Pubdate: Tue, 13 May 2014 Source: Lethbridge Herald (CN AB) Copyright: 2014 The Lethbridge Herald Contact: http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/239 Referenced: Ending the Drug Wars (Report of the LSE Expert Group on the Economics of Drug Policy): http://mapinc.org/url/t4FrTmuU CANADA NEEDS BALANCE IN WAR ON CRIME Getting tough on crime has been a focus of our federal government. Here in Canada, it has been viewed by many as a shift to more of an American-style form of punishment. For years, tough-on-crime agendas have been common south of the border, as critics in the United States have often scoffed at the light sentences received north of the border. The United States, however, is home to a significant chunk of the world's prison population, as a result, with a high degree of focus on the war on drugs. A recent report by the London School of Economics pointed to the collateral damage that war has levied on American society in general, which is part of the reason the United States imprisons more of its citizens than any other country, by a very wide margin. In fact, according to the report, the United States houses 25 per cent of the world's prison population, despite having only five per cent of the world's overall population living inside its borders. Those figures come as no surprise to most but what some may find interesting, is our two countries appear to be heading in different directions on the issue. A pair of newly released reports show Canada is gearing up for more strict sentencing laws, while the opposite may be true for the United States. Last week, Canada's auditor general warned as jail terms become more stiff, overcrowded prisons will be the norm. In the United States, the prison population has actually decreased in recent years. With two million in jail, that is not enough to break America s hold as the worldwide incarceration leader, as the National Research Council south of the border added drug laws transformed the U.S. from a country with an average prison population to one with imprisonment rates six times higher than Canada. Naturally, that has impacted the government's bottom line, as corrections spending now accounts for 3.3 per cent of state budgets. It was a mere $6.7 billion in 1985, and now rings in at $53.2 billion. The study also points out crime did decrease during those times, though not significantly, and recommends the U.S. stop handing out mandatory-minimum sentences. Most American states, 40 in fact, have relaxed drug laws since 2009. Canada, on the other had, is examining adding mandatory-minimum sentences to its Criminal Code, which raises the question -are we doomed to repeat the mistakes of our American neighbours? Certainly, there is frustration north of the border regarding our justice system. Inconsistent sentences and criminals who often get off much too lightly were reasons behind seeking mandatory minimums, which in some cases, and for some serious offences, had some strong backing. We must learn from the mistakes of the American model, and create a justice system consistent with the ideals we hold true. Simply stuffing our prisons full does little to eliminate the root cause of crime, and as studies south of the border point out, that strategy also falls short on significantly reducing crime. Canadians need to take a look in the mirror and ask ourselves what road we want to travel down. Do we want a model of the American system in our country? Will mandatory-minimum sentences keep us safer? Are there more progressive ways to achieve the changes we are seeking? There is little doubt getting tough on crime really is not the issue here - we all want to see those who commit crimes sentenced appropriately. Ensuring that is done in the smartest way possible, however, with the biggest possible impact on crime rates and maintaining other aspects of the system, such as sensible rehabilitation programs, is where the balancing act takes place. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D