April 30, 2013
Toronto Star
Who was Ashley Smith?
The Toronto Star has an extensive series of articles and photos on the death of Ashley Smith and the consequent coroner’s inquest testimony. http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/ashleysmith.html
Gainesville (TX) Times – Emma Witman
Legal minds welcome Georgia’s justice reform
Part 2 of Georgia’s recent criminal justice reform package includes giving judges a discretionary power to curb mandatory minimums. The state wants to pass a safety valve on the minimums, especially non-violent crime. http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/section/6/article/83070
Radio Canada International
Cyberbullying suicide prompts calls for law reform
“I think, says Nick Bala, law professor, Queen’s University, “that there’s a recognition in Canada that we need to expand our definitions to keep pace with the new technologies and the greater potential cyberbullying has for causing psychological injury.” http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2013/04/25/cyberbullying-suicide-prompts-calls-for-law-reform
Star Phoenix (Saskatoon) – Editorial
Law won’t end cyber-bullying
The problems around the genuine human pain and suffering from cyberbullying, legal enforcement even when the criminal code is enhanced, the anonymity of the net, must all be confronted. The editorial concludes: “It’s all necessary, but it would be a mistake to believe that passing tougher laws or increasing enforcement will be enough to stop such bullying behaviour.” http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/cyber+bullying/8313479/story.html#ixzz2RyAuVohv
Click on Detroit
The 4 types of cyberbullies
Who knows about the dynamics of cyberbullying and why someone chooses to inflict unwarranted but intentional harm on a person? The link includes a second link to a privacy lawyer who identifies four types of people who cyberbully. http://www.clickondetroit.com/community/bullying/the-4-types-of-cyberbullies/-/19380398/19938868/-/vslpo5z/-/index.html Parry Aftab blogger and privacy lawyer http://aftab.com/index.php?page=what-works-and-what-doesn-t
The Prison Reform Trust (UK)
Making the Difference: the role of adult social care services in supporting vulnerable offenders
A collaborative report from the Prison Reform Trust, the Center for Mental Health, the Directors of Adult Social Services and the Revolving Doors, the report insists that the provision of adult social services are a significant factor in the justice system in which the most vulnerable prisoners are often also the repeat offenders. http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/Portals/0/Documents/Making%20the%20difference.pdf
Star Phoenix (Saskatoon) – Hannah Spray
Crime mapping tool made public
Anxious about crime in the neighbourhood? The Saskatoon police have released on their web page a crime map by city block that is updated daily.http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/Crime+mapping+tool+made+public/8308276/story.html Saskatoon Crime map: http://map.police.saskatoon.sk.ca .
Globe and Mail – Kirk Makin
Critics slam new ‘high-risk’ designation for mentally ill offenders
The Canadian Psychiatric Society sees C-54 as a bill more likely to jam up resources and to face constitutional challenge. Further some in the system think that the NCR defence if seen as a long institutionalized consequence will opt for prison, filling the jails even more. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/critics-slam-new-high-risk-designation-for-mentally-ill-offenders/article11603053
Truthout – Mark Karlin
How the Prison-Industrial Complex Destroys Lives
Truthout interviews Mark Mauer, Executive Director of the Sentencing Project and author of The Race to Incarcerate: A Graphic Retelling, a revised version of the original book. http://truth-out.org/progressivepicks/item/16003-the-prison-industrial-complex-the-pac-man-that-destroys-lives
Northhampton News (UK) – Keith Michael
Police and Crime Commissioner Launches Victims Commission For Northamptonshire
Crime commissioner Adam Simmonds has announced a first for the UK – the establishment of Victim’s Voice, a RJ effort to place the emphasis on both the victim’s needs and wishes, and the RJ process. http://www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/Northamptonshire/Northampton/NN1/News/Local-News/246803-Police-And-Crime-Commissioner-Launches-Victims-Commission- For-Northamptonshire
National Justice Network (Canada)
Bill to amend the Corrections and constitutional Release Act: Parole Board to have authority over ETA’s
MP David McKenzie has introduced yet another private member’s bill (C-483) to restrict to the Parole Board and remove from the prison warden the decision over escorted temporary release (ETA). http://crcvc.ca/enewsletter/apr-13/story01.html
Prison Reform Trust – Soroptimist International (UK and Ireland)
Women inspiring action, transforming lives
The Soroptimists have been working with the PRT on women’s issues and have designed an Action PAC called Reducing Women’s Imprisonment. The full report in pdf is at the link. http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/Portals/0/Documents/Soroptimist%20Action%20Pack_online.pdf?dm_i=47L,1FLZ3,6JSCMH,4V7KA,1
Telegram (St. John’s, NF) – Russell Wangersky
Vic Toews: omnipotent being
Wangersky lists a number of actions by the minister that suggest that Vic Toews has repeatedly confused his own opinion with the law, the latest incident being the denial of a press interview with Omar Khadr. http://www.thetelegram.com/Opinion/Columnists/2013-04-30/article-3230077/Vic-Toews%3A-omnipotent-being/1
IIRP _- Joshua Wachtel
Community circles in the business world
Tony Schwartz, president and CEO of The Energy Project, describe how his company began the use of restorative practice to build social capital in a corporate setting. http://restorativeworks.net/2013/04/community-circles-in-the-business-world/?utm_source=eForum+April+Monthly+Highlights&utm_campaign=Weekly+eForum+Highlights&utm_medium=email