Oct 6, 2023 – The police and …
BC Tyee – Ted Rutland and Karl Beaulieu
Why Pairing Police and Social Workers Makes Life Worse for Unhoused People – And what we should be doing instead.
Since 2009, Montreal police have patrolled with social workers among the homeless and are known as ‘mixed squads’ – “a police officer working alongside a social worker or health worker to respond to situations in public spaces.” The notion that the mixed squads provide support to homeless people is examined in a new report that offers the view of the frontline homeless workers. “The perspectives of frontline workers couldn’t be clearer: far from being a form of support, mixed squads have further harmed unhoused people… The squads add a layer of surveillance and harassment that leads unhoused people to leave the spaces they know best and distance themselves from their support network in order to avoid police.” https://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2023/10/03/Montreal-Police-Unhoused-People/ Full report: Le Comité Opération Droits devant du Rapsim (le Réseau d’aide aux personnes seules et itinérantes de Montréal) Innovation ou Extension de la repression? Perspectives des Intervenant-es sur les Escouades Mixtes à Montreal (French only) http://rapsim.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/rapport-sur-les-escouades-mixtes-20-sept-2023.pdf (A 45 page downloadable pdf)
Tweet from Dr. Jessica Hutchison on Sisters in Spirit Day: Today (Oct 4) is #SistersInSpirit Day. It is a day to remember all Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Two-Spirit ppl. One of the sites Indigenous women & Two-Spirit folx are disappeared into is the carceral system Over 50% of people in women’s federal prisons are Indigenous. https://x.com/Jessichutchison/status/1709554221031297521?s=20
Link from Thomas Reece, SJ – PRRI The Faith Factor in Climate Change: How Religion Impacts American Attitudes on Climate and Environmental Policy https://www.prri.org/research/the-faith-factor-in-climate-change-how-religion-impacts-american-attitudes-on-climate-and-environmental-policy/
Toronto Star First Up – Kevin Jiang
Why Interpol is taking notice of Canadian auto thefts
Car theft in Toronto appears to be serving profits in ways most never suspected, according to a notice from the International Police Interpol. Canada’s booming auto theft problem has placed the country in Interpol’s crosshairs. A recent conference by the international policing agency branded Canada as one of the top contributors to a global black market vehicle trade that helps fund international terrorism, drug and human trafficking, arms dealing and more, Peter Edwards reports. Experts laid much of the blame on what they called outdated theft-prevention regulations from Transport Canada. Today, modern technologies like key fobs and remote starts are ubiquitous — allowing experienced thieves to jack your ride in seconds.” https://www.thestar.com/news/morning-digest/why-interpol-is-taking-notice-of-canadian-auto-thefts-toronto-housing-finally-enters-a-buyers/article_b7edf9a9-cfd8-5852-9f12-b27e491115be.html
US Bureau of Prisons
Prison Report Series: Preliminary Data – Key Findings – E. Ann Carson, PhD
The U.S. prison population was 1,230,100 on December 31, 2022, a 2% increase from 2021 (1,205,100).
At yearend 2022, persons sentenced to more than 1 year under the legal authority of state and federal correctional authorities accounted for 96% (1,185,500) of the total U.S. prison population.
At yearend 2022, 32% of persons sentenced to state or federal prison were black, while 31% were white, 23% Hispanic, 10% multiracial or some other race, 2% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 1% Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Other Pacific Islander.
The number of persons sentenced to more than 1 year under the jurisdiction of correctional authorities increased in 35 states and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) from yearend 2021 to yearend 2022. https://bjs.ojp.gov/preliminary-data-release-prisons?utm_content=default&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
Jails Report Series: Preliminary Data Release Key Findings – Zhen Zeng, PhD
At midyear 2022, local jails held 663,100 persons in custody, 4% more than the year before.
Jails reported 7.3 million admissions from July 2021 to June 2022. While this represents a 6.6% increase over the 6.9 million admissions the year before, annual admissions were 37% lower than 10 years ago (11.6 million).
Local jails held 92,900 females at midyear 2022, accounting for 14% of the inmate population. From 2021 to 2022, the number of females in jail increased 9%, while the number of males increased 3%.
At midyear 2022, 30% of the jail population (197,000) were convicted, either serving a sentence or awaiting sentencing on a conviction, while 70% of the population (466,100) were unconvicted, awaiting court action on a current charge or held in jail for other reasons.https://bjs.ojp.gov/preliminary-data-release-jails?utm_content=default&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
The Bureau of Prisons also has a new statistical report: U.S. Department of Justice – Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Statistics Criminal Victimization, 2022
“The rate of violent victimization in the United States rose to 23.5 victimizations per 1,000 persons age 12 or older in 2022, after reaching a 30-year low of 16.4–16.5 during 2020–2021. Violent victimization includes rape or sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault. The last three decades saw an overall decline in the violent victimization rate from 79.8 to 23.5 per 1,000 from 1993 to 2022.” https://bjs.ojp.gov/document/cv22_sum.pdf?utm_content=default&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
Tweet from The Appeal (US) American Purgatory: Prison Imperialism and the Rise of Mass Incarceration by Benjamin Weber “In his new book, “American Purgatory,” historian Benjamin Weber documents how “prison imperialism”—the deliberate use of prisons to control restive, subject populations—is written into our national DNA. Read an excerpt in today’s newsletter.” https://theappeal.org/american-purgatory-prison-imperialism-mass-incarceration/?utm_source=social&utm_medium=twitter
Homeless Hub – Ahmad Bonakdar
The Relationship Between Youth Homelessness and Child Protection Services
The report concedes that there is little research in the area but points out some troubling signs in studies done to date. This article builds on the 2019 study 2019 Without a Home: The National Youth Homelessness Survey “…available studies show a link between CPS and youth homelessness in Canada. Those in government care are more prone to substance-related behaviours. Additionally, some marginalized groups, such as Indigenous Peoples and 2SLGBTQA+ and non-binary youth, are more likely to have previous involvement with CPS and experience homelessness. These groups also face challenges accessing healthcare, education, and job opportunities.” https://www.homelesshub.ca/blog/relationship-between-youth-homelessness-and-child-protection-services?utm_campaign=hh&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter
Blogger Russell Webster (UK)
The Importance of Dogs to People with Drug Problems
US President Lyndon Johnston allegedly advised legislators in Washington that if they were looking for a friend they ought to get a dog. Webster has similar advice for people with addictions. Eight heroin users who also had a dog submitted to an in depth interview for a Norwegian researcher who concluded: “Feelings of loneliness are reported to be reduced through pet ownership and the evidence base tells us that for people with mental health conditions, emotional support, social interaction and identity are all positive aspects of pet ownership.” https://www.russellwebster.com/the-importance-of-dogs-to-people-with-drug-problems/