Oct 20, 2023 – Vos visages…
Centre des Services de Justice Réparatrice (QC)
Je verrai toujours vos visages…
This link involves a little known film connection between Quebec’s justice restaurative, or restorative justice. that was exported from Quebec to France in 2014. “Depuis 2014, en France, la Justice Restaurative propose à des personnes victimes et auteurs d’infraction de dialoguer dans des dispositifs sécurisés, encadrés par des professionnel.le.s et des bénévoles. Sur leur parcours, il y a de la colère et de l’espoir, des silences et des mots, des alliances et des déchirements, des prises de conscience et de la confiance retrouvée. Et au bout du chemin, parfois, la réparation… Jeanne Herry (Pupille) signe un film choral remarquable qui explore avec délicatesse les nuances de ce processus socio-judiciaire développé au Québec… Preview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A56_sfyZ-yk (The film is part of a film festival in Quebec, Festival Ciné Mania, before its release in Canada. The link is a 1min47 sec introduction with English subtitles,) (Tickets and show dates: Nov 2-4: https://www.festivalcinemania.com/fr/films/je-verrai-toujours-vos-visages
Tweet from UBI Works (Canada): “Here are the expert speakers who will provide testimony in the Canadian Senate regarding Bill S-233, an Act aimed at developing a national framework for a guaranteed livable basic income.” https://x.com/ubi_works/status/1714061416678781336?s=20 Full Text Senate Bill 233 and current status: https://www.parl.ca/LegisInfo/en/bill/44-1/s-233
https://x.com/ubi_works/status/1714061418645897262?s=20
The Walrus (Canada) – Lindsay Jones
How a Sexual Assault Case in St. John’s Exposed a Police Force’s Predatory Culture Winning a sexual assault conviction against a cop is hard. That didn’t stop Jane Doe
The article raises the issue of a police culture that protects those officers who commit sexual predatory behaviour towards the public and female officers. The narrative is told through a Royal Newfoundland Constabulary woman officer who initially responded to a victim’s call and followed the case through five years of court and three trials. https://thewalrus.ca/how-a-sexual-assault-case-in-st-johns-exposed-a-police-forces-predatory-culture/
Pew Foundation (US) – Breana Lamkin & Ruth Rosenthal
Data-Based Journalism and Story Telling Needed to Advance Youth Justice – New fellowship supports Black reporters examining and contextualizing issues affecting young people in the courts
Just how much does media – public, social and print – contribute to our notion of youth justice or any other category for that matter. “Is youth crime “surging” in the United States or is it “sharply declining”? The answer can depend in part on how journalists report the news, and the reality is often much more nuanced. The media has a critical and often delicate role in covering crimes involving young people: Reporters may have limited time and resources, but the words they produce can have lasting effects on policy and the lives of those accused.” Pew and the National Association of Black Journalists have launched a first ever fellowship for coaching and mentorship to help with how the justice news about youth gets reported. https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2023/10/06/data-based-journalism-and-story-telling-needed-to-advance-youth-justice?utm_campaign=2023-10-17+PSPP&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Pew&subscriberkey=00Q0P00000oErugUAC Related article: Blogger Russell Webster (UK) Key health issues for young people in custody https://www.russellwebster.com/key-health-issues-for-young-people-in-custody/ Related article: USA Today: Adam Gelb On criminal justice, don’t just focus on bad news. We ignore progress at our peril. The shrinking criminal justice footprint is rarely acknowledged or discussed, leaving everyday Americans to conclude that nothing is improving. https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/voices/2023/09/23/crime-statistics-progress-arrests-incarceration-homicide-murder/70867322007/?utm_campaign=2023-10-17+PSPP&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Pew&subscriberkey=00Q0P00000oErugUAC
FBI Uniform Crime Statistics (US)
Uniform Crime Reporting Program Data Series (2023)
The following data are now available: arrests by age, sex, and race for 2017, 2018, and 2019; arrests by age, sex, and race, summarized yearly, for 2017, 2018, and 2019; arson for 2019; hate crime for 2019; offenses known and clearances by arrest for 2019; police employees (law enforcement officers killed or assaulted) for 2019; property stolen and recovered for 2017, 2018, and 2019; supplementary homicide reports for 2019. https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/web/NACJD/series/57?ARCHIVE=NACJD&PUBLISH_STATUS=PUBLISHED&SERIESQ=57&rows=50&sort=DATEUPDATED+desc&start=0&utm_content=default&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
