“Truth in Sentencing” Act Will Cost More than Original Estimate

According to the CBC, a report from the parliamentary budget officer contends that the new legislation, The Truth In Sentencing Act, will cost more than the original estimate of $2 billion: $1 billion just to implement the program; and, billions of dollars more to maintain the program.

Parliamentary budget officer Kevin Page said on Tuesday June 22, 2010 that the construction of new correctional facilities will cost $1.8 billion and a further $618 million is needed to annually to operate such correctional facilities.

Public Safety Minister Vic Toews disagrees with the findings of the parliamentary budget officer. Towes believes that while it is true that more individuals will spend time in prison, however new prisons will not be needed because provincial prisoners will be moved to federal prisoners and individuals with lighter sentences will be released into the community. Conversely Page states that Canada lacks the space necessary to keep such a high volume of prisoners, and that 13 new prisons will have to be constructed in order to allow such legislation to be implemented effectively.

The estimated cost of running prisons in Canada will be likely in the range of $2.8 billion a year, which is a substantial jump from the $2.2 billion we are currently paying. This does not include the cost of building new prisons – an estimated $1.8 billion?

Furthermore, it is believed that the cost of correctional services will double by the year 2015-2016 as the cost will jump from $4.4 billion a year to $9.5 billion a year.

While the government can’t agree on the exact cost of this legislation, one thing is certain: it will cost us taxpayers a significant amount of money.

Where the feds generate funding for such a plan? A tax increase? By shorting transfer payments to provinces, which could result in lower budgets for health and education? That’s ridiculous. Putting someone who is no danger to the community in custody BEFORE they’ve been found guilty is bad enough; making us pay for it is a travesty.

Accused individuals have a right to a speedy trial, and if they are not provided with such a right there should be some sort of compensation in the form of two for one credit. Either way you look at this legislation, it does more harm than it does good for the public or the accused.