Funding gang prevention…

  Nov. 30, 2013

 Toronto Star:  Editorial
Ontario government must commit to anti-gang program 

 Four years ago the federal government gave $3.9 million over four years for gang prevention.  Now the feds are ending the programs and the Star’s editorial is asking the provincial government to provide long term funding as both a social and cost effective response to gangs.  http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2013/11/28/ontario_government_must_commit_to_antigang_program_editorial.html  

 BC Ministry of Justice
Youth Gang Prevention: A Toolkit for Community Planning

 This 124 page kit (in pdf format) offers a comprehensive plan for developing a community response to the threat of gangs in the community.  The kit includes preparation, a five stage application with appropriate handouts, and a series of support pages.  http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/crimeprevention/publications/docs/youth-gang-prevention.pdf

 Toronto Star – Kate Allen
Why Canada banned pot (science had nothing to do with it)

 The Le Dain Commissioner in 1962 found the penalties for marijuana “grossly excessive,” recommending decriminalization and drastically lesser penalties for trafficking. In 2002 Canada’s Senate said: “The (Le Dain) Commission concluded that the criminalization of cannabis had no scientific basis. We confirm this conclusion and add that continued criminalization of cannabis remains unjustified based on scientific data on the danger it poses.”  Now, 40 years after Le Dain, and after 2 million marijuana related violations, we have mandatory minimums for a few as six plants???     http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/12/01/why_canada_banned_pot_science_had_nothing_to_do_with_it.html

 Washington Post (US) Editorial
Politics keeps getting in the way of closing Guantanamo 

 There are still 69 prisoners left in Guantanamo and little prospect of repatriation to allow the closure of the prison.  Promised since Obama was first elected, the internal politics in both the Senate and the Congress will likely prevent any immediate decisive action on the closure.    http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/politics-keeps-geting-in-the-way-of-closing-guantanamo/2013/11/29/4fe4f938-591a-11e3-835d-e7173847c7cc_story.html  

Guardian (UK) – Owen Bowcott
Restorative justice pilot scheme to begin at 10 courts

 The first victim led restorative justice initiatives will shortly begin in Britain.  Usually offender initiated, these RJ efforts are an attempt to cut the recidivism rates and will include violent crime.  The RJ meeting can be face-to-face through a facilitator (trained volunteer)  or through writing.  The point of RJ intervention seems to be after conviction and before sentencing, the judge having the option to consider the intervention.  http://www.theguardian.com/law/2013/dec/01/restorative-justice-pilot-scheme-courts

 PressTV (Ireland)
UK deports close to death hunger striker to Nigeria 

 A 45-year-old man, identified as Ifa Muaza and on a hunger strike for almost 100 days was deported from Britain on Friday, even though medical assessment declared him unfit to travel.  Muaza is a Nigerian national who expects to be targeted by a militant group already responsible for the death of several family members.  Muaza himself is now unable to see or to stand unaided.   http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/11/30/337523/uk-deports-hunger-striking-asylum-seeker/  

Washington Post – Guy Gugliotta
Michigan embraces Medicaid expansion to help inmates 

 Medicaid may prove helpful to state prison costs once implemented.  The estimate of those eligible for Medicaid as former inmates and detainees is expected to reach 35% of Michigan’s total eligibility, perhaps another unforeseen consequence of mass incarceration.  http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/michigan-embracing-medicaid-expansion-to-help-inmates/2013/11/30/61a94a80-592d-11e3-ba82-16ed03681809_story.html  

 Boston Globe (US) – Editorial by Marcela García
Immigrants need licenses, not detention 

 In the light of the increasing likelihood of a failed immigration reform, here’s an enlightened idea:  why not license undocumented immigrants and spare them and their families the punishment of detention while saving on 34,000 mandated beds per night?     http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2013/12/01/immigrants-mass-need-licenses-not-detention/f713lARy7FAr87m1TC5hGP/story.html 

 The Advocate (New Orleans, LA) – Marsha Schuler
Remote system brings more medical care to inmates

 The state prison system of Louisiana is getting into remote tele -medicine in a big way.  Last year the system had over 3,000 consultations in which the doctor is remote and a nurse becomes his immediate assistant for medical history, vital signs, etc. “We have completely redesigned the health care system in the Department of Corrections,” Hunt Deputy Warden Seth Smith said. “We have brought specialists to the offender, where physicians physically come here … We do telemedicine for specialists we don’t bring on-site.”     http://theadvocate.com/news/7691156-123/state-expands-use-of-telemedicine