PROSECUTOR CRACKING DOWN ON TEEN DRUG USE

Norfolk's federal prosecutor says his office is cracking down on drug
use in high schools and is foregoing the "diversion" program normally
offered to young people for minor possession charges.

"We want youth to know that if they bring drugs to school, there are
serious consequences to it," Jamie Pereira, who prosecutes drug
offences in the area, told the Reformer.

"We're looking for (guilty) pleas."

Minors charged with lesser offences are often "diverted" from the
justice system by being given a combination of community service and
counseling while criminal charges against them are stayed.

Pereira said his office has changed its approach because "we are
concerned about the amount of drugs in schools."

On Tuesday, two teens from Holy Trinity Catholic High School in
Simcoe pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana and were sentenced
to six months probation each.

In one case, a 17-year-old male was found with seven rolled joints
after being searched by the school vice-principal. In the other, a
16-year-old male was spotted by police with three other teens at the
top of the fairgrounds grandstand during a lunch break and was found
to have about $30 worth of marijuana.

Neither student can be named under the terms of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

The change in approach is needed, Pereira told the court, in order to
create "a deterrence factor so students can go to drug-free schools."

However, as part of their pleas, the youths were given conditional
discharges by Judge Brian Stead.

If they complete their probationary periods without any problems, the
criminal charges against them will be dropped.