Pubdate: Fri, 18 Mar 2005
Source: Windsor Star (CN ON)
Copyright: The Windsor Star 2005
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/windsor/windsorstar/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/501
Author: Shannon Kari, CanWest News Service
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Cited: http://www.ucfv.ca/pages/Special/Marihuana_Grow_Ops_in_BC_Study.pdf 
(Study)
Cited: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Darryl+Plecas (Darryl Plecas)

'WE JUST WANTED THE FACTS'

RCMP Defends Controversial Grow-Op Study Under Attack For Burying Key Findings

TORONTO -- The RCMP is defending its decision to spend $110,000 on a 
high-profile study that warned of the increasing dangers of marijuana 
grow-ops in British Columbia and was headed by a criminologist with 
extensive links to police forces in North America.

Insp. Paul Nadeau said the funds were a good use of RCMP resources and 
insisted the police force gave Darryl Plecas "total freedom" to conduct his 
research.

"We just wanted the facts," said Nadeau, who heads the RCMP's B.C. 
co-ordinated marijuana enforcement.

Plecas, an experienced criminologist at the University College of the 
Fraser Valley, updated his previous study -- also commissioned by the RCMP 
- -- and examined police and prosecution statistics about marijuana 
cultivation in British Columbia from 1997 to 2003.

The two studies cost $250,000.

The widely reported update, released this month, described marijuana 
grow-ops as a growing "risk to public safety," and called for more criminal 
justice resources to deal with the issue, as well as stiffer jail sentences.

But critics say the report buries key findings that seem to contradict 
police claims that grow-ops pose a growing danger to the public.

"Who else was going to fund this type of project?" asked Plecas, who flatly 
rejected any suggestion the study was not independent. "Just because police 
put in the money, it doesn't mean they want a whitewash."

Plecas stressed that he does research for a wide variety of participants in 
the criminal justice system.

Some experts said the identity of a study's sponsor or sponsors is 
important to keep in mind when assessing the study's legitimacy.

"Motivation affects perception," observed Alan Young, a professor at 
Osgoode Hall law school in Toronto who is well known for representing 
people in medical marijuana court proceedings. "I always tell my students 
to look at who commissioned a report."

Joseph Neuberger, a Toronto lawyer who frequently defends clients charged 
in marijuana grow-ops, said "you have to look at more data than what is 
provided by the police."

He suggested that the "executive summary" in the study "panders to the 
hysteria police are propagating," while there are other findings "buried" 
in the 64-page report that confirm what defence lawyers have said 
repeatedly about grow-ops.

The report indicates that firearms were seized in six per cent of cases in 
B.C. between 1997 and 2003 according to police statistics.

Hard drugs such as heroin or cocaine were found in less than four per cent 
of raids. Fires in indoor grow-ops occurred in less than four per cent.

"This was $250,000 of taxpayers' money, essentially for the police to 
market their agenda," said Neuberger.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom