THE SYSTEM IS FAILING

Today's story about an alleged car thief who made the top-10 most
wanted list is a good example of what is wrong with our current
approach to crime and drug addiction.

Ryan Bellman is a petty thief who has been in and out of court so many
times that the cost of prosecuting and jailing him probably far
exceeds the value of the things he has stolen, which, according to
police, includes a car that belonged to an RCMP officer.

Bellman seems to fit the prolific offender profile. If judges keep
letting people like him out of jail it's probably because they
recognize that these people are not evil -- they're ill -- and that
jail will not cure them, although lengthier sentences certainly would
curtail their criminal activities while they are incarcerated.

Treatment is available to these people, but many either cannot or will
not stick with the program. They continue to clog our court system and
cost taxpayers a ton of money. It is tempting to say it is time to get
tough with these people and give them a choice: treatment or go to
jail for a very long time. But first we have to ask ourselves if we
really have a workable treatment plan on offer -- a plan that involves
the courts, affordable housing, social services as well as
counselling.

Granted, some people do need to go to jail for longer stretches, but
many others could get on their feet with a coordinated system that
addresses their many challenges. With a provincial election underway,
now is a good time to start the discussion because let's face it, the
current system is failing.