Mar 9, 2014
Ministry of Justice(BC)
Downtown Community Court evaluation released
From the press release: “The DCC is the first of its kind in Canada, offering an innovative court model that has the objective of bringing together multiple agencies to address the health and social needs of offenders, reducing recidivism, improving court efficiencies and engaging with the community.” The link provides assessment of the court’s impact on case management, an efficiency report, and a report that compiles the research. Downtown Community Court Evaluation: http://www.criminaljusticereform.gov.bc.ca/en/justice_reform_projects/community_court/evaluating_court/index.html Website for DCC: DCC website: http://www.criminaljusticereform.gov.bc.ca/en/justice_reform_projects/community_court/index.html Court website with three videos explaining how the court functions and a series of fact sheets for both victims and accused: www.communitycourt.bc.ca
CBC News
Psychiatric community care: Belgian town sets gold standard
Imagine hundreds of families in a town who take in boarders who are psychiatric patients. Imagine they have been doing this for hundreds of years, from generation to generation, since St. Dimpna, a 7th century Irish princess who was murdered by her incestuous father and whose religious shrine helped make her the patron saint of the mentally ill. Imagine no NIMBYism but welcome to the neighbourhood. This is the town of Geel in Belgium. http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/psychiatric-community-care-belgian-town-sets-gold-standard-1.2557698
Winnipeg Free Press – James Turner
Suspected ‘gating’ frees pair – Police waited till they were out of prison to arrest them
Police waited 47 months to arrest a break-and-enter suspect for whom an arrest warrant had been issued. The reason was that the suspect was already in prison and the tactic known as ‘gating’ – waiting until release from prison to initiate further charges – is common place in the Canadian justice system. A Manitoba judge threw out the charges on the grounds of infringement of charter rights and reprimanded the police for the practice. http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/suspected-gating-frees-pair-248703051.html
On-line petition for an inquiry on the murdered and missing Aboriginal women
In response to the news that the federal government will not invoke a national inquiry on the 600 plus lives of Aboriginal women, some may wish to participate in an on-line petition to government initiated by Holly Jarettt, the cousin of Loretta Saunders, whose body was found in NB in mid February. To do so, just click the link: www.change.org/forloretta
Toronto Star – Carol Goar
Toronto research centre takes a deeper look at domestic violence
The Centre for Research on Inner City Health, housed in St. Michael’s Hospital, is a research agency with a difference. The Centre for Inner City Health “examines domestic abuse as a societal epidemic, correcting some long-standing myths and proposing practical changes.” They start with the patient, not the stats, looking to not only the physical harm but also the psychological and controlling behaviour as well as the social and neighbourhood factors that put a woman in danger in the first place. Says lead researcher, social epidemiologist Patricia O’Campo “… women are telling us that the psychological abuse and controlling behaviour are often worse than the beatings.” http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2014/03/06/toronto_research_centre_takes_a_deeper_look_at_domestic_violence_goar.html
Christian Science Monitor – Lourdes Medrano
Why pro-immigrant activists are turning to hunger strikes
Protestors who are also illegals are stepping up the pressure to end the detention of immigrants by surrendering to ICE and then using the incarceration to document the treatment and to organize hunger strikes. They want President Obama to use executive power to end the deportation of over 400,000 a year in the light of the harm done to families. http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2014/0308/Why-pro-immigrant-activists-are-turning-to-hunger-strikes-video Related article: Yakima Herald (WA) – Associated Press 750 immigration detainees on hunger strike http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/latestnews/1994353-8/report-hunger-strike-by-immigration-detainees Related article: Tacoma Stranger (WA) Jailed Immigrants Launch Hunger Strike At Tacoma Detention Center http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2014/03/08/jailed-immigrants-launch-hunger-strike-at-tacoma-detention-center