Nov 3, 2013
CBC News Saskatoon
Gang member pleads guilty in Lorry Santos murder case
Three members of a gang were sent to Saskatoon from Alberta to kill a defector from the gang but given the wrong address, resulting in the pointless death of a housewife. The defendant says he was responding to the kill or be killed gang lifestyle. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/gang-member-pleads-guilty-in-lorry-santos-murder-case-1.2325390
West Vancouver Police Department / North Shore RJ
ePolicing For Parents – North Shore Restorative Justice & Schools
In a joint effort with the North Shore Restorative Justice Society, the Circles in the Schools Project seeks to equip students to deal with conflict – “to help children and youth understand their own capacity to transform conflict, heal relationships, and create stronger communities.” http://wvpd.ca/breaking-stories/958-epolicing-for-parents-north-shore-restorative-justice-a-schools
The International BGO Council on Violence against Children
Creating a Non-violent Juvenile Justice System 2013
Acknowledging a wide gap between these international standards and the practices on the ground, UN Special Representative Marta Santos Pais hopes that a strong and cohesive child protection system will mitigate the use criminalization and punishment of children. Full Report in pdf (56 pages): http://resourcecentre.savethechildren.se/sites/default/files/documents/inco_report_2013.pdf
Seattle Times – Editorial
Stark reminder of county’s health, social disparities
Here is a new idea around tracking income disparity: an annual King County Equity and Social Justice report that charges that there is a veneer of affluence masking wide-spread poverty and its growing consequences. The report confronts median income, racial composition by zip code, health care, life expectancy and educational quality. http://seattletimes.com/html/editorials/2022174476_kingcountyequitygapsedit04xm
VERA Institute of Justice – Center on Sentencing and Corrections
Sentencing and Prison Practices in Germany and the Netherlands: Implications for the United States
The Center, managed by VERA, wanted to explore the sentencing practices in Germany and the Netherlands. The Feb. 2013 report is consequent to a visit and an exchange with the correctional facilities and authorities, researchers and academics, and inmates themselves. Diversions and fines play a different and more common role such that if not used in place of incarceration, the judge must record why. http://www.vera.org/pubs/sentencing-prison-germany-netherlands
San Francisco Gate News
Study: Changes needed in prison realignment law
Realignment refers to the way inmates in California are distributed among the prisons. Low level, non violent are sent to local jails, supervised by local parole officers, but increasingly for longer sentences and medical and mental health are problematic. Over the last two years, the prison system has been reduced by more than 25,000 but there are still 9600 in the reduction scheme with plans for about half to go to private prisons. http://www.sfgate.com/news/crime/article/Study-Changes-needed-in-prison-realignment-law-4947523.php
Techdirt.com
‘Predictive Policing’ Company Uses Bad Stats, Contractually-Obligated Shills to Tout Unproven ‘Successes’
Some US police departments use software called Predpol to predict where crime will occur based on previous records from police. Based on the promise of this software, some of those police departments are forming pre-crime units. Here’s a cautionary tale and spoiler about the status of that software. http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20131031/13033125091/predictive-policing-company-uses-bad-stats-contractually-obligated-shills-to-tout-unproven-successes.shtml Related article: Downtown Birmingham – Bloomfield: Lisa Brody Predictive crime fighting http://www.downtownpublications.com/Articles-features-c-2013-11-01-217015.112113-Predictive-crime-fighting.html
Huntington Post – Blogger Jane Ellen Stevens
The Restorative Justice League of Le Grand High School Saves the Day
The author and founder of Acestoohigh.com tells the story of the growth of restorative justice discipline at Le Grand High School in central California. The school population is 487 and the Restorative Justice League sets the tone in a school where suspensions and expulsions are just about gone. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jane-ellen-stevens/the-restorative-justice-l_b_4160993.html
Skills for Justice (UK)
New Restorative Justice qualification launched
Frustrated by the failure to find RJ training material for youth outreach, The Restorative Justice Step Up Unit qualification was developed by Rhondda Cynon Taf Youth Offending Service in Wales. The course is ten hours, five direct and five indirect, stressing the impact of the crime and how to make appropriate restitution. http://www.sfjuk.com/new-restorative-justice-qualification-launched/
Thompson Reuters Foundation (UK) – Astrid Zweynert
New research body launched in UK to boost social investment market
‘Social investment’ is the new buzz among many social justice groups looking for new and perhaps more reliable funding. Business and investment firms also realize that there are increasing numbers of investors who want both a return and evidence of contributing to wider social development. The Social Investment Research Council in the UK is backed by both government and giant lottery funds and seeks to research where such funds could usefully go. Says Nick O’Donohue, CEO of Big Society Capital: “There is a lack of information in the market about how to deliver the right kind of investment products to attract investors, and the industry must work to commission research to help us meet this challenge.” http://www.trust.org/item/20131101164832-dgoki
Reminder: Youth Justice Fund
The federal government has a fund applicable to project work for youth criminal justice.
http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/fund-fina/cj-jp/yj-jj/index.html