OFFICIALS CAN'T STEM FLOW OF JAIL NARCOTICS

Addiction, greed and the crude world of supply and demand behind bars
make it impossible to stop the flow of all drugs into jails.

For one thing, you're talking about a population that's already
burdened with multiple problems. And the Edmonton Remand Centre (ERC)
is undoubtedly a microcosm of prison life elsewhere.

Four out of five offenders enter federal institutions with substance
abuse problems, according to the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC).

In addition, half of federal inmates committed their crimes under the
influence of drugs, booze or other intoxicants.

"Unfortunately, an offender's substance abuse problem will likely
continue once they have entered an institution," the CSC commissioner
told the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security in
2009.

Drug trafficking is a major contributor to institutional violence, he
told the committee.

MENTAL HEALTH

Compounding the problem is the marked increase in the number of
federal inmates with mental health difficulties. The percentage of
male offenders with mental health issues has increased by more than
70% over the past decade. There are far more female inmates with
mental health problems as well.

So it's not surprising that some, if not many, of these troubled
inmates would turn to drugs to feed their addiction or banish their
demons.

Where there's need, of course, supply can't be far behind. Many years
ago, the CSC did a survey of 4,200 inmates in which 25% of the
offenders reported that inmates were under a lot of pressure to
smuggle drugs into their institutions.

There's no reason to believe the same isn't true today. In fact,
because there are more gangs now than there were 15 years ago, the
pressure to bring in drugs and other contraband is probably worse.

ERC inmates haven't been convicted of anything; they're waiting to go
on trial.

But let's not kid ourselves. They may be deemed innocent until proven
guilty but that doesn't mean they're all upstanding citizens.

The drugs that the police allegedly found in a jail guard's vehicle
and home recently were seemingly destined for the ERC. (A 21-year-old
guard, three inmates and two other people have been charged with
trafficking-related offences.)

There is no province-wide data on contraband smuggling into Alberta's
jails and remand centres.

But a provincial database system has been developed and will be
implemented by the end of the month, according to the solicitor
general's ministry.

"Once the database is up and running, we will not be able to provide
historical data ... but will be able to use this year as the
benchmark," explains ministry spokesman Jason Maloney.

The ERC piloted the system so the ministry does have some preliminary
figures. Of the tens of thousands of searches in 2009, there were 85
cases where drugs were found, says Maloney.

That included illicit trading of legitimate prescription drugs between
offenders. "Some inmates may have prescription drugs they need for
health reasons but then trade them to another offender and that
offender is caught with those drugs," says Maloney.

In the ERC, by the way, the visitation system is through glass, with a
handset. And, aside from exceptional circumstances, only video
visitation will be allowed with inmates in the new remand centre.

Presumably, that feature, combined with the usual drug detection
methods, such as drug-sniffer dogs, mail checks, body orifice scanners
and unscheduled searches, will help reduce the flow of drugs.

But human nature and raw need are powerful drivers. The more the
authorities try to clamp down on contraband, the more creative
smugglers become.