Prison death…

Aug.29, 2022

CBC News – Shanifa Nasser
They wanted justice for their mentally ill loved one who died in jail. Now those hopes are crushed – ‘The system has a double standard: one for us Canadians, and the rest for law enforcement,’ says Yusuf Faqiri

Many prison advocates are left aghast that after five years the beating death of Soleiman Faqiri in prison will not bring any charges.  Faqiri was a mentally ill person suffering from schizophrenia in the Central East Correctional Centre who died after six guards beat, sprayed, restrained him, holding him face down.  His injuries, though evident, led first to a decision not to prosecute any of the six because the police were unable to determine who struck the ‘killer blow’.  Now the OPP in the third investigation say that there is insufficient evidence to charge.  “How is there not enough evidence when you have an eyewitness into a man’s beating death, you have the chief pathologist articulating that the guards’ actions directly led to Soli’s murder?” asked Yusuf (older brother).  https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/soleiman-faqiri-no-charges-1.6558485  Related article: CBC News – Shanifa Nasser   A mentally ill man died after a run-in with jail guards in 2016. Now Ontario police say no one will be charged  (Aug. 5, 2020)   https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/soleiman-faqiri-ontario-jail-charges-1.5674400

The Hill Times – Michael Harris
Beware politicians who incite ire against journalists – There are no clean hands when it comes to tolerating this abusive, sexist, and gutter-bottom behaviour towards female journalists, particularly not those of the politicians whose words encourage such actions.

Harris wants all politicians to take note that blame for nastiness and dangerous, inciting comments about women reporters in particular need to be denounced in the strongest terms by politicians of all stripes, and immediately when it happens.  Harris includes the insistence that the social media platforms need to shut down these comments but that populist politicians account for 40% of the nastiness:  “But the truly revolting players in these acts of cyber-misogyny are populist politicians. A survey quoted in The Guardian showed that 40 per cent of these hate attacks are triggered by the words of politicians.”  https://www.hilltimes.com/2022/08/29/beware-politicians-who-incite-ire-against-journalists/379436  Related article:  National Observer – Max Fawcett   The nasty verbal assault on Chrystia Freeland tells us a lot about rage in Canadian politics  https://www.nationalobserver.com/2022/08/28/opinion/verbal-assault-chrystia-freeland-canadas-rage-dangerous   Related tweet:  Dani Susanna – “Let me tell you about male rage like we saw with Freeland – a thread. TW: Domestic abuse, narcissism, online bullying.”  (cf Thread)  https://twitter.com/dani_susanna/status/1563719088991793152?s=03  Related article: National Observer –  Natasha Bulowski  Outcry grows over violent online threats against women, racialized journalists   (cf connected twitter links as well) https://www.nationalobserver.com/2022/08/25/news/outcry-over-violent-online-threats-against-women-racialized-journalists    Related article: Globe and Mail – Canadian Press – Canada invests $100-million into action plan for LGBTQ2S+ communities   https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-canada-invests-100-million-into-historic-action-plan-for-lgbtq2s/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&s=03   Related article: CTV News – Rachel Aiello  Funding for community groups a central plank of Canada’s first ever LGBTQ2S+ ‘action plan’  https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/funding-for-community-groups-a-central-plank-of-canada-s-first-ever-lgbtq2s-action-plan-1.6045048    Statement from Prime Minister’s office:  Prime Minister launches Canada’s first Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan to continue building a more inclusive future, with pride    https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2022/08/28/prime-minister-launches-canadas-first-federal-2slgbtqi-action-plan   Related article: Toronto Star – Nicholas Keung  Immigration law change leaves some newcomers struggling to prove that their marriages are genuine – Canada’s immigration department currently has 62,772 pending spousal sponsorship applications in process, including 2,487 cases where applicants have been refused before.   https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2022/08/29/immigration-law-change-leaves-some-newcomers-struggling-to-prove-that-their-marriages-are-genuine.html

CBC News – Stephen Cook
First Nations members in Maskwacis, Alta., reflect on papal visit 1 month later

There are mixed reviews at best for the immediate outcomes of the Pope’s visit to Canada from those who attended his first gathering and apology in Maskwacis, AB.  For many the visit brought with it the occasion for remembering the pain and trauma that has formed many Indigenous lives, of both those who were subjected to residential schools and those later generations who live with the consequences.  “Coun. Katherine Swampy with the Samson Cree Nation said she had mixed feelings but felt the sincerity of Pope Francis’s words…She said there could be healing on both sides: for those who accepted the apology and for those rejected it.  But Swampy said the real legacy will be decided in the future, including by the younger generations in attendance.”  https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/first-nations-members-in-maskwacis-alta-reflect-on-papal-visit-1-month-later-1.6559937

 Toronto Star – Jason Miller
Peel Regional Police used force on Black people 3.2 times more often than their share of the population in 2021, police data shows – “It demonstrates that we have a long way to go,” said Len Carby, co-chair of the recently formed Anti-Racism Advisory Committee (ARAC), an arms-length public group established to provide advice and feedback on Peel police’s anti-racism efforts.

