Pubdate: Fri, 03 Apr 2009 Source: Richmond News (CN BC) Copyright: 2009, Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc. Contact: http://www.richmond-news.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1244 THE SYSTEM IS FAILING Today's story about an alleged car thief who made the top-10 most wanted list is a good example of what is wrong with our current approach to crime and drug addiction. Ryan Bellman is a petty thief who has been in and out of court so many times that the cost of prosecuting and jailing him probably far exceeds the value of the things he has stolen, which, according to police, includes a car that belonged to an RCMP officer. Bellman seems to fit the prolific offender profile. If judges keep letting people like him out of jail it's probably because they recognize that these people are not evil -- they're ill -- and that jail will not cure them, although lengthier sentences certainly would curtail their criminal activities while they are incarcerated. Treatment is available to these people, but many either cannot or will not stick with the program. They continue to clog our court system and cost taxpayers a ton of money. It is tempting to say it is time to get tough with these people and give them a choice: treatment or go to jail for a very long time. But first we have to ask ourselves if we really have a workable treatment plan on offer -- a plan that involves the courts, affordable housing, social services as well as counselling. Granted, some people do need to go to jail for longer stretches, but many others could get on their feet with a coordinated system that addresses their many challenges. With a provincial election underway, now is a good time to start the discussion because let's face it, the current system is failing. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin