ON REPORTING

There is so much in this world and in human behaviour that I don’t understand I find my brain almost constantly firing off the inquiry “WHAT????”. (This is also the case with a lot of court judgments.) The problem is often found in the media sensationalizing things by skewing, spinning, withholding or misleading the facts to increase viewership and thereby profits. When you go to the source to get the full story understanding (although not necessarily agreement) usually follows.

Irish Government To Decriminalize Heroin, Cocaine, And Marijuana | ThinkProgress

THE WAR ON DRUGS – it’s time it went the way the war in Vietnam went. It was a bad idea, it hasn’t worked, it’s resulted in death, damage, incarceration and destruction and it’s time is over. We wouldn’t even be forging the trail but rather following the leaders.

“Addiction is not a choice, it’s a healthcare issue.”

Source: Irish Government To Decriminalize Heroin, Cocaine, And Marijuana | ThinkProgress

New justice minister faces some of Canada’s biggest legal challenges | Toronto Star

THERE’S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE to restore Canada to the free and democratic status we enjoyed a decade ago. We’ll be here to inform you of the changes to our criminal law and what it means, as they happen.

As Justin Trudeau’s newly named justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould faces several of the country’s biggest legal challenges ever.

Source: New justice minister faces some of Canada’s biggest legal challenges | Toronto Star

YOUTH SEXTING – Warn your kids.

“It’s so common now for kids to share pretty much everything but teens sending photos of naked teens can be considered to be distributing child pornography. Even a naked selfie can be considered production of child pornography. They can consent to the photos, but they’re still child porn. The law hasn’t quite caught up to smartphones. When the child pornography laws were made no one ever considered young people sharing images,” The result is mandatory minimum jail sentences and sex offender registration.

Under Canada’s criminal code, teens under 18 sharing explicit texts could be violating pornography laws

Source: Sexting in Durham: When cheeky texts turn into child porn charges

SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION – WORTH A SECOND LOOK – Life on the List

“Sex-offender registries also now include people who have committed no sexual crime. Their crimes vary widely, from chronic violent sexual predation down to voyeurism and even public urination. Researchers estimate that the vast majority of these offenders are at low-risk for repeating their crimes.” Studies of vigilante violence against sex offenders indicate widespread abuses. Although this is an American article, this also is the legacy left us by the past Conservative government.

You could say it started with three small-town Minnesota boys riding their bikes to a convenience store on an October night in 1989. As they were returning home on a dark stretch of road, a man steppe

Source: Life on the List

ANTICIPATING A RETURN TO REASON – Liberal justice: Experts expect less punitive, more principled approach to crime

We expect an end to the punitive, harsh, ideological “tough-on-crime” politically serving approach of the last government and a return to the development of healthier, safer, evidence based policies.

Experts hope the new Liberal government will steer Canada on a criminal justice course that is less punitive and more effective than the Conservatives’ “tough-on-crime” agenda.

Source: Liberal justice: Experts expect less punitive, more principled approach to crime – Politics – CBC News

THE END OF CARDING? – Province sets strict new limits on police street checks

We’ll see if various police services, who have resisted limiting this discriminatory practice of interfering with law abiding citizens will respect this law. Is there an enforcement mechanism, rather than complaining to the offending police service? Is there a remedy or will this be simply a hollow political statement?

Tactic of stopping and questioning people who are not suspected of any crime has been applied disproportionately to blacks, data shows.

Source: Province sets strict new limits on police street checks | Toronto Star