April 29, 2014
National Newswatch – Don Lenihan
Andrew MacDougall’s world of the 24/7
Here’s a commentary by the Senior Associate at Canada’s Public Policy Forum in Ottawa on the “talking points” strategy of the federal government’s handling of news media on various issues, particularly the more immediate effort to grab media space and attention early in the issue. Preferring a more open government approach, Lenihan protests that the issues are long suffering, not instantaneous or in a 7-24 boiling pot. http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2014/04/29/andrew-macdougalls-world-of-the-247/#.U1-mnFfRPNU Related article: CBC News – Katy O’Malley Election bill a cautionary tale against governing by talking point http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/election-bill-a-cautionary-tale-against-governing-by-talking-point-1.2624148
Department of Justice (Canada)
Victims of Crime Research Digest
A 51 page PDF at the DOJ Site, the digest has articles on Cyberbullying, Assisting Victims through Technology, Using Support Dogs with Victims of Crime, The Case Law from 2003-2010, The Human Cost of Impaired Driving in Canada and finallyVictim-Related Conferences in 2014. http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/cj-jp/victim/rd7-rr7/rd7-rr7.pdf
Guardian (UK) – Jane Dudman
Why we need to know that poor people are more likely to be bitten by dogs
First, there was a great shout about the deliberate fudging of crime stats by the Metropolitan Police in London. More recently, the stats from Chicago Police Department came under scrutiny, and the way the FBI gathers and reports is somewhat suspect. This article is a perspective on what can be learned when the stats from a variety of agencies gathering stats are put together for a broader picture of health and well-being. http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/apr/29/poverty-dog-attacks-link-combining-statistics Related article: TribLive – Associated Press Better hate crime tracking needed, FBI director says http://triblive.com/usworld/nation/6024884-74/hate-comey-crimes#ixzz30HkEQ7LM Related article: Guardian (UK) What the crime data doesn’t tell us http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/apr/28/what-crime-data-doesnt-tell-us
Huffington Post – Michael McLaughlin
Shocking Number of Innocent People Sentenced to Death, Study Finds
The article concerns a pointed effort to analyze statistically how many innocent people are put to death in the US. The real point of the article is the new approach to establishing the grounds for determining that once convicted the conviction was in error. The results are frightening. Conservatively, one of 25 is executed wrongly; and the number seems more appropriately double in number of those who are exonerated before execution. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/28/innocent-death-penalty-study_n_5228854.html Related article: Reuters – Ohio increases death penalty drug dosages after execution reviewhttp://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/29/us-usa-execution-ohio-idUSBREA3S09620140429 Related article: Hamilton Spectator – Study: 1 in 25 sentenced to death in U.S. likely innocent http://www.thespec.com/news-story/4488710-study-1-in-25-sentenced-to-death-in-u-s-likely-innocent Related article: The National (UAE) Brotherhood leader Badie among 683 members sentenced to death by Egypt court http://www.thenational.ae/world/middle-east/brotherhood-leader-badie-among-683-members-sentenced-to-death-by-egypt-court#ixzz30HqmBeQe Related article: New Scientist – Aviva Rutkin US death penalty practices raise disturbing questions http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25486-us-death-penalty-practices-raise-disturbing-questions.html
Globe and Mail – Michael Babad
Cold dead hands: 13 facts about U.S. gun culture that speak volumes
Last week-end the US National Rifle Association had its annual convention. Here’s an update on the official agenda and convention workshops as well as information on how the arms market is responding from a G & M business reporter. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/top-business-stories/cold-dead-hands-13-facts-about-us-gun-culture-that-speak-for-themselves/article18319529
Northern Echo (Darlington, UK) – Joanna Morris
Restorative justice helps communities in Darlington come together, according to volunteer Rosie Dixon
Here’s an application of RJ that seems entirely sensible and pre-emptive of preventable tensions and violence. A group of volunteers acting as mediators step into neighbourhood and family disputes, even feuds, to resolve the confrontations with RJ practices. http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/local/darlington/11173171.Restorative_justice_helps_communities_come_together__according_to_volunteer