Welcome to my Crime and Justice blog! I am a 19 year old criminal justice student at the University of Winnipeg. I advocate for prisoners' rights, human rights, equality and criminal justice/prison system reforms.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Facebook revenge plot nets prison sentence. Completely inappropriate.

A Winnipeg man is heading to jail for posting nude photos of his 16-year-old former girlfriend on Facebook.
The 18-year-old – who can’t be named to protect the identity of the victim – pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography and criminal harassment. He was sentenced on Friday to six months behind bars as part of a joint-recommendation from Crown and defence lawyers.
Crown attorney Terry McComb told court the girl took the pictures of herself and emailed them to the accused when she was just 15. The pair had been in a relationship for nearly two years but broke up last spring.

The accused was apparently upset after learning she was in a new relationship with a man he didn’t like and decided to seek revenge by creating a Facebook account under a bogus name, then posting the pictures online and sending links to friends of the girl and her new boyfriend, court was told.
The photos included topless shots of the teen and others which showed her naked torso, but not her face. In Canada, nude photos of a sexual nature depicting anyone under the age of 18 are considered child pornography.
The accused was arrested in April and spent four nights in custody before getting bail. He then sent his ex-girlfriend an email apology. "I’m sorry for showing you to his friends. I got charged with child pornography and that’s killer," he wrote.
The man was quickly re-arrested by police and charged with violating his bail by having contact with the victim. He has been in custody at Headingley Jail ever since.
Provincial court Judge Kelly Moar called the man’s actions "totally reprehensible" and noted the explicit pictures of the girl will remain online forever.
"What you chose to do is unfortunately something that cannot be undone," Moar said. "There's no delete button on the Internet. Those things float forever on the Internet."
Defence lawyer Michelle Bright said her client was motivated by revenge, not sexual deviance. A pre-sentenced report shows he is a low-risk to re-offend and has expressed remorse for his actions.
Moar sentenced the man to three and-a-half more months in jail, in addition to two and-a-half months of time already served. He also placed the accused on two years of supervised probation which includes an order to stay away from the victim. He is also banned from having any Internet access unless it’s related to his work or schooling and must attend domestic counselling.

A young Winnipeg man's plot to seek revenge on his ex-girlfriend by posting explicit photos of the teen on Facebook has netted him a six-month jail term for distributing child pornography.
The 18-year-old was sentenced Friday after pleading guilty in July to the child-pornography charge and another allegation of criminal harassment.
'I'm sorry for showing you to his friends … I got charged with child pornography and that's killer.'— 18-year-old who tried to get revenge on former girlfriend
A court-ordered ban prevents his name from being published because it could identify the 16-year-old victim.
The two teens had been in a romantic relationship for about two years but broke up in March, court heard.
The man was arrested in April after friends of the victim's new boyfriend were sent an online link taking them to a Facebook profile page in the girl's name. Explicit photos of her were posted there, Crown prosecutor Terry McComb said.
The 18-year-old spent four nights in jail but was released on bail conditions that included a ban against contacting the younger teen for any reason.
However, a few days after his release, he created a new Hotmail email account and sent the victim a message, McComb said.
"Please just read and don't tell the cops," the message said. "I'm sorry for showing you to his friends … I got charged with child pornography and that's killer."
McComb told provincial court Judge Kelly Moar that the apology was not allowed under the bail terms.
After reading the email, the girl phoned police, who quickly rearrested the young man and charged him with harassment. He's been held at the Headingley Correctional Centre ever since.
Defence lawyer Michelle Bright said a need for revenge motivated the 18-year-old after his ex-girlfriend started a relationship, not long after the breakup, with someone he didn't like.
The teen is remorseful for what he did and told a probation officer, "I don't like [jail], but I deserve it," Bright said.
Moar called the man's actions "totally reprehensible" and said it's possible he made the girl a lifelong victim of sexual exploitation because of the permanence of online content.
"What you chose to do … is unfortunately something that cannot be undone," Moar said. "There's no delete button on the internet. Those things float forever on the internet."
Moar sentenced the man to three and a half more months in jail after crediting him for the more than two months he's already spent locked up.
Moar also ordered him to two years on supervised probation, which forbids him from having any access to the internet or using a computer unless it's at work or school.
A court-ordered pre-sentencing report recommended the teen be released immediately into a community-based domestic-violence treatment program. McComb and the man's lawyer, Michelle Bright, told Moar the case was more akin to one involving domestic violence and not sexual deviance.
At the request of the lawyers, Moar declined to have the man's name placed on a federal database of sex-offenders, calling such a move "grossly disproportionate" given the circumstances of the case.


So what purpose does prison serve in this case? Absolutely none. We should not imprison non violent and non dangerous offenders, such as this teen. Prison for this teen is harsh, inappropriate and excessive. He is not a child molester or sex offender! The public does not need to be protected from this man. Jail will cause more harm than good. He should have received community service and counseling. He expressed remorse for his stupidity and is being punished for apologizing. He cannot have internet access unless it's related to work or schooling. Imprisoning this teen and giving him a criminal record, creates barriers for employment in his future. He made a mistake. He didn't intend to "distribute." Youth brains are under-developed and they do not consider the consequences of their actions or the possibility of punishment. He made a bad decision, that's all. Prison is completely inappropriate. This man is not a child molester or predator by any means. He is not dangerous to society. The made a mistake and posted the pictures. Imprisoning him is a waste of money and resources and causes further overcrowding when the courts overrely on prisons. It is waste of money and the courts. Prisons are the schools of crime and educate non violent offenders to become hardened criminals. They learn skills and how to avoid detection.

This man's actions were a mistake. He had no intention to "distribute" child pornography. It was a mistake made in the heat of the moment, with contributing emotions of rage and revenge. Prison is completely inappropriate. It serves no purpose and fails to address the social and economic, psychological and biological root causes of the crime. This man will be released with no rehabilitation, and a criminal record which creates barriers to later employment and housing opportunities. He is a low risk to re-offend, is not a danger to society and expressed remorse for his actions. Prison is an excessive punishment. I also think that holding this man at Headingly prior to his court date, was also excessive. Prison is a negative environment with negative influences and pro criminal attitudes. He should have been granted bail as he is not a danger to society. This crime was motivated by a need to revenge and emotions of rage. This man should have received 2 years probation with no access to internet or contact with the victim, court ordered counseling and community service. That would be more meaningful than prison.     

it has been proven time and time again that punishment in most cases, is completely ineffective. Rehabilitation, and prevention and restoration are the effective and long term crime solutions. Too bad the Conservatives ignore criminological and sociological research....

haha 3,000 years we've been throwing people in prison. 3000 years it hasn't been working. I distinctly remember having this conversation already. See what I mean about not changing opinions? You are fighting a battle of wits, with an unarmed opponent. There is no way to win. He will just scream "CRIMINALS" every time he sees a crime, and never look past it.

There are much better ways to punish and rehabilitate people than prison. The fact we don't use them is pretty telling. Nobody learns from prison, except how to commit more crimes. My proof? Look at yourself. What do you learn from? Certainly not the people you encounter in your day to day life. You learn from what you believe will benefit you. You see no value in others peaceful beliefs because you cannot make profits from it, so you choose to discard them.

This is the type of mentality that supports our wholesale industrial slaughter of innocent human beings halfway across the world, on the premise that 'we' are better, and deserve more rights, than other people.
 





Prison for this man is harsh, inappropriate and excessive. He is not a danger to society and is a low risk to re-offend. He made a mistake by posting nude pictures of his ex-girlfriend online that was motivated by a desire for revenge and emotions of rage. He expressed remorse for his actions. Prison serves no purpose, has negative effects and creates barriers for employment and housing opportunities. He should have received probation and community service.  

