I don’t know about you, but when a criminal is sent off to the federal pen — locked up behind bars, monitored by cameras and roving guards, and with all visitors searched for contraband — you don’t expect them to come out the other end as drug addicts.
But it happens far too often.
As I wrote in a national editorial for Sun Media last week, our prisons are rife with drug addicts, those who arrived with an dependence on opiates, and those who join the fraternity from the inside.
Blame poor body searches, blame rogue guards, blame complicit lawyers. Blame whatever.
But there is no shortage of supply.
And now, lord love a duck, these drug addled inmates are suing the federal government for refusing to supply clean needles to fight the rising rate of HIV and Hep-C in our federal penitentiary.
The case should be rejected, of course.
Toughness is what is needed, not acquiescence.
The problem is solved by thorough searches of everyone, including guards and lawyers, the regular tossing of cells for illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia, and random drug tests of all inmates.
And to hell with privacy rights. The privacy rights of criminals should end the moment the judge’s finds them guilty.
And then it’s cold-turkey time.
Categories: General
AMEN !!!
Mark Bonoskoski’s article regarding drug addicts in the prison system will propbably be dismissed by the left leaning politicians and press, who appear to han on every word, policy of the John Howard Society and the Elizabeth Fry Society. I agree with your concerns as to how and why drugs are being smuggled into these insititutions. another reason for concern that you did not state, is the lack of disciplline within the institutions for possession of drugs.
known criminals being allowed access to inmates, conjugal visits.
Too much emphasis placed on so-called rehabilitation that has not worked for over 50 years.
I agree with Mark Bonoskoski’s article regarding the drug problems in prisons. I think that the inmates should not be getting access to any drugs, and that being “behind bars” means just that. It is the fault of the protection of rights and the lack of implementation of regulating what goes on inside that is causing these ex-prisoners to come out addicts. I also believe that their case should be rejected and the public should stand up against justice system if it is not.
In a response to both the article and thomas geddes’ comment, even as a generally left-leaning person I would have to agree that in no way should the authorities allow them access to drugs, even if they are clean. The whole point for a prison is to punish and ideally, discipline the inmates so that they can re-enter society nor longer a threat. If the discipline is kept within the prison, meaning not giving into their demands, it is possible rehabilitation can work in the end.
Lets not forget the whole basis for their demand is that without these “clean” drugs they may catch diseases. I simply say, if you don’t want these diseases don’t do the drugs in the first place, and so should the authorities.