TAKE A BITE OUT OF HARPER

Pat's Perspective

So our Prime Minister Stephen Harper wants to lock them up and throw
away the key. Longer prison sentences, less community re-integration
and more police patrolling neighbourhoods will reduce serious crimes,
he says. He announced the Conservative government's plans to fight
crime at the Canadian Professional Police Association this week.

Take one look at the United States criminal justice system, Mr.
Harper, and you'll see that building more jails does not reduce
crime. Why? Because jails are crime schools where offenders can learn
new tricks of the trade and make new contacts. And because they do
not address the underlying issues leading to drug addiction and violence.

Statistics show the crime rates in Canada have been steadily
declining since 1991. The violent crime rate has been declining since
1992. However, Harper is correct that homicide, weapons, drug and
gang offences have gone up. And yes, weapons and drug offences are a
problem on the Sunshine Coast.

But I am a strong believer in the four pillars approach to drug
addiction: harm reduction, prevention, treatment and enforcement -- a
more balanced approach than just enforcement. And police forces are
coming on board to this approach.

Instilling fear in the public that we could end up dodging bullets
while walking down the street unless his proposed changes move ahead
may have won Harper votes and helped his approval ratings, but it is
not going to "tackle" crime problems.

Harper wants to get "violent criminals off the streets so they can't
re-offend," he said in his speech. But they will have to be released
eventually, unless taxpayers want to foot the bill to keep all
offenders in jail for life, so supervised re-integration programs
like parole are important for community safety.

The Conservatives plan to repeal the Faint Hope Clause, a provision
allowing those serving a life sentence to have their parole
ineligibility period reviewed after 15 years. Next thing you know
he'll be bringing back the death penalty, which life sentences
including the Faint Hope Clause provision replaced in 1976.

Harper's Conservatives plan to scrap a proposal to decriminalize
marijuana to "get drugs off the streets, away from our children and
clean up our communities," he says. Meanwhile, alcohol, tobacco and
prescription drugs remain legal.

"If we legalize drugs like marijuana, it will make it easier for our
children to get hold of it," he said in his speech. It wasn't too
long ago that I was in high school, where it was easier to buy a
baggie of weed in the alley behind the school than to buy cigarettes
at the 7-11 or beer at the liquor store. Drug dealers are not
required to ask for ID, unlike store clerks.

My opinion may not be popular in this community. But I would hope
that after spending five years studying criminology and two years
working professionally on the front lines with offenders, I walked
away learning something.