Better to be smart than tough on crime

Evidence from the U.S. indicates mandatory minimum prison terms just don't work
May 15, 2009
Else Marie Knudsen
Policy Analyst, John Howard Society of Ontario

"We are absolutely convinced in our consultation with Canadians that this is welcomed." That was Justice Minister Rob Nicholson's only response to questions about what evidence supports the government's Bill C-15, which would impose mandatory minimum sentences for certain drug crimes.

Not exactly the sort of evidence one would expect to justify a new law that will have tremendous social and fiscal costs for us all. There are no credible studies to show that this approach is likely to be effective in decreasing drug crimes, no examples from other countries, no reviews of the best-practices literature, not even case studies of individuals who have stopped dealing or using as a result of this approach.

The reason is that this research doesn't exist; in fact, the research shows the opposite. Mandatory minimum sentences have been a clear disaster in the U.S., spiralling the cost of the criminal justice system out of control and doing nothing to decrease crime rates. So why would the Canadians who were polled by the government "welcome" a law that will cost them millions but not make them any safer?

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