January 27, 2013
The Good Men Project – Cameron Conaway
Yoga should be included in the prison reform discussion
Compared to weight lifting, yoga provides the same physical release but in a more contemplative way. Conaway thinks that yoga can make us re-think “crimes of passion.” http://goodmenproject.com/social-justice-2/social-justice-why-inmates-need-more-yoga-and-whats-in-it-for-us/#Pl6EeKEPeSS5qv4j.99
Full Comment National Post – Christie Blatchford
Prison management told guards, if Ashley Smith ‘dies, it’s her own fault, it’s by misadventure,’ court hears
Says Blatchford: “The absurdity of it, the eye-rolling madness of it, never seemed to resonate with anyone at the Grand Valley Institution for Women. There, the powers-that-be had two basic options: Search Ashley Smith until the cows came home and keep her safe from herself, or follow the doctrine of “least restrictive” which, in the name of female bodily integrity, permeates the women’s side of Canadian federal corrections.” http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2013/01/24/ashley-smith
Toronto Star – Sandy Simpson
Lessons from the Ashley Smith inquest
The author, who is chief of forensic psychiatry at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), and head of the forensic psychiatry division at the University of Toronto, offers three main reasons, and comments, on why people with mental illness find themselves in prison. Simpson calls for sophisticated mental health services in prisons, mental health assessments on incarceration, and involvement of the community services. http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/1320370–lessons-from-the-ashley-smith-inquest
CBC Radio – As it happens
Justice department whistle-blower
A 7 ½ minute interview with former federal lawyer Edgar Schmidt on the issue of the government’s failure to subject legislation to the charter test. “As far as he is concerned, justice isn’t blind, it’s hard of hearing and out of touch.” http://www.cbc.ca/asithappens/popupaudio.html?clipIds=2326538936 Here is a link to how the government is supposed to make laws in Canada. The link and the guidelines / directives are from the Privy Council of Canada from 1999. http://www.pco-bcp.gc.ca/index.asp?lang=eng&page=information&sub=publications&doc=legislation/preface-eng.htm#Introduction
The RealNews.com (US) – William Fisher
Mentally Ill in Prison
In a lengthy article with other links, Fisher is probing the use of prisons to house the mentally ill. “So here you have an impaired prison population growing exponentially, composed largely of people who should be in hospital treatment programs and not prison in the first place, under the care of workers untrained to handle sick people whose illness can only get worse in prison, and who would much prefer not having to do so, but who can find no alternative to jail. How did we get here? http://therealnews.com/t2/component/content/article/100-more-blog-posts-from-william-fisher/1455-mentally-ill-in-prison#.UQWLIGeElKM
Catholic San Francisco – George Wesolek
Retaking our streets: Restorative justice in the city of St. Francis
A group of Catholics in the archdiocese of San Francisco have been working on an RJ response to crime by going to the actual crime scenes in the Mission district of the city of St. Francis and meeting the families of victims and perpetrators. http://www.catholic-sf.org/ns.php?newsid=6&id=60931
Echo Press (Alexandria, MN)
New legislation combats mental health problems in criminal justice system
US Senator Al Franken of Minnesota plans to introduce legislation around mental health and the US justice system. “Minnesota’s jails and prisons are overwhelmed with people who would likely be better served by the mental health system, and many of them need better access to treatment,” said Franken. “My legislation will make our communities safer and stronger by helping our justice and mental health systems work together to provide better access to treatment for people who need it. It will also ensure that law enforcement officers stay safe when they are responding to mental health crises.” http://www.echopress.com/event/article/id/101413/group/homepage