Friday, August 20, 2010

Teen admits to killing 9 year old boy on Manitoba reserve

Teen admits killing 9 year old boy on MB reserve
WINNIPEG - A Manitoba teen has admitted to slitting the throat of a nine-year-old boy he was babysitting on a remote reserve.
The 17-year-old pleaded guilty Friday to second-degree murder and will be sentenced this fall. Justice officials agreed not to seek an adult sentence in exchange for his admission of guilt.
Tristian Dunsford was killed on June 27, 2008 inside a home in Little Grand Rapids, about 280 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg. He suffered massive blood loss as a result of "sharp force trauma to the neck," according to police.
No other details have been presented to the court, including any motive for the slaying or what type of weapon was used.
The accused was set to begin a Queen’s Bench jury trial next month before striking the plea bargain.
Crown and defence lawyers have requested a pre-sentence report and forensic assessment based on the belief the youth suffers from mental-health issues. However, the teen is not seeking to avoid criminal responsibility based on any existing issues.
He now faces a maximum sentence under the Youth Criminal Justice Act of seven years custody and community supervision. An adult convicted of second-degree murder would face a mandatory sentence of life in prison with no chance of parole for at least 10 years.

There could be many factors which contributed to this crime. First of all, this teen was from a reserve, which usually offer little employment or recreational opportunities, leaving reservation teens restless and bored. They often are more likely to be influenced by deviant norms and values of their peers, due to the fact that their parents live in poverty. They may witness or experience abuse, witness substance abuse, are neglected, lack supervision or monitoring, parents lack involvement in their child's life, lack of encouragement, support, affection, nurturance, consistent discipline, etc. These are all risk factors for teens to become involved in delinquent and antisocial behaviours. This article is biased as it fails to mention anything about this teen's background and family life.  

Sentencing for woman who accidentally killed two-- gets suspended sentence

Driver who accidentally killed two, gets suspended sentence and banned from driving for 10 years

A Winnipeg woman offered a tearful apology Friday to the families of two pedestrians she killed a horrific downtown crash.
Lucy Muthoka, 52, was handed a two-year suspended sentence with probation after pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing death for the June 2008 incident near the intersection of Donald Street and St. Mary Avenue in downtown Winnipeg.
William Halcrow, 57, and James Ross, 58, were killed instantly after being hit by Muthoka’s Subaru Forester. The two friends were from the Cross Lake reserve in northern Manitoba and were in Winnipeg for medical treatment.
"God being my witness, I never intended to harm. Words fail to express how sorry I am," Muthoka told a large courtroom gathering which included family and friends of the two men. "I am more sorry than the world will understand. I will continue to pray for the healing of everyone affected by this. May God meet the needs of everyone whose lives were changed."
Crown attorney Zane Tessler said Muthoka was an inexperienced driver who had just completed five refresher courses after purchasing a new car. While exiting a downtown parkade, she somehow hit the gas pedal instead of her brake and accelerated rapidly, striking several vehicles and people at the crowded intersection during rush-hour traffic.
Muthoka also hit a fire hydrant, which caused hundreds of litres of water to quickly flood the area. That hampered the police investigation because it was difficult to re-create the scene and figure out the sequence of events.
Several bystanders who witnessed the crash - and narrowly avoided being hit - tried frantically to revive the two gravely injured men, as did firefighters and paramedics upon arrival. A third man was pinned between two cars and suffered serious injuries, as did the drivers of two other vehicles.
"The degree of resulting carnage was substantial," said Tessler. Muthoka wasn’t intoxicated or distracted by anything such as a cellular phone or texting, court was told. It was a "perfect summer day" with clear skies and dry roads.
Muthoka has no prior criminal record and is a devoutly religious single mother who has spent the past decade working for Agriculture Canada. She is originally from Kenya and serves as an elder within the local community, along with being heavily involved in her church. More than 30 people filed glowing letters of support on her behalf.
"Her sense of guilt is enormous," said defence lawyer Saul Simmonds. "This is a decent, honest, hardworking person. It’s the nightmare for everyone who gets behind the wheel."
The families of both victims made emotional impact statements in court, describing how both men were loved and respected by their community.
"The pain of loss is excruciating," said Ross’ sister, Betty. "To lose someone in such a sudden, unexpected and inhumane way."
The sentencing judge said this case was especially difficult given the tragic circumstances, Muthoka’s obvious lack of intent and her glowing background. He said no punishment can undo the damage caused or bring the victims back.
He ordered Muthoka to perform 240 hours of community service work and banned her from driving for a 10-year period. Muthoka also expressed a desire to meet with the families of the victims and make a charitable donation on their behalf, if they wished, letter of apology and mediation. 

No jail for killer Winnipeg driver 
A Winnipeg woman who killed two Manitoba men in a devastating crash more than two years ago will not go to jail for her dangerous driving.
Lucy Muthoka, 53, was handed a suspended sentence and two years of probation Friday in the deaths of William Halcrow, 57, and James Ross, 58, on the evening of June 25, 2008.
The two friends were killed after being struck by an erratically driven Subaru Forester near the corner of Donald Street and St. Mary Avenue. They were in Winnipeg from their home community of Cross Lake to attend medical appointments.
After a prolonged police investigation, Muthoka, the Subaru's driver, was arrested and charged with two counts of criminal negligence causing death on Dec. 11, 2008.
The Crown stayed the more serious charges in exchange for her guilty pleas to dangerous driving causing death.
'It's like getting kicked some more when you already suffered.'—Marlene Castel
The conditions of Muthoka's probation include performing 240 hours of community service work, writing a letter of apology to the families of the victims and the community of Cross Lake and participating in mediation with the families if they request it in the future.
She is forbidden from driving in Canada for the next 10 years.
She walked out of court at about 2:30 p.m. CT after signing her probation order.

Sudden acceleration

Muthoka was coming out of the Millennium Library's parkade when her car suddenly accelerated, according to a brief summary of the Crown's facts of the case told to provincial court Judge Brent Stewart.
She slammed into a truck, swerved across a street and struck the two men, who died at the scene despite efforts by paramedics and passersby to save their lives.
Another man, David Matsubara, was injured, but survived.
Halcrow and Ross's families travelled to Winnipeg to attend Friday's sentencing hearing. Members of each family admitted being disappointed at the sentence Muthoka was given.
'It was lenient for her but not lenient for us.'—Betty Ross
"It's like getting kicked some more when you already suffered. There's no words I could use except that I'm very disappointed," said Marlene Castel, Halcrow's sister.
Ross's sister, Betty Ross, told CBC News that it appeared all efforts were being made during the court hearing to shield Muthoka from punishment.
"It almost felt that everybody was cushioning her, and that they were lifting her up and of course, the judge took that," Ross said.
"Sure enough, it was lenient for her but not lenient for us."
At a prior hearing, court heard that Muthoka had been sent threatening notes about the deadly crash. The nature of the notes was not revealed in court.
Muthoka spoke in court and apologized for what happened, but the victims' families said they were upset she didn't look at them while saying she was sorry.


Pretty biased headline CBC. This woman did not kill anybody intentionally. It was a complete accident which could have happened to anybody. Labeling her as a "killer" is really inappropriate. Plus, saying "no jail" makes it appear as if that type of sentence was expected. This woman has to live with the details of this horrific tragedy for the rest of her life and expresses sincere remorse. I think that is enough punishment. Prison for this woman would be considered cruel and would serve no purpose.  

