CONS PARTY IN THE PEN

Drugs, Booze Continue To Work Way Behind Bars

The Conservative government is spending millions of dollars to stamp out
drugs in federal prisons, but more than 22% of inmates either tested
positive or flatly refused to be tested for narcotics or booze last year.

Figures released by Correctional Service of Canada show 7,613 samples were
requested last year for random urinalysis tests designed to detect
cocaine, cannabis, opiates and pharmaceuticals such as benzodiazepine and
amphetamine. More than 11% -- or 861 inmates -- simply said no, and of
those who complied, 13.2% tested positive for an illicit substance.

The figures are included in CSC's annual performance report.

REPRIMANDS

CSC's urinalysis policy requires all inmates to surrender urine samples
with only two hours' notice. If the offender refuses, he or she is
subjected to a "disciplinary process" that could lead to a warning or
reprimand, loss of privileges, extra duties, or in serious cases,
segregation from other inmates for up to 30 days.

"The reasons why an offender refuses to submit to a urinalysis are many,
which can include unco-operative behaviour and acting out in rebellion
against authority, perceived privacy reasons, illness or injury, or a
desire to avoid a positive testing," said CSC spokeswoman Christa
McGregor.

Urinalysis tests are done in all security level institutions across the
country and have helped detect and prevent drug use. Other measures
include cell searches, physical searches of offenders and scanning and
dog-sniffing of visitors.

MANDATORY TESTING

The Corrections and Conditional Release Act allows routine, random
urinalysis testing, but McGregor said "legal perimeters" prohibit forcing
an inmate to supply a blood or saliva sample. Correctional officers
exposed to potentially harmful infectious diseases such as Hep C or HIV
have pressed for mandatory testing on individual inmates, but McGregor
said that would be considered a violation of the Charter of Rights and
Freedoms.

As Sun Media has reported in past, inmates are constantly plotting new
ways to smuggle drugs behind bars, from pizza deliveries to babies'
bonnets and lobbing drug-stuffed condoms over the wires.

Last year, the government announced $120 million over five years to fight
the war on drugs in fed pens. The new cash is earmarked to beef up drug
dog teams, enhance security intelligence behind the wires and in
communities, and buy more drug-detection equipment like ION scanners and
X-ray machines. The strategy also strengthens search policies and tries to
ensure children aren't being used to traffic drugs into prisons.