Pubdate: Fri, 30 Apr 2010
Source: Ottawa Citizen (CN ON)
Copyright: 2010 The Ottawa Citizen
Contact: http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/326
Author: Kathy Southee
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n320/a05.html

CHIEF COULD EXPLAIN REAL JUSTICE TO PM

Re: Marijuana remarks put White on hot seat, April 23. With 
admiration for and pride in our police chief, I read the article 
about his remarks regarding marijuana.

Ottawa police Chief Vern White knows the effects when young people 
are charged with simple possession and then carry a criminal record. 
His approach calls for public debate around the decriminalization 
issues. More importantly, he calls for restorative justice measures 
that have been proven more successful in turning young lives around 
rather than our standard criminal justice approach.

White points to very little funding for restorative justice 
approaches even though they are proven to work.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Stephen Harper is trying to stir up the 
"get-tough-on-crime" agenda at a time when we actually have 
decreasing crime rates in Canada.

Wouldn't it be educational if Chief White, who has day-to-day 
experience with offenders, sat down to explain the principles of a 
restorative approach to Harper, who is riding on a populist wave of 
fear that is not evidence-based?

Please, keep talking Chief White. It is encouraging to think that 
wisdom might actually overrule ignorance and fear.

Kathy Southee,

Ottawa
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