Smart Justice Network

Jan 16, 2024 – Integration of services…

What is Integrated Youth Services (IYS)?

The link offers, among other things,  a five-minute explanation of Integrated Youth Services, an effort to confront the many faceted social services each available as a solo service but collectively rarely satisfying or healing.  It may be important to ask why this approach is enjoying a success across Canada and whether the approach of a helper who is able to access whatever services are needed without referrals, waiting lists or delays, especially in mental health, where the delay is often the crippling part of services.  The links below will bring you to a variety of commentary by practionners.  Choices for Youth on X: “Join us in raising awareness for mental health on #BellLetsTalk Day on January 24 ✨ NL was featured in a video about Integrated Youth Services (IYS) – check it out to learn about the work being done on IYS 👉 https://t.co/8RAwhLruIM #TogetherWeCan @Bell @Bell_LetsTalk” / X (twitter.com)  Related article: Blogger Russell Webster (UK)  Best practice in working with people with mental health problems on probation  https://www.russellwebster.com/best-practice-in-working-with-people-with-mental-health-problems-on-probation/  Blogger Russell Webster (UK) – The Feminization of Probation by Matt Tidmarsh  https://www.russellwebster.com/the-feminisation-of-probation/  (An interesting question: Do caring profession benefit more from women than men?  If so, what are the implications for the legal system?)

Nowthisnews.com (US)

Corporations raised hysteria over a rise in organized shoplifting — it turns out this was all hoax…

“Corporations Admit Increase in Organized Shoplifting Was False – Corporations raised hysteria over a rise in organized shoplifting — it turns out this was all hoax.  It may be odd that the increased hysteria occurred over the holiday seasons from Thanksgiving through New Year while prices for pretty-well everything were runaway – what better excuse for price increases!  But even such incons of media reporting as the N.Y. Times have charged that the reporting was bluster at best.  https://x.com/nowthisnews/status/1745838798175359218?s=20   (A 3 min 30 sec video report.)  Related article: Human Rights Watch Daily Brief – Do we really need a trillionaire?  https://www.hrw.org/the-day-in-human-rights/2024/01/15

Toronto Star – Gillian Steward

Leaving Edmonton’s homeless out in the cold is shameful – It’s not as if we don’t know that there are a lot of homeless people living outside. Treating them like garbage to be cleaned up is shameful.

Steward is putting in words what many Canadians must be feeling.  Edmonton police and city dismantled winter-proofed tents, collected personal belongings and forced evacuation of a temporary shelter for homeless people. The larger part of the homeless were First Nations and, claimed witnesses, the remains of Colonialism towards the Indigenous.  Says Steward:  Top of Form

Bottom of Form

Imagine, snow covers the ground, it’s -40 C and you are living in a small tent encampment in Edmonton when the police arrive, tear down the tents and order you to move on.  Move on to where? If you are still living outside when a dangerously cold blanket of Arctic air has engulfed the city, any other options must have been much worse.”  Edmonton homeless response is shameful (thestar.com)   Tweet from Brandi Morin on the homeless struggle in Edmonton:  “It’s not up to the province @ABDanielleSmith  or @CityofEdmonton  @AmarjeetSohiYEG to decide what to do with displaced Indigenous Peoples, which make up 60% of those on the streets. To forcibly remove them from encampments, throw their belongings in dumps & to tell them to wait in line for treatment/shelter. It’s a severely broken, colonial system that does not work. The people are survivors of various traumas inflicted by colonial systems & these same systems will never adequately help. I witnessed the continued violence this week, against human beings who are non-violent. Even a 68-yr-old residential school survivor Kohkum living at this encampment. The homelessness/addictions/mental health struggles are a symptom of the consequences of the generational genocidal strategies of all levels of government & society. The response is cruel, inhumane and in direct opposition to reconciliation. Provide dignity, sovereignty, support for Indigenous led solutions and healing, not the upper hand of law enforcement & colonialist band-aid remedies.”  https://x.com/Songstress28/status/1745891825854935299?s=20   Related tweet:  Brandi Morin on Bear Claw Patrol witness:  “This was remarkable to witness tonight. Bear Claw Patrol, an Indigenous led outreach to the unhoused in Edmonton, put up a 61-year-old woman named Joanne in a hotel. They found her in pain and cold waiting to get in the Bissell Center (it was -33 out), but it wasn’t open for a couple hours. Joanne is originally from Quebec and has been homeless for three years. She was so grateful to have a warm room, bed and excited to take a hot bath.”  https://x.com/Songstress28/status/1746441140558299155?s=20   Related tweet from Brandi Morin on homeless crisis as emergency:  “At Edmonton City Hall ahead of a Special Council Meeting called by @AmarjeetSohiYEG to ask for support to declare a housing & homelessness state of emergency. The provincial cabinet minister of Community and Social Services Minister @JasonNixonAB  has called the meeting ‘bizarre’ & ‘a complete political stunt.’ Meanwhile, I was arrested while documenting City Police’s forcible removal of an unhoused Indigenous camp last week & have been following the homelessness crisis on the streets of Edmonton in -40 weather over the weekend.”  https://x.com/Songstress28/status/1746965175331344639?s=20  Related tweet: Bradley Lafortune on Edmonton Police action:  “Edmonton Police have spent the last week razing unhoused people’s homes, assaulting peaceful witnesses, and yesterday they arrested an Elder, a journalist and a young woman. McFee has lost control. He has made this city an international embarrassment.”  https://x.com/BradLafortune/status/1745475420999598323?s=20

The Sentencing Project (US) – Nazgol Ghandnoosh, Co-Director of Research

One in Five How Mass Incarceration Deepens Inequality and Harms Public Safety

This report draws attention to the reduction in mass incarceration numbers from 2017-2022.  But the actual number of persons incarcerated is still considerably larger than previous and the rate is also higher, especially for Black persons.  The Executive Summary of this 20-page pdf report is well worth reading to understand the precipice holding prison reform in continuance.  “Specifically, this report explores laws and policies that exacerbate socioeconomic inequalities by 1) imposing financial burdens and collateral consequences on people with criminal convictions and 2) diverting public resources from effective interventions to promote public safety.”  One-in-Five-How-Mass-Incarceration-Exacerbates-Inequality-and-Harms-Public-Safety.pdf (sentencingproject.org)   (The report is one of a series available at:  One-in-Five-How-Mass-Incarceration-Exacerbates-Inequality-and-Harms-Public-Safety.pdf (sentencingproject.org)  Related tweet from Alex Karakatsanis on crime reduction:  “One way you can tell people in power don’t actually care about “crime” is their failure to promote the policies that all the evidence shows are the best for reducing interpersonal harm: universal access to medical care, early-childhood education, cash transfers, and housing.”  https://x.com/equalityAlec/status/1747105807332692351?s=20

Human Rights Watch Daily Briefings

Assault on the Powerless

This horrendous report borders on the insane but represents a vivid description of what pure hate can do for humanity.  The refugees are Rohingya in Indonesia but the phenomena is not limited to Indonesia. Hear the Human Rights warning:   “The rage that drives these ugly attacks has been whipped up in coordinated online campaigns. Rabble rousers spread lies on social media about the refugees to fuel public anger against them… And it’s not limited to Indonesia: In the past year, we’ve seen orchestrated mob violence targeting refugees and migrants in numerous countries.  https://www.hrw.org/the-day-in-human-rights/2024/01/16

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