SMILING JUDGE SOOTHES TRAFFICKER

It's A New Approach for Drug Offenders

A DRUG dealer, pleading guilty to possession of 67 rocks of crack
cocaine with intent to sell, faced the judge yesterday and here's what
he got:

good wishes.

"We need your input into this... it's going to be a process, but it
starts now," said Judge Murray Howell, smiling slightly at 45-year-old
Morris Charles Provost. "Tell us what you need, tell us what your
problems are... it's a team approach."

But, he said, the ultimate responsibility was Provost's.

It was the first day of Manitoba's drug court, a new approach that
gives non-violent addicts a chance at skipping jail if they agree to
at least nine months of treatment. It's a process that has support
from both sides of the legislature and has been working in Toronto
since 1998 and Vancouver since 2001. The Manitoba drug court expects
to help 12 to 15 offenders in its first year. Provost was one of two
men who were dealt with on Day One.

"Rather than locking these people away for doing something bad, we're
trying to help them," said John Borody, chief executive officer of
Addictions Foundation of Manitoba, one of about 20 non-profit and
government organizations that collectively submitted a funding
proposal to the federal government for the drug court.

"They're probably not going to be habitual criminals after we deal
with them."

After pleading guilty to charges, the convicts have at least nine
months of rehabilitation.

They must meet a judge as often as every week, and must meet many
conditions: they can't go to bars, they can't take prescription drugs
without consent and they must be honest with their addiction
counsellors about any lapses.

In exchange, their success in treatment may count during their final
reassessment. Their charges may be stayed or their sentences may be
served in the community.

In June, the federal government announced $13.3 million in federal
funding for drug courts in Regina, Ottawa, Edmonton and Winnipeg, as
well as continued funding for Vancouver and Toronto drug courts, as
part of a national drug strategy.

"The main targets we have are drug traffickers (who deal) for the
purpose of getting money for their own habit," said Borody. "The other
target group are going to be street (sex) workers." Borody stressed
the offenders being targeted for the drug court have criminal charges
related to supporting their drug addiction, and are involved in what
he called "soft crimes."

The drug court may eventually include offenders involved in break and
enters and low-level theft, but won't include charges involving
physical assault.

"This can be really, really effective when you're dealing with
non-violent offenders in the right cases," said Provincial Court Chief
Judge Raymond Wyant. "As a court and as a society, we want people not
to come back. We don't want the business."

Provincial Justice Minister Gord Mackintosh echoed the
sentiment.

"The focus here is to shake off the chain of addiction and help ensure
these offenders become contributing members of society," he said.
"When you break a cycle, there are cost-savings in the medium and long-term."

Investment in the drug court was estimated by Mackintosh to be over
$1,000,000 for the program's first year in Manitoba, from federal,
provincial and community groups.

Three staff members have been hired to help with the execution of the
drug court, said legal officials.

Even opposition members warmed to the establishment of a drug
treatment court in Manitoba, though they pushed for more development
of addiction prevention services and rural access to drug courts.

"I'd like to see the availability of a drug court in rural parts of
Manitoba... particularly with the new concerns about methamphetamine,
which takes hold in rural communitites in particular," said Tory
Justice critic Kelvin Goertzen. "As you see people come through the
drug treatment courts, I think there's going to be a strain if there's
actually enough drug treatment facilities." Yet, for now, one man said
the court treatment program was already making a difference.

"I realized I needed help," said Alan Kopychanski, a 28-year-old who
pleaded guilty yesterday to drug charges, and has been in treatment
since October. "It's good."

Yesterday in the courtroom, the general mood of those watching the
proceedings was particularly buoyant. Well-wishers in the stands and
the judge saluted the men with "good luck" as they exited the courtroom.