March 12, 2013
Globe and Mail – Kim Mackrael
Groups raise concerns over bill to protect public from mentally ill offenders
Patrick Baillie, a Calgary-based lawyer and forensic psychologist, thinks that the new law around the not-criminally responsible (NCR) may bring more convictions. The Schizophrenia Society of Canada, the Canadian Bar Association and the Canadian Mental Health Commission all have reservations. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/groups-raise-concerns-over-bill-to-protect-public-from-mentally-ill-offenders/article9635457
CBC News – Susana Mas
Howard Sapers is disappointed with CSC’s less than fulsome response to the critique of the treatment of Canada’s growing Aboriginal prison population. CSC has declined all ten recommendations for dealing with the problems. http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2013/03/08/pol-the-house-csc-response-to-aboriginal-corrections-report-dismissive-howard-sapers.html
Toronto Star – Lisa Kerr (Guest columnist)
Canada’s law-and-order agenda weighs heavily on aboriginal people – Aboriginals are imprisoned at a rate in excess of 910 per 100,000 people
Kerr suggests that the rate of imprisonment for Aboriginals in Canada has become a scandal. Now it is more than the rate of imprisonment in the US (730 / 100,000). The US is the worst in the world for imprisoning its citizens. http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2013/03/12/canadas_lawandorder_agenda_weighs_heavily_on_aboriginal_people.html
CBC Manitoba
Bullying: Stories of the Bullies and the Victims
The link offers stories of bullies and victims, bullies in the workplace and what can be done to stop bullying. http://www.cbc.ca/manitoba/features/bullying
The Independent (UK) – Linda Bryant
Women in the criminal justice system – the forgotten voice of NHS reform?
Women are caught up in a revolving door of re-offending and short jail terms for petty crime that largely ignores mental health problems and escapes the attention of the National Health Services. http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/women-in-the-criminal-justice-system–the-forgotten-voice-of-nhs-reform-8528942.html
Healthy Debate – Blogger Lori Kleinsmith
“Tough on Crime” Agenda Ignores Mental Illness Issues in Canada’s Criminal Justice System
Noting reactions from the Correctional Investigator, the Canadian Psychiatric Association and Canadian Medical Association Journal, Kleinsmith says: “Canada’s current focus on prioritizing incarceration over mental health supports and rehabilitation fails those of our nation’s mentally ill who end up in the criminal justice system.” http://healthydebate.ca/opinions/tough-on-crime-agenda-ignores-mental-illness-issues-in-canadas-criminal-justice-system
Waterloo Regional Crime Prevention
Eyes Wide Open: A Canadian discussion to reduce opioid-related harm
Beginning March 18, Waterloo Crime Prevention hosts a series of webinars responding to the fact that on a per-capita basis Canada now leads the world in opioid consumption and such a practice has a direct correlation to crime and crime prevention. http://www.preventingcrime.ca/main.cfm?id=45CECB6E-F06E-BC0D-BF4C17CCBDDDCA84&CFID=36740573&CFTOKEN=b58cb51fafa6a182-5FC99AC4-01D2-EF6E-E52B10971CBCA90D