Aug. 19, 2016
CBC News – Susana Mas
Canada to increase anti-terror efforts with new office to curb radicalization – Public safety minister acknowledges limitations of peace bond in Aaron Driver case
Driver was the young man turned terrorist and shot by police last week in Strathroy, ON. His appearance as a radical terrorist, and the FBI role of identifying him to the RCMP, has prompted a number of developments: a review of the processes and effectiveness of the peace bond, a new office and focus on prevention, and perhaps some impact on the Liberal promise to revise the C-51 Anti-terrorist legislation put in place by the previous Conservative government. http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ralph-goodale-police-chiefs-ottawa-1.3724357 Related article: CBC News – Elizabeth Thompson Foiled attack raises questions about value of peace bonds – Court order failed to stop Aaron Driver from planning attack http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/terrorism-security-aaron-driver-peace-bonds-1.3717693 Related article: CBC News – Aaron Wherry What Aaron Driver means for the debate on amending Bill C-51 – Case of ISIS sympathizer comes amid outstanding question of anti-terror laws http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/wherry-aaron-driver-c51-1.3716909
National Academy of Science- The Atlantic (US)
Mass Incarceration, Visualized
The information here is not new but the visualization of the information makes this video worthwhile, particularly for public education. http://www.theatlantic.com/video/index/404890/prison-inherited-trait/ One item that may be in question (The video is 2014) is the rate of incarceration of women and its exponential rate of increase which has been largely ignored in the prison reform discussions in the US. Related article: Vera Institute of Justice – Overlooked: Women and Jails in an Era of Reform https://www.vera.org/publications/overlooked-women-and-jails-report Vera is reporting a 14 fold increase in the number of women in jail between 1970 and 2014.
Telesur (US)
US Justice Dept to End Private Prison Use after Scathing Report
Scathing reports have been following the private prison contracts for quite some time. Private prisons got a big boost from the government contractual requirement for 35,000 beds to handle immigration detention, whether the beds are used or not. The decision is not to renew the present contracts by the federal government but local and state governments will continue to use private prisons. The report prompting the action identifies the private prison system as much more dangerous in favour of higher profits. The two leading corporations running private prisons – Corrections Corporation of America and GEO Group – saw an immediate drop in share prices – 20% and 28% respectively. http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/US-Justice-Dept-to-End-Private-Prison-Use-After-Scathing-Report-20160818-0014.html Related article: Telesur – Private US Prisons Break Most Rules and It’s the Govt’s Fault http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Private-US-Prisons-Break-Most-Rules-and-Its-the-Govts-Fault-20160812-0028.html Office of the Inspector General, Department of Justice full report – Review of the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Monitoring of Contract Prisons (86 pages with an executive summary at the beginning) https://oig.justice.gov/reports/2016/e1606.pdf#page=2
CBC News – Phillippe Morin
Follow the arrow: New approach for Yukon government services – One-stop office designed for youth will open evenings and weekends
The arrow is a huge sign pointing to the newly open office of the Yukon government that locates all government services for youth in one place and is open evenings and week-ends. The office is part of the Yukon’s mental health strategy with youth. The office is a two year pilot project. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/yukon-youth-support-government-1.3723548
CBC News –
Pilot project aims to cut time youth spend in custody waiting for bail – Young people sometimes arrested on charges that don’t require jail time, such as petty theft or vandalism
The Manitoba Youth Center is engaged in a pilot study to see how to process charges against young offenders without unnecessary jail time. Just as bail is a growing problem for adult offenders, when a youth is arrested, particularly for charges unlikely to lead to jail time anyway, the crown used to get an extra day – time in jail for the offender – to review any outstanding charges. Offenders arrested on Friday could see three or four days in jail, jeopardizing placements and other services already in process. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/pilot-project-youth-centre-manitoba-1.3722986
Rabble.ca – Sadie McInnes
Four things to know about women and homelessness in Canada
Homelessness is an intensifying factor in any efforts to resolve poverty but for women its consequences are far more severe. McInnes identifies four characteristic differences in homelessness among women. http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/behind-numbers/2016/08/four-things-to-know-about-women-and-homelessness-canada
CTV News
Heathrow becomes world’s first ‘dementia-friendly’ airport
All 76,000 employees at Heathrow, and especially the security people, will be getting training in how to assist people displaying cognitive decline and stress from travel or other circumstances. Security check lines and the front check-in personnel will see special training and quiet rooms will be available for people identified as suffering from some sort of autism or dementia or simply cognitive dysfunction. http://www.ctvnews.ca/lifestyle/heathrow-becomes-world-s-first-dementia-friendly-airport-1.3033646