Oct 15, 2016
Toronto Star – Desmond Cole
The case against body cameras for Toronto police – The millions of dollars would be better spent on overhauling the police oversight bodies
The question of equipping police with body cameras is getting lots of attention with most concluding, that despite the cost, storage and officer time required, the cameras are a good idea, a sort of definitive witness in encounters between civilians and police. Cole is offering some critiques, especially around how the money may be better spent in a time of tough budget pressures. Says Cole: “The best bang for our accountability buck is to overhaul our failed oversight bodies, which are currently numb to the reality of systemic police brutality.” https://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2016/10/13/the-case-against-body-cameras-for-toronto-police-cole.html
CBC News – Amanda Margison
Ontario inmates first to get naloxone opioid overdose spray – Cost ‘still being determined’, provincial ministry says
The province is trying to stem the epidemic of opioid overdoses, especially from fentanyl and is issuing nose spray naloxone to inmates on release. The nasal spray is the preferred treatment but more expensive version of naloxone. Elsewhere health and justice officials have equipped first responders but Ontario is still considering. “[We] are exploring options for providing naloxone nasal spray to first responders and eligible organizations through the Ontario Naloxone Program,” said ministry spokesman David Jensen.” http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/ontario-inmates-first-to-get-naloxone-opioid-overdose-spray-1.3804151 Related article: CBC News Acupuncture a popular treatment for addictions in P.E.I. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-addictions-treatment-acupuncture-1.3800662 Related article: Globe and Mail – Sunny Dhillon B.C. First Nation to implement voluntary drug, alcohol testing http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/bc-first-nation-to-implement-voluntary-drug-alcohol-testing/article32344681/?cmpid=rss1
Toronto Star – Editorial (Oct. 13, 2016)
Governments must restrict use of prison ‘segregation’
The defence of the CSC to the rec from the Ashley Smith coroner’s jury to limit the use of solitary confinement was always that the practice was a necessary tool in management. Now, with a recorded 50% reduction in both long term and daily solitary without any serious consequence, critics are wondering why there cannot be further reductions and perhaps suspension altogether, especially when mental health problems are prompting the solitary. https://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2016/10/13/governments-must-restrict-use-of-prison-segregation-editorial.html
Globe and Mail – Leah Eichler
Forget deodorant commercials, we need real work to solve the wage gap
The gender gap in salary remains one of the enduring mysteries in the workplace: how does the practice continue and why is enforcement for violations so lacking? “There are many ways to measure the gender wage gap, many of which do account for hours of work and occupational choice. Even accounting for these factors, the gender wage gap exists at every level of job and across all sectors,” Ms. Emanuella Heyninck said, who is pay equity commissioner for Ontario and one of the most recent report’s co-authors. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/career-advice/life-at-work/forget-deodorant-commercials-we-need-real-work-to-solve-the-wage-gap/article32365762/ Full report (June 2016) Gender Wage Gap Strategy Steering Committee Report (A 72 page downloadable pdf) http://files.ontario.ca/7198_mol_gwg_finalreport_eng_wa_08f.pdf
National Association for Youth Justice (UK) – Tim Bateman
The State of Youth Custody
This organization argues first for the least amount of youth custody possible, prison as a last resort, and second for the notion that custody does not reduce crime but that sentences between 6 and 12 months increase the likelihood of recidivism. The report looks at the various types of secure young offender institutions: young offender institutions (YOIs), secure training centres (STCs) and secure children’s homes (SCHs). http://thenayj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/NAYJ-Briefing-State-of-Youth-Custody-2016.pdf (A 12 page downloadable pdf) Related article: Seattle Times(US) – Claudia Rowe Counseling and self-reflection instead of jail: King County tries new approach to teen crime http://www.seattletimes.com/education-lab/counseling-over-jail-king-county-risks-new-approach-to-teen-crime/