Her sense of guilt is enormous-- driver pleads guilty to killing two men 
An inexperienced Winnipeg driver who accidentally hit the gas pedal instead of her brake offered a tearful apology to the families of two pedestrians she killed in a chaotic downtown crash.
Lucy Muthoka, 52, was handed a two-year suspended sentence with probation Friday after pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing death for the June 2008 incident near the intersection of Donald Street and St. Mary Avenue.
William Halcrow, 57, and James Ross, 58, were killed instantly after being hit by Muthoka's Subaru Forester. The two friends were from the Cross Lake reserve in northern Manitoba and were in Winnipeg for medical treatment.
"God being my witness, I never intended to harm. Words fail to express how sorry I am," a tearful Muthoka told a large courtroom gathering, which included family and friends of the two men. "I am more sorry than the world will understand. I will continue to pray for the healing of everyone affected by this. May God meet the needs of everyone whose lives were changed."
Crown attorney Zane Tessler said Muthoka was an "infrequent" driver who had just completed five refresher courses after purchasing a new car. She had placed a "novice driver" warning sign at the back of the vehicle.
Her driving instructor later told police she wouldn't have had the skills to pass a driving test following her first lesson, but likely would have following completion of the course.
While exiting the Millennium Library parkade just after 4:30 p.m., Muthoka suddenly accelerated rapidly, striking several vehicles and people at the crowded intersection during rush-hour traffic. Muthoka also went up on the sidewalk and hit a fire hydrant, which caused hundreds of litres of water to quickly flood the area. That hampered the police investigation because it was difficult to recreate the scene and figure out the sequence of events.
Several witnesses -- who narrowly avoided being hit -- tried frantically to revive the two gravely injured men lying in the rapidly rising waters, as did firefighters and paramedics. A third man was pinned between two cars and suffered serious injuries, as did the drivers of two other vehicles.
"The degree of resulting carnage was substantial," Tessler said.
Muthoka wasn't intoxicated or distracted by anything such as a cellular phone, court was told. It was a "perfect summer day" with clear skies and dry roads.
Muthoka had no criminal record and is a religious single mother who has spent the past decade working for Agriculture Canada.
She is originally from Kenya and serves as an elder within the local community. More than 30 people filed letters of support on her behalf.
"Her sense of guilt is enormous," defence lawyer Saul Simmonds said. "She goes to sleep at night praying for Mr. Ross and Mr. Halcrow and their families. She wakes up praying for them. This is a decent, honest, hard-working person. It's the nightmare for everyone who gets behind the wheel."
The families of both victims made emotional impact statements in court, describing how both men were loved and respected by their community. They were joined by the Cross Lake chief and council members.
"The pain of loss is excruciating," said Ross' sister, Betty. "To lose someone in such a sudden, unexpected and inhumane way."
Provincial court Judge Brent Stewart said the case was especially difficult given the tragic circumstances, Muthoka's obvious lack of intent and her glowing background. He said no punishment can undo the damage caused or bring the victims back.
"This is not a court of vengeance," said Stewart. Outside court, several family members expressed anger at the suspended sentence and questioned the sincerity of Muthoka's apology.
As part of her penalty, Stewart ordered Muthoka to perform 240 hours of community service and banned her from driving for a 10-year period.
Muthoka also expressed a desire to meet with the families of the victims and make a charitable donation on their behalf, if they wished.



I completely agree with the sentence of this woman. Prison should only be implemented for the most dangerous individuals and this woman, does not appear to pose a great risk to the community. This killing was an accident, not intentional. How would prison help her? What purpose would that serve? None. It is a negative environment with pro criminal attitudes and values and the prison subculture would likely have a negative impact on this woman's life. Plus, most prisoners are released with little assistance, support, guidance, rehabilitation, no housing or employment and often resort back to crime or end up living in poverty. That is not acceptable. 

This woman offered a tearful apology which clearly shows that she feels remorse for the consequences of her actions. She clearly feels absolutely horrible for what happened, and she will have to live with the fact that she killed two people for the rest of her life. That is enough punishment. Prison is not needed and would only cause more harm to her psychological well being. Hitting the gas pedal instead of the brake, is an honest mistake which could happen to any new driver. She had no intention to harm those individuals. This woman has no prior criminal record and is a single mother. She needs to be able to provide for her children and prison would hamper that. Studies show that children without parents and living in foster care are more likely to become delinquent or antisocial as they have little attachment to their parents, especially if their mother is in prison. That would not help her family situation at all and would set her children up for failure and possibly later crime. I believe this woman is a decent and hard working individual who made an honest and horrific/tragic mistake. She even wants to meet with the families and make a donation on their behalf. That shows the compassion and kindness of this woman's heart. It was a horrible accident and she feels extreme remorse and guilt for what happened. Punishment would be unnecessary and harsh. This woman's needs the public's sympathy. She had no intent whatsoever. It was an accident and she is paying for it in her soul. She stepped on the wrong pedal by mistake. There is no way you could send this woman to jail as there was no intent on doing anything incriminating with her vehicle. She was not driving recklessly, intentionally speeding, blowing through stop signs, etc. 

She was following the rules of the road and put her foot on the wrong pedal by mistake. Anyone who advocates for prison time is unreasonably harsh, vengeful and unsympathetic. This woman is devoutly religious, a church leader, with n prior criminal record who accidentally hit the gas pedal instead of the brake. She just came out of a parking garage, accelerated by accident and smashed into cars and people. Horrible accident. 2 pedestrians were killed instantly, and another man pinned between two cars. 

I think we all need to step back and try to understand this was an accident. This could happen to ANYONE! I for one would be horrified if I ever caused something like this and I think we need to remember "there but for the grace of god go I" I feel terrible for everyone involved. So sad.

I am seriously saddened to see some of these remarks. The article clearly stated she was an unexperienced driver that had recently taken a refresher course. She may have gotten her licence 15 years ago and hasn't really driven since.
She is obviously distraught and appears to be a hardworking, charitable woman.
I'd hate to see my fellow winnipegers stand in judgement of me if I were to make a mistake. It appears that everyone should go to jail for everything when you read these boards.

Wow you people are so unsympathetic. There was no intent by this woman whatsoever. It was a frak accident. She is paying for it inside her soul. I can't imagine the guilt of killing two people when all you were trying to do was exit a parkade. she stepped on the wrong pedal by mistake.

My question is if she was such a bad or inexperienced driver, how did she pass her road test? There lies the problem in this case. It's the womans fault but indirectly only. There is no way you can send this person to jail for vechiular manslaughter as there was no intent on doing anything incriminating with her vechicle. She was not driving recklessly-and by that I mean intentionally speeding, blowing stop signs etc. she was following the rules of the road and put her foot on the wrong pedal by mistake. Enough said. Jail time, give me a break      


There are two reasons to put people in jail:

#1 - to keep dangerous criminals from harming society. This was an accident, regardless of whether the woman was a poor driver or whether it was a genuine accident. Taking her license away for ten years (and the obvious emotional guilt she has) is enough to keep her from harming others; and

#2 - to serve as a warning to others that this kind of action isn't acceptable. I don't know about the rest of you, but whether this woman is put behind bars for 25 years, or whether she walks free, it doesn't stop me from either having an automobile accident, nor does it stop inexperienced drivers.

Our justice system is flooded with criminals, so putting her in jail takes a bed away from real repeat offenders that continually disobey our laws. This woman did something awful, and she has to live with that for the rest of her life. I don't even agree with jail time when it's drinking and driving from a remorseful person, let alone just an inexperienced driver.

Keep this woman off the road, let her do the community service, that in itself is enough punishment and will do the best for society. Putting her in jail will not bring the dead back, nor will teach her or anyone else a lesson not to have an auto accident.

It's very unfortunate, but accidents happen.

in this case, people shouldn't judge her. It could happen to ANY ONE OF US.


This was an accident which could have happened to anybody. Anyone can make the mistake of hitting the gas pedal instead of the brake. It's tragic that two individuals were killed, but we have to understand that this killing was completely unintentional. This woman had no intention to harm or kill anybody and therefore, should not be punished. I am saddened and shocked to read the many vengeful, and unsympathetic comments towards this woman. She is obviously distraught, expressed genuine remorse, has no prior criminal record, is a single mother, religious, charitable and hardworking woman. It appears that everyone should go to jail for everything when you read these comments. How can we be so unsympathetic? 

