PROGRAM IN WORKS FOR DRUG-ADDICTED PRISONERS

The province is looking at expanding voluntary drug-treatment programs
in Manitoba jails to address the high number of offenders who have
substance-abuse problems.

Justice Minister Dave Chomiak said such a program will focus on
inmates on remand to help reduce the high number of people in
pre-trial detention.

He said it will also help address the expected higher number of
prisoners going through the courts should the Harper government follow
through on its pledge to eliminate two-for-one sentencing credits for
time served in pre-trial detention.

Chomiak said in an interview that details of a such a program were
still being worked out, but added it might involve giving an inmate a
credit on sentencing.

More than two-thirds of Manitoba's current inmate population in
provincial jails are serving remand time. As of last Wednesday there
were 1,998 adults and youth in custody. Of those, 605 were sentenced
(30 per cent) while 1,393 are on remand (70 per cent).

The province estimates 71 per cent of offenders in provincial custody
are substance abusers, yet those on remand have little or no access to
drug-treatment programs. Only after sentencing is counselling or
treatment made more readily available.

Tory justice critic Kelvin Goertzen said the province should look at
what Illinois is doing at its Sheridan Correctional Center.

It opened more than four years ago as the largest fully dedicated
state drug prison in the United States. It focuses on treating
substance abuse to reduce high recidivism rates common among offenders
who abuse drugs.

Illinois Department of Corrections statistics show that approximately
60 per cent of all male arrestees statewide and approximately 82 per
cent of all male arrestees in Chicago test positive for at least one
illegal drug. In addition, nearly 25 per cent of all state prison
inmates are currently serving time for drug offences, while many
others are in prison for property offences, violent offences or other
crimes committed as a result of drug involvement.

Goertzen said Manitoba has one of the highest recidivism rates in
Canada, particularly among young offenders.

Provincial statistics indicate about two-thirds of inmates released
from Manitoba jails since 2001 were charged with another crime within
two years of their release.

Manitoba Corrections tracks reoffend rates for adult offenders coming
out of provincial jails in Headingley, Dauphin, Brandon, The Pas,
Milner Ridge and Portage la Prairie. They found that between January
2001 and June 2005, an average of 67 per cent of inmates released from
those correctional centres were arrested and charged with a new
offence within two years. The youth recidivism rate is about 85 per
cent.

Chomiak said the province is willing to examine the program at
Sheridan to see if it has any fit in Manitoba.