ADDICTION UNITS HELP CANADIAN PRISONERS

Canada's prisons are trying to help those who want to help
themselves, especially drug addicts.

Addiction units have been established at all federal penitentiaries
to help inmates deal with drug and alcohol problems after a pilot
project found those who completed the program were less likely to
return to crime.

"If only 100 offenders participated successfully in the (intensive
support units), the savings would exceed $800,000," says the report,
obtained by The Canadian Press through an access to information request.

That's because it's much cheaper to supervise an offender in the
community than in prison, said lead researcher Brian Grant.

About 80 per cent of inmates admitted to federal prisons have
substance abuse problems.

The study found that two-thirds of inmates who completed the program
were granted early release.

They were also less likely to be returned to custody or be charged
with a new offence in the two years following their release.

But Prison guards are skeptical about the program's reported success.

"It's a good idea, but it's only put together with bubble gum and
string," said Kevin Grabowsky, prairie president of the Union of
Canadian Correctional Officers.

"CSC lets them stumble and fall quite a few times. They want it to be
a success."

Grabowsky said the program, which lasts an average of 10 weeks,
should last much longer.

The study assessed 246 male offenders at prisons in New Brunswick,
Ontario, Alberta and Quebec.

Although the pilot study was done in minimum- and medium-security
institutions, corrections officials were impressed enough with
preliminary findings in 2003 to add addiction units to all prisons.

The units are searched more often than other areas of the prison for
drugs and contraband, and random drug tests were more frequent.

But Grabowsky said to be truly sound, the program needs tighter
controls. He said inmates want to enter the unit because it impresses
parole board officials and can improve an offender's chance of early release.

But Grant said that's not a bad thing, noting that those who got out
of prison early were also less likely to come back.

"They were less of a threat to their communities," Grant said from
his office in Montague, P.E.I.

The report notes that since staff in the pilot program were assigned
from different parts of the prisons, the only additional costs were
for extra drug screening tests, which is about $100 for each prisoner
in the program.

But Grabowsky said urine tests which screen for a wider range of
drugs are upwards of $50 and should be administered more often.

But questions are also being raised about how often the prisoners
should be tested.