Another top official out at HMP

A shakeup in Newfoundland and Labrador's corrections system is continuing, with the departure Thursday of a senior official at the province's largest jail.

CBC News has learned that the assistant superintendent at Her Majesty's Penitentiary in St. John's has been replaced.

Mary Aylward occupied that position until Thursday.

Justice Minister Jerome Kennedy replaced Aylward with Donald Roche, a former corrections officer.

The Department of Justice said that Aylward no longer works within the department's structure.

Last week, Kennedy fired John Scoville, the superintendent of prisons, on the same day that he formally received an independent report into the province's corrections system.

Kennedy had little comment on that change, but suggested that further changes in the corrections system would follow.

The report itself, which covered a broad mandate ranging from the legislation governing corrections to working conditions at the province's jails, has not yet been released.

Kennedy commissioned the report after touring HMP, an aging prison with parts that were built in the 19th century, which has been the target of criticism from numerous quarters, including staff, union leaders,lawyers and justice and mental health advocates.