This tragic killing of two individuals, was a complete accident which could have happened to anybody. This woman hit the gas pedal instead of the brake. She had no intention to harm or kill anyone. This was an unintentional killing. I am saddened to read the many vengeful and unsympathetic comments towards this woman by the public. She is obviously distraught, expressed genuine remorse, has no prior criminal record, is a single mother and a religious, hard working and charitable woman who now has to live with extreme guilt over what happened for the rest of her life. That is enough punishment.

 

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Prisoners go on hunger strike over bad food

It’s a lot easier to go on a hunger strike if you hate the food.
About 300 inmates began the boycott Monday at the Toronto East Detention Centre in Scarborough, according to Laurie Galway, a lawyer representing one of the inmates participating in the strike.
Daniel Sholman, a 19-year-old prisoner, says he would prefer to do his time in a more civilized prison like the Don Jail, where he’s also sampled the cuisine.
“I’ve been in many jails in my life which is kind of sad,” said Sholman, calling the Star from the detention centre. “I’m not saying I’m perfect. But we’re human beings and deserve to be treated better.”
The strike is running in conjunction with Tuesday’s Prison Justice Day, a day set aside to remember inmates killed in Canadian jails, which inspires hunger strikes across the country.
At the Toronto East Detention Centre, chicken is served only once a month, fruits and vegetables are a rarity and special dietary needs are ignored, Sholman said. He’s been at the jail for the past two months as he awaits trial for breaking and entering charges.
Not only is the food subpar, prisoners say, but portions are simply too meagre.
“There’s not enough food for grown men to live on,” Galway said.
Sholman said the inmates filled out complaint forms. Galway, who represents a different prisoner, said the complaints were sent up the chain of command and dismissed.
But problems go beyond the food, inmates say. It’s also the hospitality.
“In the Don and Maplehurst (correctional complex) I feel more alive,” Sholman said. “They bring you outside.”
The situation inside could get worse. There is talk of rioting among the prisoners, but that may jeopardize their cause of securing delicious food, Sholman said.
“It makes me feel like I have no hope. I feel like a hamster (in a cage),” Sholman said.
Toronto East Detention Centre officials refused to comment. 

I advocate for prisoners' rights and they are human beings and deserve to be provided with adequate and nutritious food and the jail must provide for dietary needs. That is so inhumane and I support this hunger strike. 

A rise in unreported crime does NOT justify expanding prisons

The only alarming thing about a six-year-old rise in unreported crime is that the government of Canada is leaning on it to justify a $5.1-billion a year expansion of the prison system.
“People simply aren’t reporting the same way they used to,” says Stockwell Day, a senior minister in the Conservative government. “I’m saying one statistic of many that concerns us is the amount of crimes that go unreported.”
The office of Justice Minister Rob Nicholson later released more detail on the allegedly “alarming statistic:” in 2004, a Statistics Canada survey found that 34 per cent of crime incidents were reported to police, down from 37 per cent in 1999.
This is alarming? A six-year-old uptick in unreported crimes – mostly minor thefts not considered sufficiently serious by Canadians to report, says StatsCan. And where are the other data points of concern? None have been cited.
StatsCan also found that 94 per cent of Canadians felt safe. Is Mr. Day alarmed on behalf of the frightened six per cent? And what do unreported crimes have to do with building more prisons anyway?
There is an alarming number Mr. Day neglected to mention. At the moment, Canada spends $4.4-billion a year on its jails (Ottawa and the provinces combined). The Conservative government will raise the costs to $9.5-billion a year, by the estimate of Kevin Page, the Parliamentary Budget Officer. Mr. Page looked only at the Truth in Sentencing Act, which takes away the two-for-one credit for jail time served before sentencing. (The government says the true extra cost is $400-million a year, but it has offered scant supporting evidence.)
The principle behind the law is sound – the bonus was too rich – but that does not justify such an outlandish expenditure in what should be an era of government spending restraint. And this is just one law of many that could increase the prison population.
Crime rates are in decline. The government has not made the case that crime is a priority that overrides the need to reduce spending and the deficit.
If the government has persuasive justifications for such recklessness with public money, it should make them known. It should not fall back on a six-year-old blip in unreported crime. What is alarming is that the government is apparently bent on more than doubling the cost of the prison system, at a time of restraint, on the thinnest of pretexts.

A six-year-old rise in unreported crime does not justify the Conservative government's $5.1-billion-a-year expansion of the prison system

Crime overhaul unnecessary, We do not need to get tough on crime

Brothels and bookies have become the latest targets of the Conservative crime crackdown.
Justice Minister Rob Nicholson unveiled a series of regulation changes on Wednesday that have expanded the definition of a “serious crime” to include a series of gambling offences, and crimes related to drug trafficking and prostitution.
While the changes boost penalties for those crimes, the primary goal is to widen the use of the sophisticated law-enforcement tools that can be used to crack indictable offences committed by organized crime groups.
The new regulations will allow authorities to pursue wiretaps, the seizure of proceeds of crime along with tougher bail, parole and sentencing conditions for organized rings involved in drug smuggling, prostitution and gambling.
Mr. Nicholson said the new rules aren’t just meant to target madams and gambling cheats. The real targets are the gang kingpins who make immense profits from the illegal activities and could previously escape the toughest measures aimed at gangsters.
“Such crimes are often considered signature activities of organized crime because of its long-standing involvement in and reliance upon those activities,” Mr. Nicholson said.
“It’s one more tool.”
Claude Laferrière, the lawyer for a Quebec victims’ rights group, suggested the changes are too small to strike fear into the heart of the criminal underworld. He said the measures appear to be “a small step toward harmonizing” Canadian law with penalties in the United States.
“They’re trying to create an approach more in concert with the Americans. It’s a very timid step, but it’s a step,” he said.
Michel Auger, an author and expert on organized crime, said gambling has long been a big source of revenue for gangs, even as police concentrated efforts on the rapidly expanding drug trade.
“For a long time people who ran those organizations were outside the target of measures used to crack down on crime. These laws should take them off the sidelines and put more of them in jail,” Mr. Auger told Radio-Canada.
The changes were applauded by law-enforcement officials from Ontario and Quebec. Ontario Provincial Police Chief Superintendent Don Bell said areas like illegal gambling have long been dominated by gangs “because of extremely high profit margins for very low risk.”
“We’ve now closed that loophole,” he said.
Regulation changes announced by Justice Minister Rob Nicholson apply to 11 charges. The crimes include:
» Keeping a common gaming or betting house.
» Betting, pool-selling and book-making.
» Committing offences in relation to lotteries and games of chance.
» Cheating while playing a game or in holding the stakes for a game or in betting.
» Keeping a common bawdy house.
» Several offences in the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act relating to trafficking.
» Importing, exporting or production of certain scheduled drugs.

What Stockwell Day meant to say

The Prime Minister’s Office was busily emailing its message of the day to supporters and MPs as Treasury Board President Stockwell Day was unsuccessfully trying to share it with reporters in Ottawa Tuesday.
“Continuing the Focus on Jobs and Growth – Message of the Day” was the headline on the PMO missive. That was not Mr. Day’s message, try though he did. The minister was sent out as the Tory representative in the morning in advance of a series of cabinet meetings this week that ends with the national Conservative caucus meeting Thursday.
Mr. Day was to talk about jobs and growth; he tried to talk about jobs and growth and stimulus. However, reporters had other ideas – the controversy over the census dominated and there was a question about prisons to which he gave a very curious answer – and so his news conference went slightly off the rails.
Here’s what he was supposed to be discussing:
“Today, the Honourable Stockwell Day, President of the Treasury Board, Minister for the Pacific Gateway and Minister Responsible for British Columbia … discussed the Government’s continued focus on creating jobs and economic growth across Canada,” the PMO email says.
And it listed some of the points that Mr. Day would make:
“Today, Canadians can be encouraged by the positive signs of recovery we are seeing across the country,” according to the talking points. “However, the recovery is still fragile and Canada is not immune to the economic instability of other countries.”
To be fair he did make the points in his introductory remarks before he took any questions, he just wasn’t able to build on them. That’s because reporters had other ideas _ nowhere, for example, in the talking points is any mention of the controversy over the scrapping of the compulsory long-form census or Canadians not reporting crime.
Mr. Day, in answering a question about the government’s thinking in building more prisons during a recession, defended the billions of dollars of expense with his assertion that the crime rate is not going down because other offences are going unreported at an “alarming” rate.
“It shows we can’t take a Liberal view to crime which is, some would suggest, that it is barely happening at all,” Mr. Day said. “Still, there are too many situations of criminal activity that are alarming to our citizens and we intend to deal with that.”
Not surprisingly, Mr. Day’s comments about unreported crime have provoked a lot of commentary, including a YouTube video annotating his statements during the news conference. 

