DRUG COURT SENDS FIRST OFFENDER FOR TREATMENT

People Who Commit Crimes To Feed Addictions Can Get Help, Not Jail

Ottawa's new drug treatment court officially opened yesterday at the
Elgin Street courthouse, offering a different approach to dealing
with chronic drug offenders who commit non-violent crimes to feed
their addictions.

People who qualify will not serve time in jail but instead will be
closely monitored and receive treatment for their addiction.

Yesterday, four people were to be considered for the treatment in
lieu of jail time. However, only one person applied and was accepted
into the program yesterday. Two others chose jail time over the
program and another offender has not yet applied.

Ontario Court Justice Peter Wright, an Ottawa drug-treatment court
committee member, who will be presiding over these cases, thanked all
the supporters present at yesterday's launch -- including chief Crown
attorney Hilary McCormack and counsellors from Rideauwood Addiction
and Family Services treatment centre.

"It is good to see you all here," said Judge Wright, after laying out
the conditions of the program to one of the first applicants, Roger
Picard, 46, who was convicted yesterday on two break-and-enter charges.

According to Crown prosecutor Riad Tallim, Mr. Picard was the perfect
candidate because he has no history of violence.

"He wants the help and he is prepared to make the lifestyle changes,"
said Mr. Tallim.

Mr. Tallim said without the drug treatment court, he would have
suggested a six-month jail sentence, on top of the
one-and-a-half-month pre-trial custody jail time he had already served.

However, when defence lawyer Graham Murray and Mr. Tallim and Judge
Wright met with Rideauwood counsellors who evaluated Mr. Picard, they
all agreed he is a suitable candidate and the 12-month rehabilitation
program would better serve his needs.

Judge Wright released Mr. Picard based on the condition he attend all
scheduled appointments with counsellors at Rideauwood, attend all
subsequent court appearances, keep the peace, reside at a residence
accepted by the court, abstain from alcohol and drugs, stay home
between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. unless accompanied by his brother and
sister-in-law, provide urine samples on demand, and be honest with
the court and staff.

"Sir, you are the first participant in the drug treatment court and
everyone here hopes you do well, and as the first applicant, hopes
you will be the first to graduate," Judge Wright told Mr. Picard
before his release. "We are here to stick it out with you and it is
important that you are honest with us."

Mr. Tallim said the program "recognizes there could be a relapse" in
these cases. And if Mr. Picard breaches his conditions, he will be
brought back into custody. "I think this is an excellent program, I
think this is an opportunity to help these people rehabilitate
themselves, and it reduces overall costs of investigations,
prosecution and jail time."

The program's funding was announced in June by the federal
government. Under the program, $13.3 million is to be spent over four
years to help establish four new drug-treatment courts in Ottawa,
Edmonton, Regina and Winnipeg.

The program is a continuation of the drug-treatment strategy already
in place in Toronto and Vancouver. It is aimed at reducing the number
of drug addicts who regularly rotate through the court system. At the
time, then-justice Minister Irwin Cotler touted the program as a way
to reduce crime by tackling its root causes.

"When non-violent criminal conduct is motivated by an addiction to
drugs, treatment rather than incarceration can help addicts break
their cycle of dependency and become more productive members of their
community," he said.