Pubdate: Thu, 04 Oct 2012 Source: Globe and Mail (Canada) Copyright: 2012 The Globe and Mail Company Contact: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/168 Author: Vic Toews Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v12/n490/a04.html NEEDLES IN PRISONS Andre Picard's suggestion that our prison system ought to be more like Iran's is ridiculous (A Call For Pragmatism In Clean-Needle Debate - Life & Arts, Oct. 2). Our government is committed to developing a correctional system that actually corrects criminal behaviour. As such, we have a zero-tolerance policy for drugs in our institutions. That is why we made a commitment during the last election to develop drug-free prisons. Drug use among prisoners dramatically reduces their chances of successful rehabilitation. Putting needles in prisons also creates a dangerous situation for correctional officers. We will never consider putting items that can be used as weapons, such as these, in the hands of potentially violent prisoners. Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety - --- MAP posted-by: Matt