The Liberals, too, were quick to pounce. “Stockwell Day seems like he is making things up,” a senior Ignatieff official told The Globe. “Not to say that there are no such things as ‘unreported crimes,’ but to use that to justify their ‘lock’em all up and throw away the key’ agenda is pushing the envelope.
“If Mr. Day is so keen to look back to the early 60s crime stats, he should know that some crimes reported today were not necessarily reported back then: domestic violence, rape and child abuse, to name a few.”
If only the Treasury Board President had just stuck to the talking points. What he really meant to say was that his government is continuing its work to “return to balanced budgets by winding down stimulus spending when the time is right.”
---
Update A Justice Department press secretary is contacting reporters telling them Mr. Day is “correct in his assertion that many crimes go unreported in Canada”, arguing, too, that the Liberals use statistics as an “EXCUSE not to get tough on criminals.”
Pamela Stephens’s defence of the Treasury Board President came Tuesday afternoon by way of an email, in which she notes she has received “some calls” about Mr. Day's s contention that crime is going unreported in Canada.
“As far as our Government is concerned, one victim of crime is still one too many,” she writes. “What the Liberals forget to tell Canadians is that there is a cost to crime whatever way you look at it. Allowing criminals to roam our streets is not free. It costs money to try to keep track of them, and sometimes when we lose track of their whereabouts and they re-offend the impact can be devastating.”
Ms. Stephens points to a 2004 Statistics Canada survey, which she notes finds that an estimated 34 per cent of Canadians who are victims crime still aren't reporting the offence to police.

Stockwell Day cites 'alarming' rise in unreported crime to justify new prisons

Although the official crime rate is going down, a senior Harper government minister says there is reason to disbelieve the statistics and spend billions of dollars on new prisons: an “alarming” increase in unreported crime.
Stockwell Day’s argument is based on a Statistics Canada survey, conducted like a large poll, which showed a slight rise in unreported crimesthough the increase was in property crimes and petty theft, not violent crimes. And the survey was conducted in 2004 – an ironic twist given that Mr. Day made his case only minutes after he maintained that the long-form census is not very reliable because it can be as much as five years out of date.
Mr. Day, the Treasury Board president, is not the first tough-on-crime Conservative politician to disbelieve the official statistics on reported crimes. Senator Pierre-Hughes Boisvenu said last month that “someone, somewhere, is manipulating the numbers.” The latest Statscan figures, released last month, show the number of crimes reported to police dropped 3 per cent last year, and was 17 per cent lower than in 1999.
But Mr. Day also argued that a tough-on-crime agenda is needed to keep dangerous criminals off the streets and deter them with stiffer punishments. The Harper government has dismissed arguments that tougher sentences alone won’t dent crime rates, but now finds itself defending a multibillion-dollar prison-expansion program when crime rates are falling.
While some experts argue that unreported-crime surveys don’t provide evidence to disbelieve a decline in crime, at least for serious crimes, others insist there are enough questions that the government needs real studies, every year, as a basis for policy decisions.
“My opinion is that we really don’t know,” said Ross Hastings, a criminologist at the University of Ottawa. “If Canada had annual national victimization surveys, we would have some kind of purchase on this. In the same way they’re taking the long form away, so people will have less information [from] census-gathering, they’re not taking a census of crime, either. So more and more we’re making really important and expensive policy decisions sort of on the seat of our pants.”
The Vancouver Board of Trade also thinks reported-crime stats are misleading because of unreported crime, and chief economist Bernie Magnan is calling for the government to conduct an annual survey on crime – which asks people if they have been a victim of crime.
On Tuesday, Mr. Day, who is responsible for controlling government spending, argued that one reason for scrapping the mandatory long-form census is that a study every five years is “untenable in today’s information age.” But on crime rates, he cited the 2004 survey on unreported crime; the next one will be released this fall. “We’re very concerned … about the increase in the amount of unreported crimes that surveys clearly show are happening,” he said, calling the numbers “alarming.”
The 2004 survey on crime victims found that 28 per cent of respondents reported that they had been the victim of a crime – described by Statistics Canada as a slight increase over the 26 per cent who said the same in 1999. But the number who said they had been victims of violent crimes remained flat, while the increase was driven by more theft and vandalism, according to the survey.
“There’s no evidence that we have that there’s a big increase,” said Steve Sullivan, until recently the Conservative-appointed Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime.
There are serious crimes, notably sexual assaults and spousal abuse, that have been persistently under-reported, and Mr. Sullivan noted that’s a reason to spend on programs to prevent crime and help victims. But the survey found the most common reason crimes go unreported is that the victims consider them minor – often petty thefts and minor assaults – or that they are a “personal matter.”
Mr. Sullivan said most of those crimes wouldn’t get the two-year sentence required for a federal prison term – and though he’s not against locking up criminals, tougher sentences alone won’t change most victims’ lives.
“If you’re really strapped for cash,” he said, “there’s better places to put it than just building more prisons.”

We do not need to get tough on crime!! Crime is decreasing and has been for years already. Imprisoning more people for longer periods has been proven in research to increase rates of re-offending and decrease chances of successful reintegration. That does not create safer communities! We need to do what is in society's best interests. We should be spending more money on crime prevention, reintegration and rehabilitation programs, which have been proven to be effective. Stop ignoring the research Harper! 

