May 18, 2013
Toronto Star – Carol Goar
Do-it-yourself-law — a trickle becomes a deluge
What do poor people do when charged in court? They represent themselves! Here is the distressing description of what poor people go through when they do represent themselves. Said one single mother: “I can’t feed my children — and the judge is telling me to hire a lawyer.” http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2013/05/15/doityourselflaw_a_trickle_becomes_a_deluge_goar.html Project Contact: Dr. Julie MacFarlane, Professor of Law, University of Windsor (ON) http://www.representing-yourself.com (Report in preparation) Self-help
Toronto Star – Carol Goar
How to improve an unjust court system – Lawyers and judges fight to maintain their stranglehold over a justice system that is failing Canadians.
The personal becomes a legal problem and then becomes a court problem. Lawyers want $300-400 per hour and what should have been over quickly drags on until the family money runs out and self-representation is the only way. Goar knows that lower lawyer fees or increase to legal aid are not going to happen and offers some advice from Professor Julie MacFarlane of the National Self-Representative Litigants Project. http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2013/05/17/how_to_improve_an_unjust_court_system_goar.html
Ottawa Citizen – Andrew Seymour
Woman’s physician says jail doctor denied patient prescribed pain medication
Dr. Ellen Thompson wants Community Services Minister Madelaine Meilleur to explain what happened when her patient on a narcotic with potentially severe withdrawal symptoms was admitted to the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre and denied her pain medication. “The callousness of this whole thing is incomprehensible. And we need this to not happen again,” Thompson said, calling the woman’s withdrawal “absolutely hazardous to her mental and physical health.” http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Woman+physician+says+jail+doctor+denied+patient+prescribed+pain+medication/8402510/story.html#ixzz2TbiwkUGB
Salon (U.S.) – Sophie McAdam
Our approach to pedophilia isn’t working – By focusing only on punishment, experts say we’re putting more children at risk
Here’s a provocative article about pedophilia and sexual abuse in the aftermath of the Castro kidnappings in Cleveland. http://www.salon.com/2013/05/15/our_approach_to_pedophilia_isn%C2%B4t_working/singleton
Latino Daily News (US)
Corporations Make Millions by Detaining Undocumented Immigrants
Follow the money is an old dictum. In Arizona, undocumented immigrants are charged and given jail time (30-180 days) prior to deportation. Costs are $2400 – 3500 per month and the profits are rolling in for CCA at $1.67 billion reported last year. http://www.hispanicallyspeakingnews.com/latino-daily-news/details/corporations-make-millions-by-detaining-undocumented-immigrants/24475
AZ Central.com – Lindsay Marshall
It’s time to look at human cost of immigration system
Arizona has had two suicides by detainees recently within a few days of each other. Says Marshall: “There are incredibly persuasive arguments that the detention system is not worth the financial cost to taxpayers, but these deaths underscore that we must also recognize the human cost.”
Globe and Mail – Laura L. Myers, Reuters (Seattle, WA)
10-year-old boy sentenced to 5 years for role in rape, murder plot
Charged with conspiracy to commit rape and murder, a fifth grader will spend more time in a juvenile facility – up to five and a half years. An eleven year old co-conspirator goes to court later this month. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/10-year-old-boy-sentenced-to-5-years-for-role-in-rape-murder-plot/article11959303
Metroland Media –
If you can see it, you can stop it: Students take on cyber-bullies
The University of Toronto Mississauga was the site of the first What if Everyone Did Something to Stop Cyber-bullying? poster/video competition gala. The gala, created by Peel Regional Police Cyberbullying Committee, offered prizes such as public display on buses for the winning poster and showing at Cineplex Theatres for the best video, included speeches and poetry as well. http://www.mississauga.com/community/article/1618990–if-you-can-see-it-you-can-stop-it-students-take-on-cyber-bullies
Immigrant Worker Centre (Montreal)
A Mexican refugee and her Canadian daughter is detained the day before the Status for All March
Followed by a coalition called Status for All, non-status Montrealer Marie Guzman and her two year old daughter were arrested and sent to immigration detention in Laval, QC today (May 17, 2013). The arrest comes one day before a protest march by the coalition which has now called a press conference as well to draw attention to this particular case. http://iwc-cti.ca/a-mexican-refugee-and-her-canadian-daughter-is-detained-the-day-before-the-status-for-all-march
Tindal Newspapers on-line (UK)
Community justice takes a new direction
Despite a considerable success in community RJ in the town of Chard the paid staff will be laid off and the volunteer committee will form a legal trust so as to be able to raise funds for the work through fee for service. The change is apparently frequent for community justice panels in the UK, especially when the pressures from high crime abate in the community. http://www.viewfrompublishing.co.uk/news_view/26024/17/1/chard-community-justice-takes-a-new-direction
Rabble (B.C.) – Samantha Sarra
Bonding Through Bars: The health and human rights of incarcerated women
More than two thirds of women in Canadian prisons are mothers, the majority the sole support parent. This conference of international experts held earlier in May, the article offers an extended reporting of the conference with links to other sites and acknowledges the dearth of study data on this topic. http://rabble.ca/news/2013/05/bonding-through-bars-health-and-human-rights-incarcerated-women
Youth Today – John Lash
Joy in the Dirty Work of Restorative Justice
A RJ practioner and trainer for youth participants in RJ invites joy in the practical work of RJ as a key to bridging the gap between the theory and the practice. Engagement is the key! http://www.youthtoday.org/view_blog.cfm?blog_id=722
Star Tribune (Georgia) – Associated Press
Brady Campaign sues Georgia town over law requiring heads of households to own guns
Jonathan Lowy of the Brady Center said in a statement: “Forcing residents to buy guns they do not want or need won’t make the city of Nelson or its people any safer, and only serves to increase gun sales and gun industry profits.” http://www.startribune.com/nation/207771511.html?refer=y Related article: CNN News – Ashley Fantz, http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/17/us/georgia-brady-center-suit