May 12, 2013
First Perspective – Jacqueline Hansen, Amnesty International Canada, Guest Opinion piece in the Toronto Star (May 11, 2013)
Lack of official data on violence against aboriginal women no excuse for inaction
The author, who works with Amnesty International Canada, points to the lack of accurate and reliable statistical information on the number of Aboriginal women murdered or missing in Canada. The project to collect that information started ten years ago and is still incomplete and uncertain. http://www.firstperspective.ca/index.php/news/470-lack-of-official-data-on-violence-against-aboriginal-women-no-excuse-for-inaction#!/ccomment
Montreal Gazette – Frema Engel
Opinion: Attack ads undermine Harper’s anti-bullying rhetoric
The political attack ads against Justin Trudeau seem to create a disquiet with which the author struggles over the professed horror about cyberbullying. Is the realm of politics the exception or does this expert and consultant have a point? http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Opinion+Attack+undermine+Harper+anti+bullying+rhetoric/8368215/story.html
Stuff.co.nz – Grace King
‘You are hated by everyone’: When Hamilton’s cyber bullies attack
Teenage author asks a friend what she went through when she was cyberbullied. The article details the answer in rather frightening terms in which the scope and the progressive nature of the bullying takes its toll. The quotes used are actual texts received. http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/8657556/You-are-hated-by-everyone-When-Hamiltons-cyber-bullies-attack
Edinburgh Herald (Scotland)
Cyber-bullying of teachers ‘truly shocking’
Students are not the only ones who get cyberbullied. Scotland’s Teachers Union is concerned over the amount and type of remarks and graphics about teachers on the social media. http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/education/cyber-bullying-of-teachers-truly-shocking.1368178332
Times Picayune (New Orleans) – Juliet Linderman
St. John Parish Law Day addresses violent crime spike in the parish
Many in the US celebrate Law Day on May 1 each year. This article highlights how one parish plagued with crime and 9 murders over the year celebrated. http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2013/05/st_john_parish_law_day_address.html
Vancouver Sun – John Cotter, Canadian Press
Alberta judge calls killing of sleeping five-year-old ‘domestic terrorism’
The gang related shooting into a house, calculated to intimidate, resulted in the death of a sleeping five year old. Those youth responsible are convicted and sentenced to the maximum youth sentence. http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Alberta+youths+shot+sleeping+five+year+maximum+youth/8367503/story.html#ixzz2T2diA7x9
Yahoo News – ABC Action News – Fresno, California
Fresno Unified approves Restorative Justice program
The school district board has voted after three years of development among student advocates to implement RJ to replace zero tolerance suspension and expulsion for non-violent incidents. The board will dedicate $500,000 specifically to implement the RJ approach. http://news.yahoo.com/video/fresno-unified-implements-restorative-justice-043708114.html
Edmonton Journal – Mariam Ibrahim
Crime fighting with number crunching: UCLA researchers develop algorithm to predict crime
UCLA Professor Andrea Bertozzi thinks that, much like information from an earthquake can be used to predict after shocks, so a crime can help forecast after-crimes. Using math algorithms to predict crime may help police to better spread thin resources as well. The algorithm helps identify patterns and differentiate between random and predictable crime.http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Crime+fighting+with+number+crunching+UCLA+researchers+develop+algorithm+predict+crime/8369568/story.html
Times Picayune (New Orleans, LA) – Shelia Stroup
Sister Helen Prejean’s passion to end the death penalty is a challenge to others
Sister Helen was in New Orleans to receive the Robert M. Holstein Faith That Does Justice Award from the Ignatian Solidarity Network, a national social justice advocacy organization. http://www.nola.com/religion/index.ssf/2013/05/sister_helen_prejean_receives.html
Reason.com – Emily Ekins
Americans Who Favor Stricter Gun Control Believe Gun Crime Has Increased
The Pew Research Center and the Bureau of Justice recent reports on the significant reductions around the statistics on gun crime have raised the concerns around whether more guns means less crime or more crime. The answer may depend on your point of departure. http://reason.com/blog/2013/05/10/americans-who-favor-stricter-gun-control
Observer (UK) – Jamie Doward
Probation privatisation plan prompts fears over mentally ill offenders
Reform in the UK includes government plans to privatize at least some of the probation services. Presently, the Probation Services have a caseload of 240,000 of which an estimated 70% have two or more mental health problems. Critics fear the plans are ideological rather than best practices. http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/may/05/probation-privatisation-mentally-ill-offenders