Homeless and Jailed: Jailed and Homeless

More people released from prison face homelessness
On a sticky day in June, Eric Cromwell changed into the clothes he’d worn when he was arrested two months earlier on an assault charge and walked out of the Toronto West Detention Centre on Disco Rd.
He was given a TTC token but possessed little else.
He did have a bachelor apartment where his rent is automatically deducted from his welfare cheque, but that’s where the latest trouble had occurred. There’d been an incident with a neighbour and conditions placed on him forbid him from going anywhere near home.
He’d been in and out of jail a number of times, and on this occasion, as had been the case before, he had no home to go to. But he knew where to go. He took public transit to the Maxwell Meighen shelter at Queen and Sherbourne Sts.
“Down here, to me, it’s like home,” says Cromwell, 32. “I know where to go. I know where to get food. I know how to survive.”
Each year, more people — mostly men — are leaving Toronto jails with nowhere to call home and no plan or supports to keep them from heading back to jail, according to a report by the John Howard Society of Toronto.
One in five prisoners is homeless when he heads to jail, and nearly one in three has no home to return to when he gets out, according to the study, which involved interviews with 363 inmates who were serving sentences of less than two years and were days away from being released.
They homeless prisoners instead head to downtown shelters, live on the street or couch-surf with friends, often returning to areas and conditions that landed them in trouble in the first place.
One in 10 prisoners said they had no idea where they would go upon release.
The report estimates that hundreds of people are in this situation, and cost-benefit studies have shown it is cheaper to provide supports and affordable housing than to deal with the “homeless prisoner” population.
“It’s the modern version of the poorhouse,” says Sylvia Novac, a researcher with the University of Toronto’s Cities Centre, who co-authored the John Howard report. “These are people who had nothing to begin with. They’re worn down, in this middle-aged group, and they have health issues. These people need a lot of help. These people need housing.”
The report, titled “Homeless and Jailed: Jailed and Homeless,” makes a number of recommendations, including increased funding for non-profit agencies to provide prisoner discharge planning that would help place inmates directly into rent-subsidized dwellings.
The study is being released to coincide with Prisoners Justice Day, an event to remember prisoners who have died in custody. It was funded by Human Resources and Development Canada.
Unlike prisoners serving longer sentences in federal prisons, inmates in provincial jails have little or no access to programs that would help them reintegrate into society. Even short stays in jail can lead to homelessness, the report found.
Jail stays as brief as five days can lead to job loss, and longer terms cause many to lose homes and result in a suspension of benefits that must be reapplied for upon release.
Eric Cromwell ’s face breaks into a wide, mischievous smile, and he says that only two people have ever taken his picture: his mother and the police.
His troubles began in his final year of high school, when the black man says he was accused of assaulting a classmate who had made racist comments. He was charged and expelled. Cromwell was two credits short of getting his diploma, which he never completed.
In 2003, he found himself without a home. A few years later, he served eight months for a robbery that he says was motivated by a need for drugs. Upon release, he went to stay with a relative, but after only a few days was back in jail for breaking a condition of his release and was also facing fresh charges of assault and theft.
After that stint in jail, a housing worker with the City of Toronto’s Streets to Homes program helped him find a bachelor apartment, which he now can’t return to because of his latest trouble with the law.
On a recent, sun-scorched day, Cromwell and his girlfriend, Sarah, 20, did what they do every day: they killed time by walking around, sitting in parks and availing themselves of free food provided by places such the Good Shepherd Centre on Queen St. E.
“You can go homeless, but you can’t go hungry down here,” says Sarah. “There’s always food.”
There is also crack cocaine. The two try to avoid the temptation of downtown dealers.
Sarah, too, has been in and out of jail, or the “Hilton in Milton” as she calls the Vanier Centre for Women.
She says she has been on the streets since she was 12 and receives no social benefits, because she has neither identification nor a mailing address. She has made money turning tricks and has just finished two years of probation. One of the conditions she had to abide by was to stay out of the front passenger seat of cars.
The two sit in the shade on the grounds of the Metropolitan United Church at the corner of Queen and Church. Other homeless people doze nearby on the grass. Three police officers on bicycles stop and rouse one of them and ask questions. Two of the officers know Sarah by name.
Eric says he feels fortunate because he has a support worker, but he knows of many men who cycle in and out of jail and are homeless. He says often they land back in because they have violated conditions of their release, such as being out after curfew. “I say the system is effed-up.”
Says Sarah: “They don’t care where you’re going to go when you get out; they just care about keeping you in.”
Time to move on. They walk north and east. Eric bends to tie Sarah’s shoelace and as he often does, lifts her tiny frame into his arms and carries her for a block, kissing her along the way.
They find more shade under a tree in an empty schoolyard on the edge of Regent Park, where Eric spent some of his childhood. Sarah pulls a fork and microwaveable meal of red curry chicken from her purse and digs in. They face the street and watch life go by.
“Yeah,” says Eric with a smirk, “so this is the life.”
He steps away and points to a building off in the distance. It’s the apartment building where he lived, where his belongings remain, and to which he cannot return. From his 12th floor balcony, he could see the “three Dons — the Don River, the Don Valley Parkway and the Don Jail.”
“Right now, I’m paying rent for a place I can’t stay,” he says.
His support worker is trying to find him a new home that will bring relief from the streets and shelters.
“For me, it’s freedom. I can go and I can lock the door. I have no worries.”

Homeless prisoners: By the numbers
22.9 - per cent of prisoners who had no fixed address before going to jail
32.2 - per cent of prisoners who said they had no home to return to
12.4 - per cent who didn’t know where they would go
43.3 - per cent of homeless prisoners with serious health issues
22.3 - per cent who are 50 years old or older
2 months - average stay in jail of respondents
Source: Homeless and Jailed: Jailed and Homeless, John Howard Society of Toronto

Homeless and Jailed: Jailed and homeless

John Howard Society report: Homeless prisoners on the rise

On a sticky day in June, Eric Cromwell changed into the clothes he’d worn when he was arrested two months earlier on an assault charge and walked out of the Toronto West Detention Centre on Disco Rd.
He was given a TTC token but possessed little else.
He did have a bachelor apartment where his rent is automatically deducted from his welfare cheque, but that’s where the latest trouble had occurred. There’d been an incident with a neighbour and conditions placed on him forbid him from going anywhere near home.
He’d been in and out of jail a number of times, and on this occasion, as had been the case before, he had no home to go to. But he knew where to go. He took public transit to the Maxwell Meighen shelter at Queen and Sherbourne Sts.
“Down here, to me, it’s like home,” says Cromwell, 32. “I know where to go. I know where to get food. I know how to survive.”
Each year, more people — mostly men — are leaving Toronto jails with nowhere to call home and no plan or supports to keep them from heading back to jail, according to a report to be released on Aug. 10 by the John Howard Society of Toronto.
One in five prisoners is homeless when he heads to jail, and nearly one in three has no home to return to when he gets out, according to the study, which involved interviews with 363 inmates who were serving sentences of less than two years and were days away from being released.
They homeless prisoners instead head to downtown shelters, live on the street or couch-surf with friends, often returning to areas and conditions that landed them in trouble in the first place.
One in 10 prisoners said they had no idea where they would go upon release.
The report estimates that hundreds of people are in this situation, and cost-benefit studies have shown it is cheaper to provide supports and affordable housing than to deal with the “homeless prisoner” population.
“It’s the modern version of the poorhouse,” says Sylvia Novac, a researcher with the University of Toronto’s Cities Centre, who co-authored the John Howard report. “These are people who had nothing to begin with. They’re worn down, in this middle-aged group, and they have health issues. These people need a lot of help. These people need housing.”
The report, titled “Homeless and Jailed: Jailed and Homeless,” makes a number of recommendations, including increased funding for non-profit agencies to provide prisoner discharge planning that would help place inmates directly into rent-subsidized dwellings.
The study is being released to coincide with Prisoners Justice Day, an event to remember prisoners who have died in custody. It was funded by Human Resources and Development Canada.
Unlike prisoners serving longer sentences in federal prisons, inmates in provincial jails have little or no access to programs that would help them reintegrate into society. Even short stays in jail can lead to homelessness, the report found.
Jail stays as brief as five days can lead to job loss, and longer terms cause many to lose homes and result in a suspension of benefits that must be reapplied for upon release.
Eric Cromwell ’s face breaks into a wide, mischievous smile, and he says that only two people have ever taken his picture: his mother and the police.
His troubles began in his final year of high school, when the black man says he was accused of assaulting a classmate who had made racist comments. He was charged and expelled. Cromwell was two credits short of getting his diploma, which he never completed.
In 2003, he found himself without a home. A few years later, he served eight months for a robbery that he says was motivated by a need for drugs. Upon release, he went to stay with a relative, but after only a few days was back in jail for breaking a condition of his release and was also facing fresh charges of assault and theft.
After that stint in jail, a housing worker with the City of Toronto’s Streets to Homes program helped him find a bachelor apartment, which he now can’t return to because of his latest trouble with the law.
On a recent, sun-scorched day, Cromwell and his girlfriend, Sarah, 20, did what they do every day: they killed time by walking around, sitting in parks and availing themselves of free food provided by places such the Good Shepherd Centre on Queen St. E.
“You can go homeless, but you can’t go hungry down here,” says Sarah. “There’s always food.”
There is also crack cocaine. The two try to avoid the temptation of downtown dealers.
Sarah, too, has been in and out of jail, or the “Hilton in Milton” as she calls the Vanier Centre for Women.
She says she has been on the streets since she was 12 and receives no social benefits, because she has neither identification nor a mailing address. She has made money turning tricks and has just finished two years of probation. One of the conditions she had to abide by was to stay out of the front passenger seat of cars.
The two sit in the shade on the grounds of the Metropolitan United Church at the corner of Queen and Church. Other homeless people doze nearby on the grass. Three police officers on bicycles stop and rouse one of them and ask questions. Two of the officers know Sarah by name.
Eric says he feels fortunate because he has a support worker, but he knows of many men who cycle in and out of jail and are homeless. He says often they land back in because they have violated conditions of their release, such as being out after curfew. “I say the system is effed-up.”
Says Sarah: “They don’t care where you’re going to go when you get out; they just care about keeping you in.”
Time to move on. They walk north and east. Eric bends to tie Sarah’s shoelace and as he often does, lifts her tiny frame into his arms and carries her for a block, kissing her along the way.
They find more shade under a tree in an empty schoolyard on the edge of Regent Park, where Eric spent some of his childhood. Sarah pulls a fork and microwaveable meal of red curry chicken from her purse and digs in. They face the street and watch life go by.
“Yeah,” says Eric with a smirk, “so this is the life.”
He steps away and points to a building off in the distance. It’s the apartment building where he lived, where his belongings remain, and to which he cannot return. From his 12th floor balcony, he could see the “three Dons — the Don River, the Don Valley Parkway and the Don Jail.”
“Right now, I’m paying rent for a place I can’t stay,” he says.
His support worker is trying to find him a new home that will bring relief from the streets and shelters.
“For me, it’s freedom. I can go and I can lock the door. I have no worries.”

