February 18, 2013
CBC News – Kady O’Malley
Liberal MP demands evidence behind mentally ill offender crackdown
O’Malley reports that Liberal and former Justice Minister Irwin Cotler has filed on today’s (Feb. 14) Notice Paper a series of questions around the government proposed Bill C-54 (Not Criminally Responsible Reform Act). Under Standing Orders in the House, the government must provide an answer within 45 days. Given that the data likely does not exist, and given that the request represents what one would need for evidence based legislation, why does it not exist and without it how could anyone justify a considerable increase in the right to detain? http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/inside-politics-blog/2013/02/liberal-mp-wants-to-see-evidence-behind-bid-to-crack-down-on-mentally-ill-accuseds.html#socialcomments
Colorlines – Seth Freed Wessler
CEO of Largest U.S. Private Prison Company: No Worries about Immigration Reform
CEO Damon Hininger of Corrections Corporation of America does not foresee and problem with shortage of people to fill the private prisons or the immigration centers. Even if there is some sort of reform, he says that he has been working with ICE for many years and their perspective is for continued demand for beds. Hininger added. “There is always going to be strong demand regardless of what is being done at the national level as far as immigration reform.” http://colorlines.com/archives/2013/02/ceo_of_largest_private_prison_company_in_us_says_hes_not_worried_about_immigration_reform.html
Brainerd Express – Don Spartz
Guns, gangs, culture
A blogger suggests that the problems come from big city culture and gangs, not the number of guns. http://brainerddispatch.com/opinion/open-forum/2013-02-15/guns-gangs-culture
Human Rights First (US)
Senate Immigration Hearing Should Include Fixes for Flawed Asylum System
The press release suggests that the US has failure in its long time commitment to protection of asylum seekers in the denial of due process. Not only would the fixes repair the flaws but the fixes would save money as well. Human Rights First offers seven ways to fix the system. http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/2013/02/13/senate-immigration-hearing-should-include-fixes-for-flawed-asylum-system
Center for Research on Globalization (US): Global Research
Profiting From Human Misery
The research addresses the corporate private prison control of federal and state prisons as well as immigration detention and the politics of reform. http://www.globalresearch.ca/profiting-from-human-misery/5323387
The Voice.com (UK)
Restorative justice bringing success: Participants say it has brought about ‘incredibly powerful and life changing outcomes
Started by West Midlands police, Sgt Alan Green says: “This is taking justice beyond and out of the courtroom and it is showing some spectacular results with both offenders and, more importantly, their victims.” http://www.voice-online.co.uk/article/restorative-justice-bringing-success
CBC News Montreal
Provincial police forces face cuts as federal fund expires: Budget shortfalls for aboriginal policing, anti-gang and anti-drug squads
Known as the Police Recruitment Fund and worth $400 million, the fund was intended to allow for 25000 additional police officers across Canada. The loss of Quebec’s share will see a scramble for alternate sources of funds or the elimination of the positions created. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/story/2013/02/18/quebec-federal-fund-cuts-provincial-police.html