COURT WATCHERS ASTOUNDED BY CONSTANT DELAYS

Kelowna's court watchers have found what they expected -- light
sentences -- but they hadn't anticipated just how slowly the wheels of
justice grind.

"We have found that in some cases the sentences are too light, but
we've also found that the delays in court are just astounding," said
Court Watch co-ordinator Leigh Campbell. "It's to the point of being
ridiculous.

"The waste of time . . . you're saying, 'God, no wonder they're so
backed up.' Nothing happens. It's time for the judge to say 'sorry,
today.'" She mentioned one case which saw an accused appear five times
on five different charges.

"Why do we have to schedule five different times for court times,
defence time, lawyers and judges?" asked Campbell. "We're wondering
why they can't get this all together and do it all at once."

She said court watchers attended three cases on Monday only to have
all of them postponed. They picked three more cases for Tuesday, and
all of those were adjourned.

"I've never seen such a total waste of time," said Campbell. "There's
a problem there."

Campbell said her group has talked with a lot of people in the
judicial system, including judges, prosecutors and probation officers,
and none seem concerned.

"The majority of them think things are going along quite well, thank
you very much," said Campbell. "I can understand people have a job to
do and want to protect themselves, but I don't think things are going
along just wonderful."

John Niblett, a retired cop who served in Kelowna in the 1970s and
'80s, is part of the Court Watch team.

He said that as a police officer, he became quite familiar with
courtroom delays.

"I'm not sure it's any worse today, but the volume of cases before the
court had become mind-boggling," he said. "What I have heard from many
people is that some of these delays should be dealt with
administratively, not in a courtroom before a judge."

Campbell said court watchers have also taken note of the number of
people who appear because they have breached their probation.

"A couple of us talked to probation, and they (probation officers)
think everything is hunky-dory," said Campbell. "Well, I think it's a
mess." Campbell said they will make a report to the provincial and
federal governments.

"We want to find out why there are so many delays," she said. "Who
isn't ready? Who's causing this? Why aren't they ready? "In time,
we'll say exactly what we think about that."

She said the report could be ready by fall.

She also said the court watchers have found light sentences in
Kelowna.

"I think they're too light for the crime," said Campbell. "If you go
across Canada, which we have done, the trend we see is that British
Columbia definitely has lighter sentences than the rest of Canada.

"Trafficking is a big one. You take the time to bring these people to
court, and for the most part, they get a slap on the wrist.

"I don't think it's taken seriously enough. I feel trafficking leads
to more and deeper crime, but we see traffickers walk with a fine."

Campbell was a city councillor for 11 years in Pitt Meadows and a
volunteer for the family court watch program in that Fraser Valley
community.

So far, she has signed up 22 volunteers to sit in on court
cases.

The notion for Court Watch came up last year when Kelowna RCMP Supt.
Bill McKinnon stated that soft-sentencing judges thwart police efforts
to remove the dealers and therefore the supply of drugs from the street.

While the RCMP helped organize the program, McKinnon said the force is
at arm's length from its operation.

If you want to volunteer, Campbell can be reached at 868-1314. If you
want to communicate with Court Watch, go to kelownacourtwatch.net.