Homeless prisoners: By the numbers
22.9 - per cent of prisoners who had no fixed address before going to jail
32.2 - per cent of prisoners who said they had no home to return to
12.4 - per cent who didn’t know where they would go
43.3 - per cent of homeless prisoners with serious health issues
22.3 - per cent who are 50 years old or older
2 months - average stay in jail of respondents
Source: Homeless and Jailed: Jailed and Homeless, John Howard Society of Toronto

Canada's prisons see 50% spike in older inmates

The number of federal inmates older than 50 surged by almost half in less than a decade as prisons undergo a demographic trend with wide-ranging implications for Canada's correctional system.
Figures provided by Correctional Service Canada peg their number at 2,379 of the 13,286 total inmates in 2009 — a 45 per cent hike from the 1,646 out of 12,663 people locked up in 2002.
The numbers will rise even further if the Conservative government passes its tough-on-crime agenda that aims to lock up convicts for longer periods, says Canada's federal prison ombudsman.
“We will see more people spending more time in prison,” Howard Sapers, the Correctional Investigator of Canada, told The Canadian Press.
The trend carries cost implications.
The federal government estimates that inmates age about a decade faster than other Canadians, due to hard-living lifestyles and health problems acquired in prison.
As a result, Correctional Service Canada defines prisoners aged 50 and over as “aging offenders.”
Mr. Sapers notes that some penitentiaries have responded to the aging demographic by retrofitting cells, improving wheelchair accessibility and installing handrails.
“From age 50 on, we begin to see some fairly serious health impacts on the offender population,” said Mr. Sapers, whose office reviews thousands of inmate complaints each year.
He indicates that not only are prisoners at risk of problems like dementia and limited mobility at a younger age, they also live in jailhouses where HIV rates are 10 times higher than in the general population. He said one-third of inmates have hepatitis C.
Mr. Sapers also says the federal government has been slow to react when it comes to separating older, more vulnerable inmates from their younger, rowdier cellblock mates.
“You cannot create a correctional environment at the federal level based on the philosophy of one-size-fits-all — it doesn't work,” he said.
Correctional Service Canada says it doesn't calculate the cost of incarceration by age, but experts insist the price tag of housing older prisoners is steep.
“Certainly,” Pierre Mallet, head of Canada's correctional officers union, answered when asked if cellblock greybeards cost more to house than their younger counterparts.
“It's a legitimate problem.”
The average annual cost of keeping one person locked up jumped 22 per cent — from $83,276 to $101,666 — between 2003-04 and 2007-08, Public Safety Canada says. In other words, the average daily cost rose to $278 per prisoner.
Due to shortages in medical staff at some institutions, guards are sometimes called upon to juggle their security duties with basic caregiving, Mr. Mallet said.
“We deplore the lack of medical resources that they have in establishments,” Mr. Mallet said.
“But at the same time, is the population ready to assume the costs that this could all bring? You know, to have more nurses, to have more doctors, to have more people to help them, there's a cost attached to this.”
Mr. Sapers said an internal review conducted 10 years ago by Correctional Service Canada identified elderly prisoners as a priority.
The department set up a task force to examine needs such as palliative care, reintegration and accommodation, but the group was eventually disbanded.
Still, the federal government is aware of the problem.
“Delivering adequate health care is an ongoing challenge with major implications for public safety,” said briefing notes prepared last spring for Public Safety Minister Vic Toews, obtained by The Canadian Press through an Access to Information request.
A spokeswoman for Correctional Service Canada said the department evaluates the care given to prisoners based on their individual needs, not by age.
“It's really hard to have a specific old-age offender (program) in place,” said Christelle Chartrand.
“We adapt with the population that we have.”
She said the department takes physical limitations into consideration for housing and penitentiary placement.

Inmates stuck in cycle of imprisonment and homelessness

More than one in five of those in Toronto jails were homeless when arrested, and many plan to return to a shelter, according to the John Howard Society of Toronto

The path to prison often begins in homelessness, and the path back to freedom tends to leave former inmates homeless once again. It’s a vicious cycle of failed reintegration that leads to recidivism, according to a new report from the John Howard Society of Toronto.
The report found that more than one in five inmates in the Toronto area were homeless when they were arrested. And there was little sign their prospects for integration were smoothed by their time in jail. One-third of inmates said they planned on living in a homeless shelter when they were released, and a further 12 per cent said they had no idea where they would go.
The report, Homeless and Jailed: Jailed and Homeless, based on interviews with 363 people in jail, highlights the difficulties many former prisoners face when they are returned to the community. It concludes that current incarceration policies are adding to the problem of homelessness in Toronto.
“The number of homeless being released from prisons is growing and we have identified a pattern where they are returning to resource-poor neighbourhoods that are ill-equipped to provide employment opportunities, good housing or adequate support services,” said Greg Rogers, executive director of the John Howard Society of Toronto, an organization that advocates on behalf of former prisoners.
“When we calculate the high financial and human costs of the current tough approach to crime we see that diverting spending from prisons to community services is a more effective way to ensure community safety and reduce recidivism.”
Mr. Rogers’ statement comes amid other criticism of the Conservative government’s tough-on-crime agenda. Their proposal for “truth in sentencing” has been projected by federal Budget Officer Kevin Page to cost an additional $5-billion a year, taking the cost of jailing Canada’s prison population from $4.4-billion to $9.5-billion. All this at a time when crime rates are dropping, according to Statistics Canada.
Amber Kellen, co-author of the report, offered two key recommendations. The first is that prisoners should receive assistance in planning for life after release from the moment they arrive in the prison system. Currently, most prisoners are discharged at the remand stage with little advance notice, and without access to the programs offered to more serious offenders with longer terms in the federal prison system, Ms. Kellen said. The second is that there should be some form of assisted housing to lodge these former inmates while they piece their lives back together. Almost all will have lost jobs or apartments or social assistance while they were locked up.
“This isn’t about soft on crime. This is about being smart on crime,” Ms. Kellen said. “Often [former inmates] will end up back in custody before they even have a chance to make plans. Even individuals I’ve talked with that have the best of intentions.
“Without [a more comprehensive system] in place not only are people more likely to re-offend but it also is a community safety risk. Having people in various states of desperation creates a bunch of desperate people.”

