December 1, 2012
St. Catherines Standard – By Lynn McCleary
Dig deep to find answers to mental health problems
Lynn, an associate professor of nursing at Brock University, suggests that mental health problems are akin to rescuing babies in the river. “Improving mental health services in prisons and jails is like rescuing the babies. It’s important, but we have to prevent the need for these services in the first place,” she says. She wants people looking upstream in the river. http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2012/12/01/dig-deep-to-find-answers-to-mental-health-problems
Conrad Black: A National Policy for the 22nd century – National Post, Full Comment
Black has some very pointed but equally sensible analysis of Canada’s social policies, including financing social programs and the use of prison while he examines the issue of Quebec succession. “We must innovate in social policy,” he says. “First, as I have written here before, a wealth tax to fight poverty, by which the taxpayers design and operate, like charities, methods for combating poverty. This would incentivize the wealthy and the financially most astute to reduce poverty, as the tax would decline as defined poverty declined. And let us abolish imprisonment for all non-violent offences except the briefest periods, the most egregious offenses, or the chronic recidivists. Instead of building more prisons, let us focus on community service and rehabilitation for the non-violent, and extend the system of bonding them in private sector employment where their work would be contributed, raising productivity levels. Prison is futile and destructive and hideously expensive, and is done only because it has always been done.” http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/11/24/conrad-black-a-national-policy-for-the-22nd-century
Canadian Mental Health Association (Toronto)
Here are a series of articles addressing problems that come when mental health and associated issues interface with the criminal justice system. The link includes explanations of the services available in Toronto for Case Management, Court Support and Diversion Services, Forensic Services (Not-criminally Responsible), Crisis Prevention Services, and Safe Bed Short Term Residential Services. http://toronto.cmha.ca/programs-and-services/community-support-services/mental-health-and-justice and the provincial body at http://www.ontario.cmha.ca/justice.asp?cID=5442
Aboriginal HIV infections a growing problem in Canada – CBC News
Faced with an infection rate 3.6 times higher than among other Canadians, the Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network is launching a national awareness campaign in Winnipeg on Saturday — to coincide with World AIDS Day — with the goal of reducing the number of new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths. Though the item does not reference prison as a source of infection, the over-representation of Aboriginals in prison population perhaps should perhaps suggest consideration as well. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/story/2012/11/30/mb-aboriginal-hiv-aids.html
Sex offender closer to getting teaching job back – CBC News (Nova Scotia)
Teacher Peter Speight, convicted of indecent acts, was fired in 2008 and had his teacher certification withdrawn. Now, an arbitrator has ruled the punishment too severe and a Supreme Court ruling refuses to overturn the arbitrator. But the school board and principals do not want him back. Nova Scotia’s new policy around RJ will likely enter the picture. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2012/11/30/ns-teacher-indecent-acts.html
Ottawa gang plan more talk than action: Criminologist – Danielle Bell Ottawa Sun
Well-known University of Ottawa Professor and criminologist Irvin Waller says focusing on crime prevention rather than reacting to crime will save taxpayers money in the long run. The Ottawa Report “Taking action together” was recently released but Waller thinks the report is more talk than action. http://www.ottawasun.com/2012/11/30/ottawa-gang-plan-more-talk-than-action-criminologist