A Christian view on criminal justice
This post is 800 words and can be read in about 3 minutes. Churches have long been among the leaders in criminal justice reform efforts in Canada. Recently, criminal law professor Benjamin Perrin gave a talk in his personal capacity...
Read MoreParole denied due to claims of innocence
This post is about 1100 words and can be read in about 5 minutes. There are many problems with the way that Canada’s parole system functions. One problem is that being paroled requires a prisoner to admit guilt for the...
Read MoreCrime in Canada: An overview
This post is about 700 words and can be read in about 3 minutes. It’s not easy to find a careful and balanced overview of crime and punishment in Canada, but anyone wanting such an overview should consult Diane Crocker’s...
Read MoreGlobe and Mail coverage of prison reform
This post is about 1150 words and can be read in 5-6 minutes. On Nov 6, the Globe and Mail newspaper ran an editorial called “Fixing solitary isn’t enough. Canada’s prisons need to be reformed top to bottom”. The editorial...
Read MoreSolitary confinement – A first hand account
This post is about 1200 words and can be read in 5-6 minutes. This post was provided by a former prisoner who wishes to remain anonymous. In light of the current controversy around solitary confinement in Canada, a first-hand account...
Read MoreBenefits of Restorative Justice
This post is about 900 words and can be read in 4-5 minutes. Restorative justice (RJ) is one of those approaches often advocated yet not often used. Despite its seeming advantages and the efforts of some advocates such as Margot...
Read MoreStormy ways or sunny weather? Prisoners’ views of Canadian prisons
This post is about 1000 words and can be read in about 5 minutes. One of the best ways of understanding the state of an institution is to listen to the people who inhabit it. We learn about the reality...
Read MoreMissed Opportunities: Young Adults in Federal Prisons
This post is about 640 words and can be read in 3 minutes. The Canadian federal prison system is missing many opportunities to work more effectively with young people in federal prisons, according to a report issued in 2017 by...
Read MoreNew book on Indigenous issues in the Canadian justice system
This post is about 600 words and can be read in 3 minutes. Everyone involved in criminal justice is aware of the dramatic over-representation of Indigenous people in Canada’s criminal justice system and prisons. But despite all the attention,...
Read MoreFalling Crime Rates in Many Countries
This post is under 800 words and can be read in about 4 minutes. Although many Canadians don’t seem to believe this – perhaps because so much media coverage is about crime – crime rates in Canada have fallen dramatically...
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