Dec. 17, 2013
Globe and Mail – Michaelle Jean
Time to bring Madiba’s values to Canada
Canada’s former Governor General has a wish list in the light of the recent tributes paid to South Africa’s Madiba. “A world of justice can be built only if we act justly with our opponents. A true community can come about only if we learn to work together, even when confronted by adversarial attitudes.” http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/landing-madibas-legacy-in-canada/article15962456 Related article: Globe and Mail – Gordon Gibson Canada needs its Mandela – or its de Klerk http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/canada-needs-its-mandela-or-its-de-klerk/article15958189
Eastern Mennonite University Zehr Institute for RJ – Carl Stauffer
Reflections on Mandela
A professor at the Mennonite university, Stauffer offers four points that under pin Mandela’s approach to justice and reconciliation. Reconciliation is personal, political, tied inextricably to justice and a hopeful future that “bends toward reconciliation.” http://emu.edu/now/restorative-justice/2013/12/16/reflections-on-mandela
Toronto Star – Alyshah Hasham
Ontario judges criticize police, courts for delays
The Supreme Court has established the guideline of 8-10 months of delay once both parties are ready for trial – usually three months after the charge relating to drunk driving is laid. The delays by police providing video tape evidence, the backlog for court dates, all contribute to pushing the delays beyond the constitutionally acceptable limit. Conviction rates in Toronto hover around 50% with the rate of charges stayed or withdrawn at 27%. http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2013/12/16/ontario_judges_criticize_police_courts_for_delays.html
CBC News – Laura Payton
James Moore: Not my job to ‘feed neighbour’s children’
Federal Industry Minister James Moore deserves, with this remark, to be numbered among the greatest of the Scrooge proponents ever. In a radio interview about BC child poverty rates, Moore took a Christmas moment to forget that the widespread poverty among Aboriginals and their families are the responsibility of the feds and the situation continues to languish unaddressed. http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/james-moore-not-my-job-to-feed-neighbour-s-children-1.2465666
Mad in America (US) – Don Weitz
How Canada’s Prisons Killed Ashley Smith: A National Crime and Shame
A US psychiatric site weighs in on the Ashley Smith death in prison as the Coroner’s hearing concludes. This assessment, after reviewing the history of Ashley’s imprisonment, concludes: “Ashley’s suicide, like many other prisoner deaths, was not accidental, it was predictable and preventable.” http://www.madinamerica.com/2013/12/canadas-prisons-killed-ashley-smith-national-crime-shame
Chicago Sun Times – Mary Mitchell
‘Affluenza’ argument for teen’s probation in 4 deaths is bogus: Mitchell
A Texas judge is in the middle of a controversial defence and a ‘soft sentence’ for a16 year old teen guilty of four deaths in a drunk-driving case. The defence argued that parental neglect and wealth contributed to the offence. Faced with 20 years in prison, the teen got rehabilitation and 10 years probation. http://www.suntimes.com/news/mitchell/24421055-452/affluenza-argument-for-teens-probation-in-4-deaths-is-bogus-mitchell.html
Florida Times–Union – Francis Koster
Guest column: Saving money, improving lives through smart justice
Here’s a PhD futurologist telling us about programs that have a huge impact on recidivism rates. Try competitive running and mental health courts. http://members.jacksonville.com/opinion/premium-opinion/2013-12-16/story/guest-column-saving-money-improving-lives-through-smart Related article: Huffington Post (US) – Andrea Rael Prisoners With ‘Major Mental Illness’ Moved Out of Solitary Confinement In Colorado http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/16/colorado-solitary-confinement-mental-illness_n_4453656.html
Terre des homes
Terre des hommes’ ability to innovate in restorative juvenile justice is rewarded
This Peruvian juvenile justice organization, after 60 years of operations, has been nominated for Successful Innovation Award by the Hague Institute for Internationalisation of Law. The organization tries to take children out of contact with the law and focuses on the human rights of the child. http://www.tdh.ch/en/news/terre-des-hommes–juvenile-justice-rewarded
Texas Public Policy Foundation – Derek Cohen
Reviving Restorative Justice: A Blueprint for Texas
This is an eight page public policy document that reviews the practice of RJ and offers a rationale for reviving the approach to advantage. The analysis is focused on the role of the victim in the RJ process. The link provides a downloadable pdf file. http://www.texaspolicy.com/sites/default/files/documents/2013-12-PP39-RevivingRestorativeJustice-CEJ-DerekCohen.pdf
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