July 9, 2013
Toronto Star – Guest commentator James Morton
One modest proposal for speedier justice
Morton is counsel to the Association of Justices of the Peace of Ontario and sees the potential for justices of the peace to have, with a little more legal training perhaps, a broader role to help ease the critical log-jam in family law case in particular. http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2013/07/08/one_modest_proposal_for_speedier_justice.html
Toronto Star – Editorial (July 8, 2013)
Safe injection site in Toronto would boost public health
“Toronto’s medical officer of health, Dr. David McKeown, is right to call for a safe injection site for illegal drug users.” McKeown is suggesting that without a safe site the public and the users are at greater risk. http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2013/07/05/safe_injection_site_in_toronto_would_boost_public_health_editorial.html
Globe and Mail – Josh Wingrove
Public Safety Minister Vic Toews resigns
Effective today, July 9, Public Safety Minister Vic Toews, is going back to private life after a tumultuous career as the front man for the Conservative ‘tough-on-crime’ agenda. Rumours persist that he is looking for an appointment as a judge in Manitoba. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/public-safety-minister-vic-toews-resigns/article13063257
Global TV News – Jill Bennett
In-depth world of gangs revealed
A 2 minute news video of the evidence from the recent trials of warring gangs found in the statement of facts used in the trials of the United Nations gang. http://globalnews.ca/video/702961/in-depth-world-of-gangs-revealed
Washington Times – Paul Samakow
Private Prisons: The worst of the American Dream
Lawyer Paul Samakow reviews the history of private prisons in the US and the problems accumulating around the practice. These companies have spent $45 million on political campaigns in the last ten years. Profits have increased by 88% for CCA and by 121% for Geo, the two leading private prison operators while conditions have deteriorated.http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/leading-edge-legal-advice-everyday-matters/2013/jul/7/private-prisons-worst-american-dream/#ixzz2YSPdMQWJ
Toronto Star – Carol Goar
Ontario home care more hazardous than families told
Here is a scary thought about family and personal safety. Despite what we have heard about health and safety problems in our elder care facilities, home care is even more dangerous, so say two professors with the Canadian Patient Safety Institute. It appears that there are no standards for home care and no one needs to know what happens.http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2013/07/05/ontario_home_care_more_hazardous_than_families_told_goar.html
Freedom Sledder – Blogger Kelsey Campbell-Dollaghan
The Army’s Insurgent Tracking Software Is Now Being Used to Track Gangs
A piece of software called ORCA (Organizational, Relationship and Contact Analyser), first developed by the army to track insurgents, is now a tool for police tracking and identifying gang members as well on the supposition that behaviours of both insurgents and urban gangs are similar. MIT continues this summer to test the software in a major but unnamed metropolitan city. http://www.freedomsledder.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=69954
Toronto Star – Guest Commentators Greg deGroot-Maggetti, Margaret Hancock and Heather McGregor
Lessons from Ontario’s campaign to cut child poverty
Poverty and social inequality has been a constant element of crime and social conflict. Three anti-poverty activists suggest that though the targets are still behind, the Ontario government’s plan is working to reduce the child poverty and they offer some lessons learned. http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2013/07/03/lessons_from_ontarios_campaign_to_cut_child_poverty.html
Calgary Herald – Editorial
Turning the tables on bullies – B.C.’s online reporting system is a model for Alberta
Admiration for the BC on-line reporting stems from the fact that the site allows anonymous reporting, considered a plus in confronting the shame, the powerlessness and the fear of retaliation often experienced by those being bullied. UBC professor Shelly Hymel, an expert on bullying, warned “it needed close monitoring because it’s got danger as well as opportunity.” http://www.calgaryherald.com/life/Turning+tables+bullies/8628309/story.html BC Erase Bullying website: http://www.erasebullying.ca
The Colorado Independent – Susan Greene
CO Prison Officials Acknowledge Chief’s Murder Tied to Solitary Confinement Policies
Greene revisits the motive for the killing of Tom Clements, man in charge of Colorado Corrections. He was shot dead by an inmate who walked from administrative segregation into the community as did 47% of those released in Colorado. Recognizing the impact of segregation on the mental health of inmates, Clements had closed one supermax and completely segregation prison and had reduced the incidents of the isolation by almost half, also reducing the incidence of violence in the prison system. http://coloradoindependent.com/128438/co-prison-officials-acknowledge-chief%E2%80%99s-murder-tied-to-solitary-confinement-policies
The Detroit News – Gary Heinlein
New Michigan prison sentencing guidelines under review
Lawmakers are coming to grips with the costs of imprisonment while realizing that mandatory sentences have led to longer incarcerations, spending over $2 billion a year, Michigan leads in average time served and has a 79% increase in length of average time served over 1999 to 2009. Says Republican Joe Haverman, Chair of the House Appropriations Committee: “Being ‘tough on crime’ above all other concerns simply hasn’t created a safer society.” http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130708/METRO06/307080011#ixzz2YVPNebxr