If we took those 20% of the offenders who are responsible for 80% of the crimes, and took them out of service for 1 year, we would be far below the provincial average.
Chester

What I would like to see is some stats on how many of these dirtballs were actually caught and convicted, and how much jail time was actually served?

The average cost per year to incarcerate a provincial inmate is around $40,000. The average cost per year to incarcerate a federal inmate is around $60,000. The cost to incarcerate high-risk offenders such as Clifford Olson, can be astronomically higher.

It would be cheaper to give them a paycheque.

Definitely, we should be spending the tax dollars to protect people from harm. Violent offenders have no place in society.

However, the guy that steals an $8,000 car and wrecks it, costs us probably $65,000 for one year in jail, by the time all costs are factored in.

I would like to see more in the way of costs recovery.

If I go fishing or hunting, I pay certain costs, which support enforcement, conservation, research, monitoring, etc. to ensure the viability and continuation of not only my activities, but the above mentioned activities also.

If I go speeding down the road all the time, I receive fines for my actions, which I have no choice but to pay. I have no choice but to work to pay these.

If the average person can be roped into working and supporting their activities, then why not the average offender ?

In a day and age when money is scarce, and stretched to the limits, costs are high, and there is a shortage of labor, and imminent huge strains on all the social systems as a result of aging baby boomers, I would like to see appropriate, non-violent offenders working at real jobs, making real money, to pay for not only their keep, but also the costs involved in prosecuting them as well as reparation to the victims, if any.

I don't mean picking up garbage on the side of the road, making $1 a day. I mean producing marketable items, things that contribute substantially to society, to repay their debt to the community. I think it would go a long way towards rehabilitating and also redeeming the offender, knowing that they had made full reparation for their actions. It would also deter them from future crimes, knowing they would have to pay it all back.

Everybody has their hands in my pockets, and yours. We are forced to pay every cost of our actions, and even more.

Why can't somebody get their hands into the pockets of the offenders, and make them pay their fair share for a change. They are costing us a lot of money, and gone are the days when we could afford to carry these people on the backs of others, thanks to the systems in place.

Change it all, let's get everybody contributing, there is no longer room for anyone to be sitting on their laurels, but getting fed everyday just the same.

The same goes for the downtown party club. The people that sit all over the downtown core, watching everybody else going to work everyday, and having a party while doing it. If you are bored or have nothing to do, we have work for you.

If you are here today, that means you ate yesterday, so it's time to go to work and earn it.

Ask the bleeding hearts who allow this to continue? I agree whole heartedly with the concept of an offender not only doing something productive and of value, but also pay back all of the costs of their behavior, processing, damage caused and lives affected. What is wrong with that? Chester

Problem is, how do you get them to do it. Once you got rid of coporal punishment, ie; the cat and nine tails, or the perforated paddle, solitary confinement, and of course the introduction of the rights and freedom act, you have no way of making these guys do any work. Worst case scenario, if they refuse to do anything is to leave them in their cells, and cut off their T.V. Other than that what??

We need a different way of having them do time. Maybe a 500 Mile trek through the forest with each days meal 20 Miles down the road. If you want to eat then you better get hiking. Good way to lose weight to; I suspect that this to would be considered as cruel and unusual punishment.

This is a very serious problem in Canada and I really do not know what the solution is. We have got to the point where the criminals basically do what they wish. If they do it without raising a fuss, we just ignore them. We can complain all we want but nothing much changes. The Conservative Government if it ever get re-elected with a majority will certainly bring in legislation that will put these guys away for awhile, however if the Liberals or the NDP control the Government then we get more of the same.

Outsource our prisons to include Haiti and Mexico. Great climate and no cable. That oughta show 'em.

Now there is an idea worth considering. Contract out the storage of these folks. We'll pay well. No chance of re-offending in our back yard. Hmm! Chester

You do have to wonder about the concept of the contracting out of prisons even though it does seem a bit unrealistic at first glance.
Obviously our prison facilties are overfull, (or so we are told)leading to a subtle inuendo not to put too many criminals behind bars for any length of time if there is a way around it?
It does seem that our courts and judges follow that format.
Get them in and get them out quickly to save on costs?
Revolving door sysndrome.
Unfortunately,the criminals know this very well.
That in turn leads to a general disregard for our laws,which is not suprising.
The penalties are so light that it is well worth the risk to these dirtballs and when they do get caught,it's just a temporary inconvienience.
So why not contract out the building and managment of more prisons to private companies?
Licenced and properly trained gaurds and staff,close monitoring by government and law enforcement agencies,etc.
A flat charge per head for the bad guys,hopefully at less than the average cost per prisoner we now have?
Obviously the government is not going to deal with the issue anytime soon, so maybe it's time to look for alternative methods of incarceration.
Tougher penalties is the ONLY thing these people will understand, and it is long past the time when that needs to be recognized!
Unworkable perhaps,but we cannot keep doing what we are doing now!
So how DO we fix it?