WHEREAS the cost in 200001 for adults to be housed in correctional facilities was 2.5 billion up from 2.4 billion in 199900; AND WHEREAS the average expense in British Columbia per adult inmate was 161day and per youth was 61day; AND WHEREAS out of the 28,926 cases, 184 were young offenders and 77 of those were imprisoned for a total of 4,697day; AND WHEREAS 53 of federal incarcerations were for violent crimes and 17 of those were drug related; AND WHEREAS five years after Canadas first drug treatment court was established in Toronto there are definite signs of success with two more drug treatment courts opening in Vancouver and St. John, NB and three more to be established, and New York has been able to close prisons with a projected savings of 18 million: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM work with the provincial government to urge the federal government to supply adequate funding for drug treatment courts in all areas of British Columbia and accessible to all British Columbians.
Ministry of Attorney-General The Province has established a drug treatment court as a pilot project in Vancouver. The Province endorses the goals and objectives of the drug treatment court model as a positive response to a complex social issue. British Columbia has entered into an agreement with the federal government, which has jurisdiction over drug offences, to undertake this project. The two governments are evaluating the drug treatment court pilot project to determine if the drug court model is effective and cost-efficient. The evaluation is expected to be completed by the end of 2005. Following the evaluation of the drug treatment court, the Province will be in a better position to consider the possibility of continuing with this treatment model. However, any decision to continue the existing drug treatment court or to expand to other areas in the Province would be contingent upon the results of the evaluation and agreement by the federal government to continue participating in the project.