In the context of the defund-the-police agenda this headline will only awakened more questions about what police actually do, how much time do they actually spend on response to crime, violent or otherwise, and exactly what they do to merit claim to keeping the public safe.  “Peel officers were also 3.7 times more likely to use force on Black people — who made up less than 10 per cent of Peel’s population in 2016, the last Census year available — than white people, per the data.”  They were also 1.7 times more likely to use force on East and Southeast Asians.  The stats are from Peel police themselves.  https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2022/08/23/peel-regional-police-used-force-on-black-people-32-times-more-often-than-their-share-of-the-population-in-2021-police-data-shows.html?rf&source=newsletter&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=email&utm_email=98AB58CB32931589DF17CC2CAEEF2EE8&utm_campaign=bn_141621

 Tweet from Basic Income Canada:

“Canadian researchers gave thousands of dollars to homeless people. They ended up saving the government hundreds of thousands of dollars & significantly reducing homelessness.” https://twitter.com/ubi_works/status/1416926530979123202

The Marshall Project (US) – Nicole Lewis
How Do Your Political Views Compare To Those Of People Behind Bars?  Our latest Survey of the incarcerated reveals sharp political differences between the incarcerated
and the general public, as well as a few areas of consensus.

First the research has uncovered some surprising results on the question of whether violent offenders are more likely to re-offend if released compared to those convicted of property and drug crimes.  The general public also has some more critical assessment of policing than those already in prison, whether Democrats or Republicans.  https://www.themarshallproject.org/2020/11/03/how-do-your-political-views-compare-to-those-of-people-behind-bars?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_source=twitter

Scalawag (Southern Cal Law Magazine) (US) – Cynthia Simons
Women have long borne the brunt of over-policing. Now, they’re the fastest-growing incarcerated population in Texas. In Texas, women’s incarceration rates have increased by over 1,000 percent since 1980.

The link may well serve to draw attention to an often neglected view of mass incarceration in that the imprisonment of women in Texas has increased by over 1,000% since 1980.  “To understand how women have become the fastest growing incarcerated population in Texas, and why Black and women of color are overrepresented in carceral settings, we must start to unpack the drivers of incarceration. Historically in America, Black families have been the target of systemic racism from the war on drugs to education inequity; thus, a catalyst into poverty—a significant factor to consider when understanding crimes of survival and the uptick in women’s incarceration rates.”  The imprisonment of women, especially indigenous women, continues to be a problem in Canada as well.  https://scalawagmagazine.org/2022/08/women-in-prison-texas/

The Lancet (UK Medical Journal) – Jing Yu et al…
Adverse childhood experiences and premature mortality through mid-adulthood: A five-decade prospective study

Previous links to the Lancet highlighted the social impact of ACE or Adverse Childhood Experience – trauma in childhood.  This open document links the childhood trauma to premature mortality, a strong suggestion that ACE in sufficient frequency and severity, impacts the life expectancy.  The source offers a summary of the research to date, an assessment of the added value of this study, and an introduction to the study and the whole study itself.    https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanam/article/PIIS2667-193X(22)00166-1/fulltext#%20

Conférence NRJS/RJAM Conference – Call for Proposals/Appel de présentations
Inspiring Restorative Justice as a Solution to Systemic Racism and Social Inequity.

Deadline for proposals:  September 16  – Response to Proposals Oct 1, 2022

We are pleased to announce that the call for presenters for the 2022 National Restorative Justice Symposium is now open.  Attached are both the call details and application form.  The deadline is September 16th with decisions made by October 1st.  Given that we are still in uncertain times, the symposium will once again be virtual.  All successful submissions will receive a free access pass to the full symposium.”

The Restorative Justice Association of Manitoba and The National Restorative Justice Symposium Committee   RJAM@SPCW.MB.CA

Globe and Mail – Adrian Morrow
Replacing its police force has brought Camden, N.J., more peace but lingering questions about justice – Nine years ago, a U.S. community with soaring violent crime rates got rid of its municipal force and brought in a new vision for community policing. The Globe went there to see how it’s working out

In 2013, the Camden police force was disbanded in favour of newly created country police force:  “Over the following years, the Camden County Police Department made significant changes, partly at the instigation of reform-minded leaders and partly because of pressure from local activists. Officers were now obliged to spend much of their time patrolling on foot, introducing themselves around the neighbourhood and holding community events. They were also trained to de-escalate confrontations and dial back their use of force… Officers, community leaders and residents, however, say the department’s approach has been effective. And as the U.S. grapples with a surge in gun violence, it may offer lessons. While other cities have seen spikes in shootings since the start of the pandemic, Camden’s numbers have been mostly flat.”  https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/us-politics/article-replacing-its-police-force-has-brought-camden-nj-more-peace-but/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=twitter_moment&utm_campaign=camden_police&utm_id=camden_police