

University of Ottawa criminology assistant professor Justin Pich� takes this a step further, arguing that because drugs are prohibited it drives the substance underground and makes it more valuable. He thinks drugs should be regulated.

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"We have to really examine the war on drugs," said Pich�, who also the editor of the Journal of Prisoners on Prisons.

"If we can't keep drugs out of prison, what makes us think we can keep drugs out of hands of people in the community?"

He believes more technology is not the answer, because as long as there is a demand people will find ways to get drugs.

The Correctional Service of Canada recently proposed regulation changes to try and keep drugs out of prisons, including allowing routine strip searches and limiting visitors.

Sapers said his office is also concerned about the legality of some drug detection techniques, and what happens to those who are falsely accused.

Ontario Ombudsman Andr� Marin wrote in his June 2013 report, The Code, about excessive use of force leveled against inmates inside Ontario jails.

Barton jail correctional officer Smith says this report resulted in search powers being restricted. Specifically, in the case of the recent overdoses he said correctional officers knew about the presence of powdered methadone inside the jail, but needed permission from management to do a drug search of cells. They were still waiting for a response when the overdoses happened.

He also said corrections officers are afraid any action is going to be misinterpreted as excessive force.

Marin said "there is no conceivable connection between the recommendations in my report, The Code, and the need to search inmates for contraband."

The report found "egregious cases of the excessive use of force - illegal violence against vulnerable inmates," he said.

In other words, as long as corrections officers are acting within the law, there should be no concerns their actions will cross the line into excessive force.

While Marin has no current plans to launch an investigation into drugs in jails, he said his office is open to hearing complaints.