Research

Addictions Research

ADDICTIONS RESEARCH CENTRE

WHO WE ARE

Welcome to the Addictions Research Centre

In November 1999, Correctional Service Canada established, within the Research Branch, the Addictions Research Centre. In May 2000, temporary offices for the Centre were opened in Montague, Prince Edward Island while a new building was being constructed. The new building for the Centre was officially opened on May 18, 2001.

OUR AGENDA

The Solicitor General of Canada and the Commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) recognize that addictions pose a major challenge for CSC. The statistics depict the reality: substance abuse is identified as a contributing factor to the criminal behaviour of 70% of offenders admitted to federal institutions. Of those, 61% abuse alcohol, 69% abuse drugs, 47% abuse both alcohol and drugs, and 44% are poly-drug users. Over 20% of offenders admitted to federal prisons have at least one drug-related conviction. Additional information on offenders who use drugs is available in the publication, Profiling the Drug Offender Population in Canadian Federal Corrections.

Responding to CSC's need for a focused effort on addictions, the Addictions Research Centre was established with a mandate to conduct addictions research in corrections. In addition the Centre has a mandate to encourage and stimulate addictions research in the criminal justice system and to develop a co-ordinated program of applied research activity across jurisdictions.

ROLE

The role of the Addictions Research Centre is to advance the management of addiction issues within the criminal justice environment with the goal of contributing to public protection.

Through the creation and dissemination of substance abuse knowledge and expertise, the Addictions Research Centre is committed to enhancing correctional policies, programming and management practices. Additional information on the Centre's role is available in the publication The Role and Function of the Addictions Research in the Correctional Service of Canada.

GOALS

These are the goals of the Addictions Research Centre:

• To meet the applied research needs of the Correctional Service of Canada in policy setting, programming and management practices;
• To promote research in addictions and corrections;
• To provide a location for internationally recognized researchers to conduct their work;
• To build co-operative and complementary relationships with partners; and
• To provide research training and development.