A QUICK WAY TO FILL PRISONS

Re: "Imprison pot growers, sellers, minister urges" (Gazette, April
23). It's telling that federal Justice Minister Rob Nicholson does
not even try to argue that there is evidence for the deterrent effect
of mandatory sentences for drug crimes. In fact, every major
international evaluation of sentencing for drug crimes has arrived at
the same conclusion: no deterrent effect, but very efficient at
filling prisons with non-violent offenders.

This is the soul of the government's criminal-justice agenda: no
evidence but lots of "feel-good" and "send-a-strong-message" grandstanding.

Craig Jones

Executive director,

John Howard Society Kingston, Ont.