WHEREAS drug courts are proving to be cost effective to the justice system in other jurisdictions as much as 110 to 120 of the cost of incarceration; AND WHEREAS participants in drug courts have an over 50 lower recidivism rate and graduates are staying clean longer than regular attendants at treatment programs; AND WHEREAS the new Youth Criminal Justice Act provides for extra-judicial measures and promotes non-custodial sentencing; AND WHEREAS Article 33 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child directs that participating countries shall take all appropriate measures, including legislative, administrative, social and educational measures, to protect children from the illicit use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances as defined in the relevant international treaties, and to prevent the use of children in the illicit production and trafficking of such substances: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Union of BC Municipalities request that the federal and provincial governments establish a youth drug court in the province, on a priority basis.
MINISTRY OF ATTORNEY GENERAL The Province has established an adult drug court as a pilot project in Vancouver. The Province endorses the goals and objectives of the drug 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 court pilot project to determine if the drug court model is effective and cost-efficient. Following the evaluation of the adult drug court, the Province will be in a better position to consider the possibility of a similar youth drug court. However, any decision in this matter would be contingent upon the results of the adult drug court evaluation and agreement by the federal government to participate in the project. The Youth Criminal Justice Act requires that young offenders be dealt with outside the court system as much as possible. Court is to be reserved for only the most serious offenders and offences. Addiction treatment for youth would have to be consistent with the Act.
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS You may be interested in knowing that on December 7, 2004, Minister Cotler and the Honourable Ujjal Dosanjh, Minister of Health, launched a call for proposals to establish new drug treatment courts across Canada. This initiative is an important component of Canadas Drug Strategy, which takes a balanced approach to reducing both the demand for and supply of drugs. Additional information regarding drug treatment courts is available on the following Web Site: http:canada.justice.gc.ca.