Often inmates are released from prison with little assistance and support in reintegration. They often suffer from financial difficulties, unemployment, lack of education and life skills, lack of rehabilitation, addicts, more entrenched in the criminal lifestyle, homeless, little support from family and friends, living in poverty, etc. Inmates need to be provided with more assistance and support after release and be connected to resources and programs in the areas of employment assistance, and housing assistance. Otherwise, there is a good chance that they will resort back to crime in order to survive. 

Prison Justice Day Awareness and Past Events

Prison Justice Day (PJD) emerged as a prisoner-initiatied day of non-violent strike action to commemorate the August 10, 1974 death of Eddie Nalon in the segregation unit of Millhaven maximum-security penitentiary. It was first observed in 1975, and in 1976 the prisoners of Millhaven issued a communication "To All Prisoners and Concerned Peoples from across Canada", calling for one-day hunger strikes in opposition to the use of solitary confinement and in support of prisoners' rights, in memory of Eddie Nalon as well as Robert Landers, who also died along in solitary confinement (see www.prisonjustice.ca).

Since that time individuals and groups on the outside have used PJD not only as a day to bring attention to deaths in custody, but also other prison justice issues such as facility overcrowding, mental health, the overrepresentation of Aboriginals in our penal institutions, and broader social justice issues in our communities.

Below is a snapshot (albeit incomplete) of PJD events taking place across Canada.

MONTREAL

Criminalizing Risk:
Discussion and Presentations on the Criminalization of HIV Transmission
Thursday, August 12, 2010
6:30pm - 8:30pm
Association sportive et communautaire Centre-Sud
2093 rue de la Visitation (between Sherbrooke East and Ontario)

This community dialogue and panel discussion will bring together a host of people involved in HIV prevention and HIV legal issues to discuss the recent legal shifts in Canada that have seen the deepening criminalization of HIV transmission, risk, and nondisclosure. The panel will speak to the costs and harms to HIV positive communities brought about these shifts, as well as how we might confront - and reverse - this trend. Speakers will present in both French and English. Whisper translation in both directions will be provided. This event will take place as part of PJD efforts across the country, an annual commemoration of the lives of all prisoners who have died while in custody, including the many Canadian prisoners who have died from AIDS related illness while in prison.

Event Sponsors:
Prisoner Correspondence Project
Politi-Q
AIDS Community Care Montreal

Contact: Prisoner Correspondence Project (info@prisonercorrespondenceproject.com)

Prison Radio Coverage of PJD
Friday, August 13, 2010
11:00am - 12:00pm
CKUT 90.3 FM

Visit CKUT

OTTAWA

Prison Justice Day:
A Time to Reflect Upon Deaths in Custody and Other Issues Inside Our Prisons
Tuesday, August 20, 2010
12:00pm - 1:15pm
Ottawa Public Library, Main Branch - Auditorium
120 Metcalfe Street

Speakers include Kim Pate (Executive Director, Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies), Susan Haines (Volunteer and Consultant), Michelle Mann (Lawyer and Consultant), and Peter Collins (Federal Prisoner).

For those who are not fasting as one of the ways some memorialize deaths in custody, please bring your lunches. Coffee, juice and water will be provided by the Journal of Prisoners on Prisons.


Justice Symposium
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
2:30pm
Bronson Centre Theatre
210 Bronson Avenue

Keynote speaker for the Justice Symposium, Anne Marie Hagan, is an insightful and knowledgeable motivational speaker, known for her ability to captivate an audience and effectively deliver a message of forgiveness and hope. Having faced the incredible obstacle of the murder of her father, she challenges and empowers us to look beyond our anger to find the ability to forgive.

Registration: $30 ($15 for students)

Contact: Elizabeth Fry Society of Ottawa (info@efryottawa.com)

TORONTO

Prisoners' Justice Day Radio
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
12:00pm - 6:00pm
CHRY 105.5 FM

Histories, interviews and music dedicated to PJD.

Visit CHRY

Prison Justice Day Fast
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
11am - 6pm
Holy Trinity Anglican Church
10 Trinity Square (Bay & Queen, behind the Eaton Centre)

For those who chose to fast in solidarity with those inside, we will break our fast with dinner at 6:00pm.

RSVP by August 6.

Sponsored by:
Toronto Bishop's Working Group on Justice and Corrections
The Bridge Prison Ministry
John Howard Society of Toronto
Toronto Restorative Justice Conference
Toronto Harm Reduction Task Force
Holy Trinity Anglican Church

Contact: Gary (garryg@golden.net)

Prison Justice Day Vigil
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
4:00pm - 7:00pm
South Riverdale Community Health Centre (SRCHC), A/B room
955 Queen Street East (at Carlaw Street)

A vigil, discussion and free supper will be held at SRCHC from 4:00pm - 5:30pm in the A/B room. Afterwards, we will walk in procession to the Don Jail for the 6:30pm vigil.

Contacts: Molly Bannerman (mbannerman@srchc.com) and Zoe Dodd (zdodd@srchc.com)

Candlelight Vigil at the Don Jail
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
6:30pm
550 Gerrard Street East

Join us for speakers, performers and a candlelight vigil at dusk when we read the names of those we have lost to the prison system.

VANCOUVER

Prison Justice Day Program
Monday, August 9, 2010
7:00pm - 8:00pm
102.7 FM, Starchoice #845

A special program in honour of August 10th, a day to remember those who have died inside prisons in Canada and around the world. We hear from one lifer, who is now on the outside, about his experiences with PJD on the inside and on the outside, and how the prison system is making it harder to celebrate PJD on the inside. Vancouver organizers talk about PJD, its history and organizing today.

Contact: Stark Raven Media Collective (starkraven@prisonjustice.ca)

Prison Justice Day Rally
Tuesday, August 1o, 2010
7:00pm - 8:00pm
Claire Culhane Memorial Bench, Trout Lake Park (southeast corner)

Speakers include ex-prisoners and anti-prison activists. All welcome.
 
Prison Justice Day:
A Time to Reflect Upon Deaths in Custody
and Other Issues Inside Our Prisons

Tuesday, August 10, 2010
12:00pm - 1:15pm

Ottawa Public Library, Main Branch - Auditorium
120 Metcalfe Street
Ottawa, ON

Prison Justice Day (PJD) emerged as a prisoner-initiated day of non-violent strike action to commemorate the August 10, 1974 death of Eddie Nalon in the segregation unit of Millhaven maximum-security penitentiary. It was first observed in 1975, and in 1976 the prisoners of Millhaven issued a communication “To All Prisoners and Concerned Peoples from across Canada”, calling for one-day hunger strikes in opposition to the use of solitary confinement and in support of prisoners’ rights, in memory of Eddie Nalon as well as Robert Landers, who also died alone in solitary confinement (see www.prisonjustice.ca).

Despite promises to ‘reform’ our prisons, deaths in custody continue to occur. We invite concerned citizens to participate in a public forum where speakers will reflect upon the current state of incarceration in light of decades of opposition and resistance.

For those who are not fasting as one of the ways some memorialize deaths in custody, please bring your lunches. Coffee, juice and water will be provided by the Journal of Prisoners on Prisons.
 
Prison Justice Day (PJD) emerged as a prisoner-initiated day of non-violent strike action to commemorate the August 10, 1974 death of Eddie Nalon in the segregation unit of Millhaven maximum-security penitentiary. It was first observed in 1975, and in 1976 the prisoners of Millhaven issued a communication “To All Prisoners and Concerned Peoples from across Canada”, calling for one-day hunger strikes in opposition to the use of s...olitary confinement and in support of prisoners’ rights, in memory of Eddie Nalon as well as Robert Landers, who also died alone in solitary confinement (see www.prisonjustice.ca).

Despite promises to ‘reform’ our prisons, deaths in custody continue to occur. We invite concerned citizens to participate in a public forum where speakers will reflect upon the current state of incarceration in light of decades of opposition and resistance.