"Conventional justice sends the message to victims and society that we should all be satisfied and healed by retribution. Our government tells us that longer sentences and bigger prisons will make us safer. By contrast, my experience tells me that treatment, education and accountability programs for offenders do more good at less cost. Had Jason had access to these, perhaps he never would have reoffended.
I believe that the ripple effect of crime can be stopped by allocating resources to support victims and offenders' families. And by uncovering and treating crime's root causes, such as abuse and mental illness, we will come much closer to the safe and just society we universally desire."
6 comments:
It is also imperative that the issue of poverty be addressed because as long as there are economic disadvantages associated with every day living there will be crimes of opportunity and drug dealing to name only two.
“During a 33-year period from 1975 to 2008, some 508 criminals who, after extensive psychological testing and interviewing were judged no danger to public safety by the National Parole Board, were released from prison and in that period killed 557 perfectly innocent Canadians.”
From: The Trouble With Canada … Still! (BPS Books, 2011), p.373.
What are the root causes of that statistic?
Here's a Snapshot from p. 374.
The National Parole Board’s Robots
Let us try to imagine what the public would think if the National Parole Board had lots of cute little mobile robot devices – you know, cuddly little fellers - that are computer-programmed to do nothing at all, most of the time.
But some of them are programmed to fire a bullet into a crowd at random and without warning at some unspecified time after they are set free. The NPB places hundreds of these robots “in the community” – in malls like the Eaton Centre, in Toronto, where they simply mosey around, gliding up and down the hallways, in and out of stores, minding their own business. We know statistically that at an unpredictable time in the future, a predictable number of these robots will fire their bullet into the crowd and a predictable number of innocent Canadians will die.
That is my mind experiment
Now I ask: could someone explain to the Canadian public how the National Parole board releasing into the public previously-identified violent criminals who have a known rate of repeat violent crime, is different from sending random-killing robots to roam about in public? I suggest there is no difference whatsoever – except that the robot has even less emotion about this than the criminal, and no motive.
However, if our parole board did in fact send such robots into the public to kill with predictable certainty, there would be violent public fear and outrage. The NPB would be dragged before a Public Commission (a Canadian must), and those responsible for release decisions severely punished. Actually, they would be charged as accessories to murder.
But … what is the difference between the predictable repeat offender, and the predictable robot?
http://www.williamgairdner.com/journal/2011/10/3/robots-at-the-national-parole-board.html
"According to UN international comparisons, Canada has a rate of police-reported criminal incidents among the highest in the world – almost double the US rate (p.330). “In the 33-year period from 1975 to 2008, some 508 criminals released from our prisons murdered a total of 557 innocent Canadians”
Why is that Morton?
Hi Mr. Morton - This is a rather long column but one that I think makes your point more thoroughly and convincingly than do most articles on the topic.
The Lessons of Law and Order: What Canadians Can Learn From Failed US Crime Policy
Wednesday 5 October 2011
by: Susan Searls Giroux, Truthout | News Analysis
An Ontario Provincial Police vehicle. (Photo: NapaneeGal)
"I want to be the Premier to bring change these families need and deserve. Change that puts criminals to work. Change that treats victims of crime with respect. Change that gives police officers the tools and authority to do their jobs safely and properly." -Tim Hudak, Ontario Progressive Conservative leader.......
In my opinion, to reduce the number of killing incidents, a country must enforce a strict parole regulation, coupled with support for the offender's family and the victims. Crime occurs because there is a deficiency somewhere in society. If the country can tend to these deficiencies, then crime rates will significantly drop. Canada has it better than other countries, really. Other countries suffer significantly higher crime rates.
http://dglaw.org/
Post a Comment