April 19, 2014
The South Peace News – Richard Froese
A new way of justice – Aboriginal way of justice deserves a hard look
As part of honouring the National Victim of Crime Awareness Week, the day-long gathering featured retired provincial court Judge John Reilly who suggested that the Aboriginal insistence on healthy relationships and restorative justice may constitute a new and effective way of preventing crime. “It’s the harm to the relationship that has to be restored,” says Reilly. http://www.southpeacenews.com/newsdesk/volume52/140416/news4.html
Dalhousie Law Journal – Melanie Randall, Faculty of Law, UWO and Lori Haskell, University of Toronto – Department of Psychiatry
Trauma-Informed Approaches to Law: Why Restorative Justice Must Understand Trauma and Psychological Coping
The article suggests that the criminal justice system and law need to be informed of the impact of trauma. “The idea that law and, in particular, the criminal justice system, should be trauma informed is novel, and, as a result, quite underdeveloped. In this paper we advance the general argument that more effective, fair, intelligent, and just legal responses must work from a perspective which is trauma informed.” The paper is a 33 page downloadable pdf at the link. http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2424597
Canadian Press – Steve Rennie
Appeals court upholds landmark Metis ruling
The Federal Appeals Court has upheld last year’s determination that Metis and non-status Aboriginals are “Indians” under the federal constitution and subject to the same rights as those on reserves, including health and education, hunting and fishing, and the right to negotiate and enter treaties with the federal government. http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2014/04/17/appeals-court-upholds-landmark-metis-ruling/#.U1FHp1fAvQt
Waterloo Record.com (ON)
Police chief to retire, take on government safety job
Waterloo Regional Police Chief Matt Torigian is retiring to become a deputy minister of Public Safety in Ontario’s provincial government. http://www.therecord.com/news-story/4470545-waterloo-region-police-chief-to-retire-take-on-deputy-minister-of-safety-post
Daily Mail (UK)
Judge slams ministers tinkering with justice: Introduction of ‘warnings, reprimands and cautions’ has allowed offenders to dodge court appearances
The UK may be gearing up for a struggle between the judicial and the politicians. Judge Richard Bray, who retired this week, fired a parting shot at politicians looking for ways for criminals to avoid jail. Bray suggests the role of the politicians should be recognized as one of providing a sufficient number of jail cells for those who should be locked up, not trying to influence the judiciary with the latest political perspective on prisons. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2607461/Judge-slams-ministers-tinkering-justice.html#ixzz2zFNcZIi0
The Daily Pennsylvanian (US) – Sarah Smith
Response to 1990s crime shaped today’s campus
US university campus life was rocked by a series of crimes in the 1990’s that, in Smith’s opinion, set up the process for today’s improved connections between the university and the larger community. The crimes created a forced choice between being a walled city and participating in a larger and decidedly community life style. Perhaps this story has some application to the recent events in Calgary? http://www.thedp.com/article/2014/04/90s-high-crime-shaped-campus-today Related article: L. A. Music Academy – 2013 Annual Campus Crime Report http://www.lacm.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/LACM_2013AnnualCampusCrimeReport.pdf
Concord Area Humanists (US) – David Kimball
Humanism and Restorative Justice
Kimball is blogging in this provocative piece about the role of neurobiology and crime. Specifically, he relates the brains secretion or diminishment of amygdale, depending on the individual and the circumstances, to both the criminal act and the likely incarceration of the perpetrator. The evidence seems to suggest that a jail cell simply further depletes the brain’s supply of amygdale and encourages recidivism. http://concordareahumanists.org/blog/201404/humanism-and-restorative-justice-1
Alabama.com – Kelsey Stein
Inside the ‘snake pit’ at Tutwiler: Prison psychologist explains obstacles he faced with mentally ill
Stein records the analysis and response of psychologist Larry Wood when he came out of retirement to work in Julia Tutweiler Prison for Women in Alabama. The prison was under federal investigation at the time. “Administration of the prison wasn’t supportive or helpful to mental health or medical services,” he said. “For that matter, they were quite obstructive. The way that they ran the prison created problems day in and day out.” http://blog.al.com/wire/2014/04/treatment_scarce_for_mentally.html Related article: Michigan.com – Brian Smith Women entering Michigan prisons don’t get timely orientations, audit shows http://www.mlive.com/lansing-news/index.ssf/2014/04/michigan_corrections_departmen_1.html
CSN Philly Comcast
Getting Rid of a Juvi Record
The mayor called Office of Reintegration Services for Ex-Offenders (R.I.S.E.). The mayor found allies in the Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity (PLSE) and the Men in Motion in the Community (MMIC). They collectively want young people with criminal juvenile records to pursue expunging their records and they advertize on social media and go to high schools on Saturday to meet the candidates. http://www.csnphilly.com/article/getting-rid-juvi-record
Chicago Tribune Local (US)
Foster, Deutch Announce Progress on Efforts to End Detention Bed Mandate
The federal budget allocates funds for 34,000 beds in immigrant detention facilities, encouraging the private prisons to be sure they are filled to capacity. Here is a well documented history of the struggle by two congressmen to end the bed mandate. How come the thought of spending that money – $5.6 million per day – on the homeless in the US does not get equal priority as locking up people?http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/suburbs/aurora/community/chi-ugc-article-foster-deutch-announce-progress-on-efforts-t-2014-04-18,0,2297673.story