Pubdate: Mon, 15 Aug 2005
Source: Edson Leader (CN AB)
Copyright: 2005 Edson Leader
Contact:  http://www.edsonleader.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/780
Author: Zahra Jamal
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)

PROGRAM IS A GOOD STEP FOR TREATMENT

Drug Addicts, Who Commit A Crime And Want To Avoid Sentencing, Should Be 
Required To Seek Treatment.

Passionate Pen

Rehab needs to be a prerequisite of Edson's new Healing Meth's Hurts 
program in order for it to be effective.

Modeled on the youth justice committee, the program is funded by the 
provincial government and provides alternatives to substance abusers who 
commit non-violent crimes.

Rather than go to prison or be placed under probation or house arrest, an 
offender may be asked to pay restitution. Victims can also work with 
program facilitators and suggest other ways to hold them accountable.

The youth justice committee was created to give young and first-time 
offenders a second chance, but you can't provide a second chance to a 
substance abuser who isn't willing to take measures that will keep them out 
of prison.

Currently the restorative justice program is only in its initial stage; 
details will be fine-tuned by the new Edson and District Drug Action 
Coalition coordinator starting in September.

What we do know is that this program specifically involves drug users, so 
it makes sense to enforce rehab if the offender wants to avoid sentencing.

Since the point of any alternative measures program is to put an offender 
back on the right track, what better way is there to do that then to get 
them clean again?

A functional brain, not an eroded one, is needed by a (former) addict to 
fully realize the impact of their crime and for the victim to be at peace.

Otherwise, restorative justice just becomes a way for the provincial 
government to avoid the taxpayers' burden of throwing these people behind bars.

Restorative justice is victim-based. It allows the victim to play a major 
role in how the criminal justice system deals with the offender, but the 
focus should be on helping the one with the problem.

Hopefully, this program was not created because of Alberta's limited prison 
capacity, or to save taxpayers some money. If it is, Albertans will end up 
paying much more in the long run because the addicts who didn't seek drug 
counselling might reoffend to feed their habit. That money needs to be 
redirected into proper treatment for them.

It's also important to remember that rehab can only be effective for an 
addict who wants it.

If they're not willing to take that step, there's no point offering 
alternative measures because society can't help them either.
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MAP posted-by: Beth