July 20, 2013
ipolitics.com – Steve Sullivan
What does the new cabinet mean for victims’ rights?
The first Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime and an advocate for victims for over twenty years, Sullivan offers an insightful assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the new cabinet line-up for the immediate future of victim advocacy. http://www.ipolitics.ca/2013/07/17/what-does-the-new-cabinet-mean-for-victims-rights
CBC News
Report urges cyberbullying law after Rehtaeh Parsons death -Criminal Code has a gap with respect to distribution of ‘intimate images’ without prior consent
A new joint federal-provincial report that acknowledges a gap in Canada’s criminal code is suggesting 6 months to five years as a penalty for distributing intimate photos without consent. Legal definitions are important but the applications of such legislation to youth is another concern. The changes are to the criminal code and are not specifically about bullying or cyberbullying. http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2013/07/19/pol-joint-cyberbullying-report-rehtaeh-parsons.html Full CBC page on Rehtaeh Parsons: http://www.cbc.ca/ns/features/rehtaeh-parsons Full report of federal-provincial study: http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/other-autre/cndii-cdncii/index.html Related article: Windsor Star – Tobi Cohen, Postmedia News Sexual cyberbullying should be an offence: Mackay http://www.windsorstar.com/Sexual+cyberbullying+should+offence+mackay/8685854/story.html
Vancouver Sun – David Berner
Little evidence harm reduction reduces harm
There has been on-going controversy about if the safe injection site for drugs in the Downtown East Side is in fact risk reduction effective. This report challenges the evaluations on the grounds that the same people who set up the site and got funding are the people doing the assessments. http://www.vancouversun.com/Little+evidence+harm+reduction+reduces+harm/8681539/story.html
New Zealand Herald
Asylum seekers riot on Nauru
Nearly 60 detainees in an immigration facility at Nauru (Australia) are now in prison after a riot following an announcement by Prime Minister Rudd that a government decision to deny settlement to immigrants who paid people smugglers for passage would be effective immediately. A further 200 were reported as escaped. The Nauruan MP called over state TV for local men to come to the facility to help local police deal with the uprising that saw some 15 police or guards hurt. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10900781 Related article: Economic Times (Australia) – Reuters Australia slams door on refugees with tough new measures http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/nri/visa-and-immigration/australia-slams-door-on-refugees-with-tough-new-measures/articleshow/21169624.cms
Vancouver Sun – Tom Zytaruk
Experts at odds over how to treat, sentence teen’s killer
Now it’s up to a judge to decide how to deal with a convicted murdered who was a youth at the time. There are conflicting expert opinions about where and how the youth can get treatment for his mental illness. Now 20, the youth could be sentenced as a youth or as an adult. http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Experts+odds+over+treat+sentence+teen+killer/8681342/story.html
In these times – George Lavender
California Prisoners Vow to Continue Hunger Strike, Now In 12th Day
Almost 1500 inmates in California prisons, spread over 15 institutions, continue the hunger strike demanding an end to solitary confinement. One of the leaders, Paul Rudd, has been in solitary for over 30 years and thinks he is again in solitary because he is a ‘jailhouse lawyer’ suffering retaliation with others involved in the strike from the prison authorities. http://inthesetimes.com/uprising/entry/15330/california_prisoners_vow_to_continue_hunger_strike Related article: LA Times – Lee Romney and Paige St. John Probe of California’s prison-based mental health facilities ordered http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jul/12/local/la-me-prison-mental-health-20130712