Pubdate: Fri, 11 May 2012
Source: Guelph Mercury (CN ON)
Copyright: 2012 Guelph Mercury Newspapers Limited
Contact:  http://news.guelphmercury.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1418
Author: Joanne Shuttleworth
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?159 (Drug Courts)

DRUG TREATMENT COURT IN GUELPH BEING EXPLORED

GUELPH - The Wellington-Guelph Drug Strategy is exploring the 
feasibility of a drug treatment court in Guelph after successful 
ventures in Kitchener, London and larger centres like Toronto and Edmonton.

It's a system that provides treatment options and frequent drug 
testing for accused persons where addiction to drugs or alcohol is 
the root cause of their criminal behaviour. The goal of these special 
courts is to reduce the so-called revolving door effect for these offenders.

The accused would have to plead guilty to the offence, but instead of 
serving jail time, would have strict conditions to meet that could 
include treatment, urinalysis, attending school and/or a job, and 
holding regular meetings with a judge.

The active participation of a judge who is willing to take on this 
social service role is crucial to the program.

Raechelle Devereaux, manager of the local drug strategy, said Justice 
Norman Douglas has expressed interest, but with only one judge and 
one courtroom in Guelph, she doesn't know if there's capacity for the 
extra time these cases typically take.

"We're a long way from starting one in Guelph," she said. 'What we've 
determined so far is that there's interest. Once we gather the 
critical information, we'll sit down with all the parties and see if 
there's the will to actually make it work here."

The federal government funds six drug treatment courts in Canada in 
large urban centres but the courts in London and Kitchener are 
unfunded, and Guelph's would likely be too.

That means the courts, social agencies and addiction treatment 
centres that sign on have to absorb the cases into their workflow and 
budgets which is tricky.

But the Toronto Drug Court has found the program costs approximately 
$4,500 per single offender per year compared to about $47,000 a year 
for incarceration.

Devereaux said she's developing profiles of the types of individuals 
who would benefit from drug treatment court and then a list of their 
needs. Employment, housing, family supports and peer relationships 
are part of such a list.

"Reducing drugs means filling the cup in other areas of your life," 
she said. "It takes compassion, treatment and support."

Devereaux said while inmates can receive treatment for their 
addictions in prison, it's a different system with varying degrees of success.

Brendan Crawley, spokesperson for the Ministry of the Attorney 
General, said in an email "the ministry would be happy to work 
co-operatively with the federal government to determine if there is a 
need and opportunity for the establishment of federally-funded drug 
treatment courts."

"Federal funding would mean we could pay for the service for a client 
instead of being put on a waiting list," Devereaux said. "It would 
allow us to pay a graduate of the program to provide peer support to 
the next client.

"We have reached out to the federal government as well."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom