SPECIAL JAIL FOR ADDICTS SOUGHT

Province Shows Early Support for Calgary Idea

Calgary could be home to Canada's first jail meant solely to keep
addicts and those with mental health issues out of the hard-core
criminal system.

A "safe jail" would divert people from imprisonment and see them
placed in rehab or referred for psychological treatment.

The plan is part of Chief Rick Hanson's three-year police strategy
which, among other things, seeks to sweep the city's downtown of criminals.

Although still in the concept stage, the idea has gained the support
of Alberta's solicitor general and justice minister.

Too often, the city's most vulnerable are"self-medicating" by thieving
and prowling cars to buy drugs and alcohol, Hanson said.

"We have to develop a strategy that takes them out of the criminal
justice system,"Hanson said Wednesday.

"Addicts are as much a victim of the drug culture and the organized
crime groups," he said.

Many repeat offenders are simply bouncing around the court system and
not getting help to stay out.

"Let's use the justice system to allow us to incarcerate them in a
secure treatment facility so you're actually making a concerted effort
to treat the addiction, and then hand them off to so many of our
social agencies in town who are prepared to deal with them on a
long-term basis," said Hanson.

"The risk to not try it is far too high."

Youths as well as adults could be held in existing facilities in or
just outside Calgary, freeing space at the Calgary Remand Centre for
serious offenders.

Solicitor General Fred Lindsay said the idea has merit.

"It's a great concept. We realize a lot of the repeat offenders we
have are addicted; there are mental health issues. If we can get them
the help they need, then obviously justice is served," said Lindsay.

"The big benefits are that we can get these people the help they need
so they can contribute to society rather than taking from it, then
obviously the public will be well-served by it."

It's not known which ministries the dollars to fund the plan would
come from, he said.

"It's very preliminary, but it's a great idea that's worthy of taking
a good look at."

Justice Minister Alison Redford, who has been speaking with Hanson
about the issue, also had high praise for the plan.

"Our long-term success around safe communities will depend upon
finding innovative approaches to addiction treatment in the justice
system and we are very pleased to be working with Chief Hanson on this
initiative."

Since 2001,Calgary has been diverting the city's homeless and mentally
ill away from the criminal system. Calgary Diversion Services was
created through an agreement between police, Alberta Justice and
Alberta Health Services. Police now flag files for defence lawyers and
Crown prosecutors to consider the accused to be diverted from criminal
proceedings to mental health clinics, addiction treatment and shelters.

The program is voluntary and re-quires an assessment from the health
region. Audits of the program reveal it is saving the health and legal
systems thousands of staff hours.