Speak Up Against U.S. Style Prisons in Canada
- by: Canadians For a Better Society
- recipient: The Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety
In 2007, The Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety appointed a panel led by Rob Sampson, a former corrections minister in Ontario's Mike Harris government, to draft a government plan, A Roadmap to Strengthening Public Safety, to reform the prison system in Canada, which is currently being implemented by the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC). http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/organi/trnsform-eng.shtml
In response to the report, University of British Columbia professor Michael Jackson and Graham Stewart, who recently retired after decades as head of the John Howard Society of Canada, have released a scathing 235 page review, A Flawed Compass released on September 24, 2009. The report calls the plan "immoral, unethical and illegal."
According to CBC News, "The Conservative government plans to bring in an American-style prison system that will cost billions of taxpayer dollars and do little to improve public safety...In addition to constructing super prisons and implementing work programs, the program will eliminate gradual release and deny inmates rights."
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/09/24/conservative-prison-plan024.html
This punitive versus restorative approach to justice does not result in releasing members of society who have taken responsibility for their actions and ready to contribute to society - instead it adds to the anger, resentment and hate that led them to commit crimes in the first place. This does not contribute to "public safety" as the report A Roadmap to Strengthening Public Safety claims.
According to A Flawed Compass, the Conservative government is implementing these changes and are already investing tax dollars without consulting the public or parliament. We need to speak out about the well being of our society and the grave danger this puts us all in if this "tough on crime" approach continues to be implemented in the prison system. These changes are driven by ideology, not research - the U.S. experience tells us that this punitive approach is inefficient (many states are on the verge of bankruptcy) and results in prisoner frustration - a source of many of the prison riots of the 1970's.
To read the report in full go to: http://www.cbc.ca/news/pdf/a-flawed-compass-final-web-distribution-sep25-09.pdf
In response to the report, University of British Columbia professor Michael Jackson and Graham Stewart, who recently retired after decades as head of the John Howard Society of Canada, have released a scathing 235 page review, A Flawed Compass released on September 24, 2009. The report calls the plan "immoral, unethical and illegal."
According to CBC News, "The Conservative government plans to bring in an American-style prison system that will cost billions of taxpayer dollars and do little to improve public safety...In addition to constructing super prisons and implementing work programs, the program will eliminate gradual release and deny inmates rights."
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/09/24/conservative-prison-plan024.html
This punitive versus restorative approach to justice does not result in releasing members of society who have taken responsibility for their actions and ready to contribute to society - instead it adds to the anger, resentment and hate that led them to commit crimes in the first place. This does not contribute to "public safety" as the report A Roadmap to Strengthening Public Safety claims.
According to A Flawed Compass, the Conservative government is implementing these changes and are already investing tax dollars without consulting the public or parliament. We need to speak out about the well being of our society and the grave danger this puts us all in if this "tough on crime" approach continues to be implemented in the prison system. These changes are driven by ideology, not research - the U.S. experience tells us that this punitive approach is inefficient (many states are on the verge of bankruptcy) and results in prisoner frustration - a source of many of the prison riots of the 1970's.
To read the report in full go to: http://www.cbc.ca/news/pdf/a-flawed-compass-final-web-distribution-sep25-09.pdf
We the undersigned, are deeply concerned about the federal government's approach to reforming the CSC based on A Roadmap to Strengthening Public Safety. We do not feel that the panel headed by Robert Sampson represents the voices of many Canadians who do not feel that their public safety is ensured by the kind of punitive, "get tough" policies recommended by this report.
We urge you to read and implement the insight offered by A Flawed Compass, the report released on Sept. 24, 2009 by Michael Jackson and Graham Stewart. Jackson and Stewart represent voices not represented in the panel you appointed to examine the current correction services in Canada.
We urge you to open up the report to public analysis and debate so that there is a transparent process in examining the needs of our correction services and that all voices of experience are heard and consulted.
As citizens of this country, we believe that people need to be held accountable for their actions but also given the tools needed for healing and redemption. The solution must include the many voices of expertice and experience that go into this healing process, otherwise we as a society will suffer the consequences of simplistic, punitive based policies.
Thank you, for taking the time to hear from Canadians who want to work with you in making this a better country for all of us.
Sign PetitionSign PetitionWe urge you to read and implement the insight offered by A Flawed Compass, the report released on Sept. 24, 2009 by Michael Jackson and Graham Stewart. Jackson and Stewart represent voices not represented in the panel you appointed to examine the current correction services in Canada.
We urge you to open up the report to public analysis and debate so that there is a transparent process in examining the needs of our correction services and that all voices of experience are heard and consulted.
As citizens of this country, we believe that people need to be held accountable for their actions but also given the tools needed for healing and redemption. The solution must include the many voices of expertice and experience that go into this healing process, otherwise we as a society will suffer the consequences of simplistic, punitive based policies.
Thank you, for taking the time to hear from Canadians who want to work with you in making this a better country for all of us.
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