Oct 30, 2023 – Phones, Mould, rats and staff shortages…
CBC News (NF) –
Phone changes at HMP cutting off prisoners from outside world, inmate’s mother says -Calls cost money, require credit cards set up by someone outside jail
Her Majesty’s Penitentiary, more commonly and locally known as “the Pen,” is a provincial prison (incarcerated are serving less than two years) has a new phone policy that is leaving a lot of people upset and angry. “The new phone system requires funds be added to an account with a credit card by someone outside the jail, which she says is a barrier for many inmates incarcerated alongside her son. Calls start at $1, Belbin said, whereas they used to be free.” To further aggravate the communication with loved ones, the discovery of mould in the visitor’s room last September, a rat infestation, and staff shortages, has resulted in no visitors since then. Critics say the phone decision is an effort to put the cost on the families of the incarcerated. https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7010123
CTV News – Becca Clarkson
Canadian prison guards advocate for overdose prevention sites after B.C. inmate dies
The death of Kelly Michael Richet in federal custody in B.C. Agassiz’s Mountain Institute has provoked some conflict between Corrections Canada (CSC) and its guards’ union – the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers (UCCO). CSC had approved only one month previously the Prison Needle Exchange Program. The guards union objects that illegal drugs are found in prisons at all and insist that their presence increases the dangers of overdose and health risk for guards. Prison needle exchange has been in place since 2018. The guards union prefers the overdose prevention site approach. https://bc.ctvnews.ca/canadian-prison-guards-advocate-for-overdose-prevention-sites-after-b-c-inmate-dies-1.6621124 Related article: Prison Journalism Project (US): Jeffrey McKee Inside the Mental Health Unit at Washington State Penitentiary – A PJP contributing writer shares the experiences of mentally ill incarcerated patients, and the staff who oversee them. https://prisonjournalismproject.org/2023/10/26/mental-health-in-prisons-inside-look/?utm_source=Prison+Journalism+Project+Inside+Story+Subscribers&utm_campaign=c0e7a6c7f5-InsideStory_1029&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-c483ea6924-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&mc_cid=c0e7a6c7f5&mc_eid=51ba856069
CBC News (MB) – Cathy Gowriluk
Lawyers barred from practicing law in Canada for 3 years after having Manitoba judge followed in 2021 – Judge calls hiring private investigator ‘nothing short of an affront on the administration of justice’
Two Alberta lawyers, Randal Jay Cameron and John Carpay, were charged with interference in the justice system when they hired a private detective to follow the judge in a case over pandemic rules as they impacted on the rights of a group of rural churches. Both lawyers were also already fined $5,000 and prohibited from practicing law in Manitoba. Court of King’s Bench Justice Shane Perlmutter said: “What these lawyers did is nothing short of an affront on the administration of justice,” Perlmutter said, adding they “abused” the professional privilege granted to them while participating in a “historically important” constitutional case in Manitoba.” https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/carpay-cameron-lawyers-glenn-joyal-1.7010392
CBC News – Ashley Burke
Families of Bernardo’s victims want access to his records to prepare for parole hearings – CBC News listened to a recording of the serial killer’s parole board hearing
A parole hearing for Paul Bernardo scheduled for November has been moved to February while controversy over access to the records to be used at the hearing plays out. The French and Mahaffy families want to see the records of Bernardo; they were also upset that Bernardo was transferred from max to medium security without notice. “”We are told Bernardo’s privacy rights are more important than ours and the public interest,” she told his parole hearing in 2018, according to an audio recording… Even though he seeks a public remedy at a public hearing where the threshold issued is public safety, this is a kick in the teeth for victims and loved ones.” Family lawyer Tim Danson is appealing the restrictions of privacy to the Supreme Court but does not expect a hearing before the new February parole hearing. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/victims-families-legal-battle-paul-bernardo-documents-parole-hearing-1.7011091?__vfz=medium%3Dsharebar Related tweet from John Howard Society on privacy rights: “Making prisoner’s records available to victims would violate privacy rights, act as a possible disincentive to prisoners taking the rehabilitative/therapeutic help that would prevent further victimization, and subvert correctional objectives.” https://x.com/JohnHoward_Can/status/1718965560547922014?s=20
National Post – Brian Passifiume
Directives to military chaplains urge expunging God, religion from Remembrance Day, public ceremonies – The directive urges chaplains to ‘adopt a sensitive and inclusive approach’ during public addresses
“New directives for military chaplains that tell them to be “respectful of … spiritual diversity” during public addresses, to employ “Gender Based Analysis” and replace religious symbols like crosses and stars of David with a generic chaplain’s crest could spell the death of the role in Canada’s Armed Forces, says one long-serving veteran of the chaplaincy.” The Department of National Defence said in a statement to National Post that the directives should be viewed as “expanding participation in the reflections of military chaplains,” as opposed to limiting them. https://nationalpost.com/news/directives-to-military-chaplains-urge-expunging-god-religion-from-remembrance-day-public-ceremonies
Prison Policy Initiative (US) – Alexi Jones
Reforms without Results: Why states should stop excluding violent offenses from criminal justice reforms
The challenge presented by this headline may be more a tribute to how ingrain the punishment focus is on violence. The thrust of much reform of criminal law and policy around prisons results in a focus on the non-violent side. The challenge of this report is that the non-violent offender focus is short sighted and ignores the conditions and impact of prison on about one million persons of the 2.2 million incarcerated. Any reform perspective would likely be better served by a fully comprehensive approach to the criminal legal system. “The staggering number of people incarcerated for violent offenses is not due to high rates of violent crime, but rather the lengthy sentences doled out to people convicted of violent crimes. These lengthy sentences, relics of the “tough on crime” era, have not only fueled mass incarceration; they’ve proven an ineffective and inhumane response to violence in our communities and run counter to the demands of violent crime victims for investments in prevention rather than incarceration.” https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/violence.html
Tweet from Upstream Lab Research on increased police spending and crime rates: No consistent correlations were found between increased police spending & municipal crime rates in a study by researchers at Upstream Labs, MAP Health, and U o f T Centre for Criminology and Sociolegal Studies. https://x.com/upstreamlab/status/1718356965024268341?s=20 Full Report: Research finds no consistent correlations between police spending and municipal crime rates https://upstreamlab.org/research-finds-no-consistent-correlations-between-police-spending-and-municipal-crime-rates/ https://www.utpjournals.press/doi/abs/10.3138/cpp.2022-050?journalCode=cpp. (“Police Funding and Crime Rates in 20 of Canada’s Largest Municipalities: A Longitudinal Study” was published in Canadian Public Policy Advance Access on October 17, 2023. The official publication will appear in the December issue.)
BC Tyee – Zak Vescera
What a Fairer Migrant Farmworker Program Could Look Like – More worker power and better oversight needed to protect the people BC depends on to grow its food.
This year, the Tyee published a three part series on the abuses and exploitation of the migrant farm workers in BC. Now, the suggested remedies for what was troubling. Giving workers power and mobility from one job to another, more inspections, no more jurisdictional football from one agency to another. https://thetyee.ca/News/2023/10/25/Fairer-Migrant-Farm-Worker-Program/
Columbia Valley Pioneer – Julia Magsombol
Former gang member shares journey
The link provides the story of Tania Ross, gang member and former incarcerated person, now motivational speaker and youth counsellor in Winnipeg. The story highlights the importance of second chances. https://www.columbiavalleypioneer.com/former-gang-member-shares-journey/
Brandi Morin, poet, story teller and First Nations advocate, on the Israeli-Hamas War:
“My words may not matter to some, but like many of the human family I’ve been anguished about the bloodshed happening between Palestine and Israel. The horrors of these events deeply disturbs my being. I’ve had restless nights filled with thoughts and prayers for all, my spirit gutted by the images of children being bombed. And the boundaries of my faith have been tested. I stand for humanity. I denounce Hamas for their brutal attack on Israelis and call for the safe return of the abductees. My heart breaks for the innocent children and civilians caught in the crossfire of Israel’s hunt down of retribution. And I pray for them to get out. I believe that every human being deserves peace, as God’s children, we are all loved and cherished by our Creator. While I may not hold the answers to end this endless cycle of war, I remain in constant prayer for lasting peace. And believe that one day, compassion, justice and understanding will prevail.” https://x.com/Songstress28/status/1718497479816028222?s=20
Tweet from UBI on basic income: “If inequality increases, poverty increases; if poverty increases, crime & sickness increases; if crime & sickness increases, cost increases;
#UBI creates a loop of abundance; #BasicIncome is cheaper and productive.” https://x.com/UBI_NOW/status/1718726495588213239?s=20 (cf graphs)