DON'T COUNT ON DRUG COURTS FOR REHAB SUCCESS

Not Enough Addicts Escaping Relentless Cycle of Crime

Judging by recent comments from the Criminal Justice Branch, the B.C.
government appears to be counting on the drug court to fix what ails
Vancouver's 379 identified chronic addict-thieves.

If so, we're in trouble, because the rehab court's numbers just aren't
adding up.

The Downtown Eastside drug-treatment legal project was masterminded in
2001 by a federal-provincial group of elected officials to reduce the
use of heroin, coke and crystal meth by adults who daily ripped off
businesses and citizens to finance their costly habits.

The equation was simple: reduce the habit and see crime
drop.

While signs of success are visible -- enough to convince the province
and feds to continue the judicial pilot project at least until 2009 --
the victories the court can claim are modest at best and certainly not
enough to comfort crime-weary Vancouver citizens.

B.C.'s only drug-treatment court focuses on people facing charges
fuelled by addiction, who are invited to plead guilty and voluntarily
enter the program instead of heading into a sentencing hearing.

On average, about 100 druggies join annually. Immediate abstinence is
required. Progress is reviewed by a prosecutor and a judge, who will
impose sanctions or mete out rewards, depending on the user's efforts.

After about a year of court appearances and treatment by a specialized
recovery team, offenders are expected to have conquered their
addiction and found stable housing and a job, or relative training.
The charges are then stayed. If offenders mess up, they are sentenced
as per the regular court process.

And most of them do mess up.

Those few who hang in and complete the program are apt to stay off the
dope and away from crime, but the rest return to their old habits long
before their stint is up. Between 2001 and 2005, 85 per cent of
participants either quit on their own or were asked to leave, a Public
Safety Canada analysis shows.

And 88 per cent of that group were back on heroin, blow, crack or meth
within six months, with a third having already racked up new charges
and convictions within that time.

On the other hand, program completers, albeit much fewer in number,
fared better. One-third tested positive for drug use within six
months, while just 10 per cent faced new charges or convictions in
that period.

Program enthusiasts said they were pleased with the results, given the
tough demands placed on addicts to clean up, find a job and a place to
live.

Fair enough.

The statistics do show a modest but definite decline in drug use and
drug-related crimes among those who stayed with the program. But
that's not a lot to get excited about, considering the treatment
option draws so few habitual offenders-addicts in the first place.

The project can only be called a success when justice officials
develop the strategies to encourage potential candidates to enter the
drug-court program and, once in, to stick it out.

In the meantime, I'm with Vancouver Police Chief Jim Chu: Send them
off to jail, and
make sure facilities offer them plenty of treatment and recovery
options. And throw in
some inducements for those willing to see it through.