Dec. 8, 2023 – Emotion and truth…
CNN – Allison Morrow
The US shoplifting scourge is a lot of hype with little evidence…
To be sure when passion rules, statistics can be found to sustain the passion. That is the case, says Morrow, with the panic revelations that shoplifting is gutting downtowns and forcing closure of numerous stores. The National Retail Federation, the lobbying group for US retailers, recognizes the exaggeration and unreliable stats: “… NRF stands behind the “widely understood fact that organized retail crime is a serious problem. … At the same time, we recognize the challenges the retail industry and law enforcement have with gathering and analyzing an accurate and agreed-upon set of data.” Alex Piquero, a criminologist and sociologist at the University of Miami: “In aggregate, “the United States’ shoplifting hasn’t changed too much… There are pockets are of real increases in certain cities, but the national trend is pretty flat.” There may well be other, business / economic / social, reasons for store closures, but not runaway shoplifting. Then, again, it may simply be the faulty collection and reporting of statistics. https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/07/business/shoplifting-surge-hype-nightcap/index.html Related article: The Innocence Project (US) – Alicia Maule Innocence Project’s Uplifting Moments from 2023 – The Innocence Project team helped exonerate nine people in 2023, from Hilo, Hawaii to Syracuse, New York. https://innocenceproject.org/innocence-projects-uplifting-moments-from-2023/
BC Tyee – Jen St. Denis
Why Modular Housing Stands Empty During Vancouver’s Homelessness Crisis – After pioneering the quick-build housing model, Vancouver is backing away from the strategy.
There are housing units empty of tenants in a city with 16% increase in homelessness from 2020-23. The housing is modular or prefabricated and designed for temporary location and mobility to other sites. Now, the city is saying that the cost of mobility is prohibitive and better use of the land would lead to taller buildings and permanent housing. The city council sees an either /or perspective but some say that the temporary housing can be a bridge to permanent and that the units can be sold as low-income housing as well. Politics are as important as real estate and construction issues. https://thetyee.ca/News/2023/12/06/Why-Modular-Housing-Stands-Empty/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=editorial
N.Y. Times (US) – Wilson Wong
A New Literary Prize Taps a Jury Living Behind Bars – Over the next six months, inmates in prisons around the country will be able to debate and vote on the winner of a new book award — the Inside Literary Prize.
Here’s a novel use for a jury, all of whom are incarcerated: have them participate in the judging of the quality of books nominated for special national recognition by the publishing community and award a literary prize, called the Inside Literary Prize. They will read and debate the merits of the nominees and award the prize accordingly. The initiative is sponsored by Freedom Reads, a non-profit organization, the Centre for Justice Innovation, and the National Book Foundation; “The goal of the award, according to Reginald Dwayne Betts, the founder and chief executive of Freedom Reads, is to create a way for incarcerated people to meaningfully participate in the national cultural conversation.” Incarcerated from six states will participate in the process for the award. The four nominees for the first award are all already national winners or finalists from 2022 book awards. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/04/books/inside-literary-prize.html?unlocked_article_code=1.EE0.M9VB.pyXro6OqrSQP&smid=em-share
The Sentencing Project (US) – Nazgol Ghandnoosh, Celeste Barry, and Luke Trinka
One in Five: Racial Disparity in Imprisonment— Causes and Remedies
Scholars have noted a generational shift in the incarceration of Black men, from one in three of those born in 1981 to current one in five born in 2001. An improvement but still says the report that Blacks are still imprisoned at five times the white rate. The report examines three factors contributing to the disproportionate numbers and lives impacted: laws that only appear racially neutral; discriminating practices in discretionary matters; a financially burdened and under-resourced system that puts poor and racial minorities at disadvantage. The 34-page report (downloadable pdf) also has an excellent executive summary. https://www.sentencingproject.org/app/uploads/2023/12/One-in-Five-Racial-Disparity-in-Imprisonment-Causes-and-Remedies.pdf?emci=ff20c661-6094-ee11-8925-002248223f36&emdi=74e15099-1195-ee11-8925-002248223f36&ceid=10203385
Homeless Hub (Canada) – Stephen Gaetz
Youth Homelessness Prevention Needs Assessment — Results Released
There are five preventions techniques developed over the years: Housing First for Youth, Family and Natural Supports, Reconnect, Duty to Assist, and Upstream.This study determined that 90% of the front-line people engaged in the youth homelessness issue agreed with the assessment. “None of this will just happen organically. Higher orders of government need to support the work of capacity building and make investments in effective preventive interventions.” https://www.homelesshub.ca/resource/youth-homelessness-prevention-initiative-needs-assessment?utm_campaign=hh&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter Full Report (34-page downloadable pdf) https://www.homelesshub.ca/sites/default/files/attachments/COH-YouthHomelessnessPreventionInitiativeReport_Oct2023.pdf Related article: Global News – Alex Cooke & Megan King On the Brink: The ‘harsh environment’ of youth homelessness from a lived experience https://globalnews.ca/news/10154275/on-the-brink-5-youth/ Related article: The Conversation (Canada) – Heather B. MacIntosh When ‘rights’ divide: Trans kids need supportive families https://theconversation.com/when-rights-divide-trans-kids-need-supportive-families-216724?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation%20for%20December%208%202023&utm_content=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation%20for%20December%208%202023+CID_14eef1788ef7116f141d5c7a3c33db41&utm_source=campaign_monitor_ca&utm_term=When%20rights%20divide%20Trans%20kids%20need%20supportive%20families
Blog from Winnipeg Police Cause Harm on police budgets: “As always, cops leverage their total failure to keep people safe to demand even more resources for themselves. Violence reduction requires taking money from what is clearly not working – police – and using it to actually prevent harm from happening in the first place.” https://x.com/WpgPoliceHarm/status/1732852048788427033?s=20
Blog from Taylor Lambert on police transfer: “I looked into how many cops in Edmonton and Calgary have left their jobs while under investigation for misconduct since 2012 — 88 in total, one of whom is now the police chief in Camrose.” https://x.com/TS_Lambert/status/1732788836571242554?s=20
Blog from Critical Criminology on Police misconduct: “Another reason we need a public cop offender registry/database. And this sort of study needs doing for every force. Cops regularly move around to avoid consequences or after they have been disciplined in one force.” https://x.com/critcrim/status/1732884445143916901?s=20
Blog from Alberta Prison Justice Society (APJS) on Prison Costs: “How many Albertans are aware of the cost attached to incarceration? How many would be in favour of spending more money on addictions, housing, and mental health services if they knew how much we’re spending to warehouse people in jail?” “…Moss oversaw the jail’s segregation unit. He described to the jury a “warehousing” of inmates with mental health issues in segregation, with staff lacking appropriate training on mental illness, a lack of available segregation beds, and an “impossible” workload.” https://x.com/PrisonApjs/status/1732591466198049215?s=20
Blog from John Howard Society (Canada) on segregation: “Canada must have a comprehensive review of all forms of solitary confinement (seg, SIU, VLARs – whatever named) to ensure humane treatment of those confined. Mentally ill prisoners should not be warehoused in isolation.” https://x.com/JohnHoward_Can/status/1732755155114676278?s=20
Daily Hive Canada: Federal and provincial laws and policies taking effect in 2024 you should know about… https://dailyhive.com/canada/new-canadian-laws-2024