Pubdate: Sat, 25 Apr 2009
Source: Montreal Gazette (CN QU)
Copyright: 2009 Canwest Publishing Inc.
Contact: http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/274
Author: Craig Jones
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n454/a09.html

A QUICK WAY TO FILL PRISONS

Re: "Imprison pot growers, sellers, minister urges" (Gazette, April 
23). It's telling that federal Justice Minister Rob Nicholson does 
not even try to argue that there is evidence for the deterrent effect 
of mandatory sentences for drug crimes. In fact, every major 
international evaluation of sentencing for drug crimes has arrived at 
the same conclusion: no deterrent effect, but very efficient at 
filling prisons with non-violent offenders.

This is the soul of the government's criminal-justice agenda: no 
evidence but lots of "feel-good" and "send-a-strong-message" grandstanding.

Craig Jones

Executive director,

John Howard Society Kingston, Ont.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom