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.
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MAP posted-by: Matt