March 22, 2016 Toronto Star – Daniel Brown Time to overhaul Canada’s unjust bail system “I can no longer call it a court of law,” Julia Lauzon, an Ottawa Justice of the Peace, said. “Unfortunately, Ottawa's bailout court, and others, have devolved … [Read more...]
Numbers …
February 18, 2016 CBC News – John Paul Tasker Confusion reigns over number of missing, murdered indigenous women - RCMP said 1,017 indigenous women were killed between 1980 and 2012, activists say it's closer to 4,000 The number of Indigenous … [Read more...]
Lockdowns …
February 8, 2016 Toronto Star – Ann Dempsey Lockdowns "similar" to solitary, jail security official says - Toronto South Detention Centre security manager testifies that he knows of no policies limiting lockdowns in jails. There is increasing … [Read more...]
Proportionality discussion paper Justice Canada, Steering Committee on Justice Efficiencies and Access to the Justice System This June 2012 discussion paper by a Government of Canada Justice Committee recognizes that the burgeoning growth and … [Read more...]
Justice committee recognizes growth and complexity of criminal justice system at crisis proportions
This June 2012 discussion paper by a Government of Canada Justice Committee recognizes that the burgeoning growth and complexity of the criminal justice system has reached crisis proportions: lengthened criminal trials, increased costs, more court … [Read more...]
Finding direction: Expanding criminal justice options by considering policies of other nations
This report compares criminal justice systems and social indicators for six countries including Canada. Countries choosing fines, community service, probation, or treatment did not produce higher victimization rates. Some countries used sentence … [Read more...]
Missouri tells judges cost of sentences
Some jurisdictions are asking for more judicial accountability for costly sentencing choices that are ineffective. A new program in Missouri uses data about offenders to help answer these questions: What is the likelihood, under different sentencing … [Read more...]
Lessons from the front lines in Canada’s restorative justice experiment: The experience of sentencing judges
Megan Stephens interviewed Ontario judges on restorative justice processes, which offer a contextual approach to resolving the aftermath of a crime. Data from the interviews provide a candid in-depth look at obstacles to effective implementation, … [Read more...]