Pubdate: Fri, 29 Jun 2012 Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Copyright: 2012 The Vancouver Sun Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/letters.html Website: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477 Author: Jim Bronskill Page: B2 TORY PLEDGE TO GET TOUGH ON DRUGS IN PRISONS FACES BARRIERS, STUDY SAYS OTTAWA - There are tricky practical and legal barriers to fulfilling Conservative election promises to make Canada's prisons drug-free, suggests an internal government study prepared for the public safety minister. "No single international prison system has been able to eradicate drugs from prison," says a memo to Vic Toews about the findings from Deputy Minister Bill Baker, who has since retired. The Correctional Service "has made a great deal of progress in terms of both interdiction and programming to address the issue of drug and alcohol use and addiction in prisons, but demand for drugs remains strong." The study by officials from Public Safety, the Correctional Service and the Parole Board of Canada concludes that achieving drug-free prisons is "an aspirational goal, just as is achieving drug-free societies." "The fact that the goal has nowhere been realized, either in prisons or in society, does not undermine the importance of the goal, but it does underscore that its achievement is an incremental process." The heavily censored document and accompanying memo - both undated - were released under the federal law that allows people to seek copies of government records. More than 80 per cent of federal prisoners have a substance- abuse problem that requires intervention, according to the Correctional Service. In the 2011 election campaign, the Conservatives said drug use among prisoners dramatically reduces their chances of rehabilitation. They promised that every federal prisoner would be drug tested at least once a year, that prisoners with illicit substances would face appropriate additional charges, and that those who fail drug tests would be denied parole. The study points out to the minister that drug testing in prison is commonplace but has serious limitations, and that prisoners are already subject to a range of sanctions if caught with drugs. It also says legislative changes would be needed to deny drug users parole, noting the independent parole board considers a variety of factors when weighing applications. About half the prison population takes a urine test each year. From 2006 through 2011, positive results accounted for 9.8 per cent to 12.7 per cent of the tests, though up to 12.6 per cent refused to participate. However, the study notes, not all substances can be detected, and a positive test cannot determine specifically when a drug was used, the exact dose taken or the degree of impairment caused. Moreover, some drugs clear the system in a matter of hours. - --- MAP posted-by: Matt