CHIEF COULD EXPLAIN REAL JUSTICE TO PM

Re: Marijuana remarks put White on hot seat, April 23. With
admiration for and pride in our police chief, I read the article
about his remarks regarding marijuana.

Ottawa police Chief Vern White knows the effects when young people
are charged with simple possession and then carry a criminal record.
His approach calls for public debate around the decriminalization
issues. More importantly, he calls for restorative justice measures
that have been proven more successful in turning young lives around
rather than our standard criminal justice approach.

White points to very little funding for restorative justice
approaches even though they are proven to work.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Stephen Harper is trying to stir up the
"get-tough-on-crime" agenda at a time when we actually have
decreasing crime rates in Canada.

Wouldn't it be educational if Chief White, who has day-to-day
experience with offenders, sat down to explain the principles of a
restorative approach to Harper, who is riding on a populist wave of
fear that is not evidence-based?

Please, keep talking Chief White. It is encouraging to think that
wisdom might actually overrule ignorance and fear.

Kathy Southee,

Ottawa