Do prosecutors have too much discretion?
This post is about 750 words and can be read in 3 minutes. More than 90% of criminal charges in Canada never go to trial. They are either dropped by the Crown or the accused pleads guilty to something. This...
Read MoreMedia portrayals of crime create problems
This post is 900 words and can be read in about 4 minutes Emotional public reactions to crime have always played an important role in shaping criminal justice. This post draws from ten recent studies (listed and linked at the...
Read MoreReducing crime by supporting people after release
This post is about 100 words and can be read in about 5 minutes. Everybody wants a world in which there is less crime. That is why rehabilitation is one of the main official purposes of the criminal justice system. ...
Read MoreIntermittent Sentences Cause Big Problems in Quebec Jails
This post is about 800 words and can be read in 3-4 minutes. One result of the abolition by the previous federal government of conditional sentences (house arrest) for many crimes has been a significant increase in what are called...
Read MoreProblems with education in Canadian prisons
This post is about 600 words and can be read in less than 3 minutes. Providing effective education and training in prison would seem to be crucial in helping prisoners live appropriately once they leave the penal system. Quite a...
Read MoreHealth care after prison
This post is about 580 words and can be read in 3 minutes. Many people leaving Canadian jails and prisons face very significant obstacles to developing a normal life. Despite the criminal justice system’s official goal of assisting rehabilitation, those...
Read MoreA 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 More