TORIES TO TARGET DRUG USE IN PRISON

The Conservative government is expected to announce today that it
will increase prison security in an effort to restrict the flow of
illicit drugs.

The initiative will include more drug-sniffing dogs, security staff,
scanners and new search rules to detect smugglers visiting the institutions.

Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day will publicize his plans at a
news conference at Kent Institution in Agassiz, B.C., carrying out
recommendations contained in a report last year from a panel that
conducted a sweeping review of the prison system.

The report, made public last December, noted that about 80 per cent
of offenders arrive at prison with a serious substance abuse problem,
creating an increasingly dangerous environment for staff and offenders.

"It is not surprising that drug abuse and trafficking is an issue
within the penitentiary walls," the report said.

"The current offender population is one that will look to find every
vulnerability in Correctional Services Canada's security systems to
introduce drugs into the penitentiary."

Melisa Leclerc, Day's communications director, said that the drug
announcement will include an infusion of millions of dollars, set
aside in the 2008-2009 federal budget to address recommendations
contained in the prison review.

The February budget allotted $122 million over two years, starting
with $12 million this year, to go toward prisons, including money for
rotting infrastructure and drug reduction. But there was no breakdown
of how the money would be spent.

Officials at Springhill Penitentiary in Nova Scotia seized more than
$10,000 in illegal drugs six days ago, including 238 painkillers.

In the last year, there have been reports of drug overdose deaths,
lockdowns and increased gang violence in prisons sparked by drug wars

In a report this year, the Vancouver Sun revealed that children and
even babies are being used to smuggle drugs into prisons.

Last year in Quebec, a woman and 6-week-old baby visiting a gang
member in prison were flagged by a sniffer dog, leading to police
finding 32 grams of heroin on the infant.