UCFV STUDIES MARIJUANA GROW OPERATIONS FOR RCMP

The true size and nature of marijuana grow operations in B.C. is defined in
a joint study conducted by criminology students at the University-College
of the Fraser Valley and UBC's International Centre For Criminal Law Reform.

The study of grow operations and marijuana trafficking cases since 1997
will be handed over to the RCMP on Feb. 19.

"So often we have reports about what's going on, and rumours about what's
going on, and it's not based on fact," says Darryl Plecas, chairman of the
criminology department at UCFV. "I'm sure people will be somewhat surprised
to learn what's really going on out there."

RCMP spokesperson Const. Danielle Efford says no decision has yet been
reached on whether the report will be released to the public.

The report was commissioned by the RCMP to get an "accurate profile" of
marijuana grow operations in B.C., she says. Statistical information stored
on police computers did not provide the details required to determine the
true extent of the problem, she says.

Mr. Plecas says he and six students reviewed crime files over the summer,
visiting every law enforcement agency in B.C. including 12 municipal police
offices and 150 RCMP detachments.

He says the study "tracks every case as it went through the system ... from
the call to police to the court disposition" to determine the "capacity" of
enforcement agencies to respond to the problem.

The study also looks at the nature of B.C. grow operations "and the nature
of the individuals involved," he says.

"It's an exceptionally interesting study because it provides an opportunity
to see how the system works from beginning to end," he says.