FEDS AGREE TO FUND DRUG COURT

Local addicts charged with non-trafficking drug offences will have the
option to seek treatment instead of going to jail under a pilot drug court
project being established in the Downtown Eastside.

Graeme Bowbrick, the province's Attorney General, said the federal
government agreed Monday to back the project and the trial court could be
established by spring.

"I'm a little skeptical because there is going to be an intervening
election but I would hope it will be open within a few months of April
[when federal funding starts]," said Bowbrick, adding the court will be
located inside Vancouver's provincial courthouse, at 222 Main St.

The local drug court is based on a similar trial court in Toronto that is
partly federally funded and has 200 rehabilitation beds available to
addicts who opt for treatment instead of punishment.

Bowbrick said the Vancouver court would start with access to 50 rehab beds,
which will be funded through local health agencies already working with
drug addicts.

"The issue with treatment beds is always funding and resources," he said.
"But an essential element of the deal was that new money be made available
for new treatment services attached to this program."

Donald MacPherson, the city's drug policy coordinator, welcomed government
assurances that extra rehab beds will be created.

"There were concerns that if you create drug courts without significant
expansion of the treatment facilities for the voluntary sector then you get
treatment capacity that is only accessible through the criminal justice
system," said MacPherson, who is working with local, provincial and
federal authorities to get the city's proposed harm-reduction drug policy
discussion paper turned into reality.

In the paper, released last November, drug courts were listed as an
integral part of treatment for addicts. The premise underlying the courts
is that addicts are not deterred from drug use by going to jail. If the
accused are accepted into the drug treatment court, their charges are
delayed and they must accept help getting off the drugs, getting
accommodation and looking for work.

If, after a court-determined period of time, the accused is sufficiently
rehabilitated, the charges will be dropped altogether or replaced with
community service.

Bowbrick said establishing a drug court in Vancouver has been a top
priority since three levels of government agreed to work together,
through the Vancouver Agreement, to fight the Downtown Eastside's chronic
drug problem. The program is expected to cost $2 million in it first year,
with the feds picking up three quarters of the tab.