National Catholic Reporter – Chris Hurlinger
At the Met, ‘Dead Man Walking’ applauds Sr. Prejean’s death row ministry
The Metropolitan Opera has opened an opera entitled “Dead Man Walking,” named after the film detailing the prison and death row ministry of Sister Helen Prejean. The opening performance which lasted 2 ½ hours saw some 3850 people welcome Prejean personally with the loudest applause of the evening. “What is “invisible made visible” is redemption — redemption by death row inmate Joseph De Rocher, in acknowledging his role in the murders of two victims (one of whom he also raped) and for which he has been sentenced to die. (The character of De Rocher is a composite of two real people.)“ https://www.ncronline.org/news/news/met-dead-man-walking-applauds-sr-prejeans-death-row-ministry?utm_source=NCR+List&utm_campaign=eed397ce3b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2023_10_19_12_14&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6981ecb02e-eed397ce3b-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D
Canadian Lawyer – Aidan Macnab
SCC hearing case with implications for government funding of First Nations police services
A First Nations group in Quebec is asking a fundamental question about the government’s funding of a First Nations policing unit – Pekuakamiulnuatsh Takuhikan: “The main question in our case is, did the governments of Quebec and Canada fund the police services as they would have done for any other police services in the province?” says Amyot. “The answer is no.” The lawsuit also seeks to impact what is done across the country since the state of First Nations policing is under considerable stress everywhere. “Pekuakamiulnuatsh Takuhikan argued that Quebec and Canada broke their duty to negotiate in good faith, to act with honour, and to fulfill their fiduciary duties. The Superior Court dismissed the application, but Quebec’s top court allowed the appeal, ordering Canada to pay $832,724 and Quebec to pay $767,745.” The Appeal Court ultimately found that the federal and provincial governments failed to meet their financial funding duties. The case goes to the Supreme Court of Canada for the final adjudication. https://www.canadianlawyermag.com/news/general/scc-hearing-case-with-implications-for-government-funding-of-first-nations-police-services/380588?hsmemberId={{contact.hs_object_id}}&utm_source=GA&e=bWptbWFuc2ZpZWxkQGJlbGwubmV0&utm_medium=20231019&utm_campaign=LTW-Newsletter-20231019&utm_content=&tu=
The Canadian Press – Jim Bronskill
RCMP tells owners to turn in guns after banned fully automatic model sold in Canada – Prohibited guns were sold in Canada: RCMP
The discovery of a mis-identified fully automatic and prohibited firearm has led to RCMP frezzing the sales from three gun retailers after 245 were sold. The gun, the Tavor X95 MSW is a fully automatic military surplus firearm from Israel, was confused with the Tavor X95s, a semi-automatic weapon legal in Canada. So far, the RCMP is labelling the problem one of inadvertent illegal guns. https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/rcmp-tells-owners-to-turn-in-guns-after-banned-fully-automatic-model-sold-in-canada/article_a7bbb172-b4bc-517b-ba4b-979369763951.html?utm_source=thecanadianpressnews.ca&utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletter%2Foptimize%2Fdaily-newsletter%2F%3F-dc%3D1697725834&utm_medium=email&utm_content=read%20more
Catholic Mobilizing Network
Healing After Tragedy: Heather Thompson’s Restorative Justice Journey
The link offers a 3 minute video in which Heather whose brother was murdered moves through the process of reconciliation. Her immediate reaction follows some years later with a restorative justice training. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NmkStDh-SY (May be helpful as a discussion starter; originally part of the End the Death Penalty)
Virtual Conference: Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice 2023 (US)
LIVESTREAM (Free) with an incredible diverse gathering of people and social justice concerns on the web for free. Oct 28 – 30, 2023 Scroll down a little on the landing page for listing of speakers and sessions available. https://ignatiansolidarity.net/iftj/iftj-2023-livestream/?mc_cid=e76f91bf8d&mc_eid=a7907d9a72
Tweet from Jeffrey Bradley on a proposed Ottawa police plan: “The last thing we need is a cop shop in the Byward Market to criminalize and harass communities. This city and police board is relentless in expanding policing, punishment, and by default imprisonment.” https://x.com/Jeffrey_Brad/status/1715114053037604926?s=20 (The cost is estimated for the first year at $245,944.)