Oct 6, 2014
Toronto Star – Manisha Krishnan
Toronto police looking to adopt mental health strategy
23 first responders have committed suicide since April. The wife of one of the suicides, Heidi Rogers, thinks that the announcement that Toronto police are considering adopting a national mental health policy to aid officers in need is most unlikely to actually make a difference because the supervising committee will likely involve the very officers who refused help and bullied her husband, a 24 year member of the Toronto police. http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/10/05/toronto_police_looking_to_adopt_mental_health_strategy.html
Globe and Mail – Sandra Martin
Supreme Court to rule soon if assisted suicide is a human right
On Oct. 15, the Supreme Court of Canada will sit for a one day hearing to decide if assisted suicide is a human right. The question may be viewed as a legal or a legislative issue. Sue Rodriguez of BC asked the Supreme Court for a ruling in 1993 while Véronique Hivon, who thinks assisted suicide is simply a part of health care, followed the SCC discussion then and then later steered the question through the National Assembly of Quebec. The Supreme Court will be asked if the Criminal Code prohibition against assisted suicide is unconstitutional. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/whats-at-stake-when-assisted-suicide-case-reaches-top-court/article20926049 (Note that the article is a three pager.)
CTV News – Colin Perkel, Canadian Press
Top court to deal with jury representation in key aboriginal case
An Aboriginal convicted of manslaughter by an all white jury was tried without any effort to include Aboriginals in the jury. The Court threw out the conviction and the province of Ontario is now appealing on the grounds that an accused must face a jury of peers but not necessarily one with any particular ethnic representation. This case is the first time that the courts have confronted the notion of a representative jury. http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/top-court-to-deal-with-jury-representation-in-key-aboriginal-case-1.2040086
Canadian Law Times – Yamri Taddese
Charge in Costco death raises interesting legal questions
The driver who loss control of the car and crashed into an entrance at Costco in London was charged with two counts of criminal negligence causing death – the victims a pregnant mother and one of the two daughters with her. The question now is around the death of the child in the womb who was born prematurely through C section but later died. For the purposes of the Criminal Code, an unborn child is not a person, so can police charge a third count negligence causing death for the child in the womb at the time of the incident? http://www.lawtimesnews.com/201410064241/headline-news/charge-in-costco-death-raises-interesting-legal-questions?utm_source=responsys&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CLNewswire_20141006
New York Times – Op Ed (Oct. 5, 2014) by Margo Kaplan
Pedophilia: A Disorder, Not a Crime
Pedophiles or those with an intense and recurrent sexual interest in prepubescent children make up 1% of the population. Kaplan offers some misconceptions around pedophilia and is suggesting that, based on recent neurological research, we may want to reassess the interfacing of the law and the potential for treatment. While arguing for treatment for pedophiles is not going to be popular, “the fact that pedophilia is so despised is precisely why our responses to it, in criminal justice and mental health, have been so inconsistent and counterproductive.” http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/06/opinion/pedophilia-a-disorder-not-a-crime.html?_r=0
The Mainlander (Vancouver, BC) – Harsha Walia
10 Key Facts about the Lucia Vega Jimenez Inquest
Here are ten facts about the detention of an immigrant worker from Mexico which were revealed at the inquest for the lady and confront the number of times that she was denied just and proper treatment by police and immigration authorities. The treatment was so bad that Walia concludes that reform is not possible and the only appropriate solution is to end immigrant detention and deportations. http://themainlander.com/2014/10/06/10-key-facts-about-the-lucia-vega-jimenez-inquest
La Société de criminologie du Québec – Congrès 2015
Appel de communications Date limite: 15 décembre 2014
Thème:
Pour une justice éclairée et une insertion sociale réussie. L’éducation et la criminologie; des leviers d’action.
Obtenir davantage d’information: http://www.societecrimino.qc.ca/congres/congres-2015.php