OTTAWA — A new report has found some deaths of federal prisoners could have been prevented if not for a "disturbing" lack of assessment, competence and timely response by the Correctional Service of Canada.

The study, commissioned by the federal correctional investigator, examined 82 reported suicides, homicides, and accidental deaths in penitentiaries due to factors other than natural causes between 2001 and 2005.

Correctional investigator Howard Sapers calls the findings disturbing and says they indicate the federal prison service "has not rigorously fulfilled its mandate to keep all inmates safe."

The report found the officials failed to incorporate lessons learned and implement corrective action "over time and across regions."

It says the same errors and observations have been made incident after incident.

The report also says the Correctional Service of Canada "resists or fails to reasonably act on a large proportion" of recommendations by coroners and medical examiners who have investigated federal prison deaths.