SPECIAL COURTS WILL DEAL WITH DRUG ADDICTS: MCLELLAN

For Non-Violent Offenders: Goal Is Treatment Rather Than Punishment

OTTAWA - Anne McLellan, the Justice Minister, yesterday announced that
Ottawa will establish special drug courts over the next three years to
treat addicts as sick people rather than incorrigible criminals.

Ms. McLellan said the federal government's goal is to set up the
courts in all major Canadian cities over the next three years.

Since a similarly dedicated court was established in Toronto nearly
two years ago, other cities and provinces have been clamouring for the
pilot project to be expanded. It is aimed at dealing with non-violent
offenders who use crime to feed their habits and directing them into
rehabilitation programs.

"It's a much more constructive approach and has much higher long-term
success rates than the straight criminal justice system where there's
very little attention paid to the addiction and treatment of it," Ms.
McLellan said in an interview.

"The costs are infinitesimal compared to what you can save if you can
actually treat these people and turn them into productive citizens ...
Otherwise, they're just going to come back out on the streets and do
the same thing over again."

In a little-noticed section of the Liberal campaign platform, the
party promised to more than double its crime prevention budget over
the next four years.

Over the same period, the Liberals have committed to spending
$420-million on a national drug strategy.

Youth drug abuse has jumped back to the levels of the early 1970s and
government studies suggest about 70% of inmates in jails or prisons
are there because of involvement with drugs or alcohol.

In Toronto, an estimated 90% of female prostitutes are addicted to
heroin or crack cocaine, Ms. McLellan said.

Drug abuse is at crisis levels in Vancouver where there are believed
to be 12,000 hardcore drug users. More than 270 addicts have died of
overdoses so far this year in Vancouver.

Philip Owen, the Mayor of Vancouver, released a discussion paper last
week supporting the use of special drug courts. "Our approach is,
fundamentally, that users are sick and the pushers are evil."

Bill Smith, the Mayor of Edmonton, agreed.

"It's certainly a concern and a problem we have," said Mr. Smith. "The
city would be interested in working with the federal government in any
way, shape or form."

The Toronto drug court cost Ottawa about $1.6-million, with other
funding and resources provided by the provincial and municipal
governments. The court has been assigned its own judge, federal Crown
prosecutor and defence counsel, as well as social agencies, treatment
experts and employment counsellors.

Addicts who choose treatment over jail must submit to weekly urine
tests and attend therapy sessions.

The most expensive part of the Liberal drug strategy calls for a
crackdown on organized crime and expanded enforcement measures against
traffickers.

The Canadian Alliance takes a similar approach to ending the cycle of
crime and poverty and hopelessness of addiction.

During the election campaign, it went a step further than the Liberals
in calling for increased funding for drug awareness programs and the
treatment of addicts through immediate access to rehab facilities.

Stockwell Day, the Alliance leader, has said he views addicted
criminals as sick, drawing on his background as a counsellor helping
troubled young adults in Edmonton 25 years ago.