Incarceration rates are up in Canada, but not because more people are being sentenced to jail but because more people are stuck in jail pending trial or sentence. Most of these people are presumed innocent and, in any event, even if guilty, are getting extra credit for time served (usually two times actual time).
The Sun's comment, that the increased rates do not reflect more bad guys behind bars is true -- it actually reflects the incarceration of poor guys more than bad guys -- is true but misses the point. We need a faster system.
On any analysis this is a disgraceful situation. It is neither tough on crime or bleeding heart -- it's just bad.
What this means is we need to speed up the criminal system -- and yes, that means more money, more judges, more prosecutors, more clerks and courtrooms, and, also, more money and resources for legal aid.
Justice delayed is justice denied and that's more than a truism, it's the truth.
Inmate rates on the rise
Inmate rates on the rise
But increase more about remands than 'more bad guys' behind bars
"The numbers don't mean things are getting better because they include provincial and territorial sentences -- not really the bad guys ... and it includes conditional sentences in the community. House arrest is considered incarceration," Joe Wamback, with Canadian Crime Victim Foundation, said.
"The report suggests the streets are safer because more bad guys are in jail and that is not the case.
The report, that looked at the year ending in March, 2008, says there were 13,304 prisoners in federal jails, an increase of 3% from the previous year.
The number of youth in remand reached 1,009, 7% higher than the year before.
This is the first time since the introduction of the Youth Criminal Justice Act that more youths were remanded waiting for trial or sentencing than those serving a custodial sentence.
4 comments:
BS Your a bleeding hart
Actually he's not a bleeding heart. If you read his posts you'd realize he's more like a Conservative wolf pretending to be a Liberal lamb.
Actually, you do know that administration of justice (courts, judges, facilities, etc.) is a provincial responsibility, for the type of crimes that you are complaining about?
I do -- and it's also a provincial responsibility to set out the Criminal Rules, pay legal aid and the provincial judges. I don't blame the Feds for this (except for creating more mandatory sentences which leads to more trial time etc but that's marginal as an effect)
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