Pubdate: Wed, 21 Sep 2011
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2011 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/theprovince/letters.html
Website: http://www.theprovince.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Authors: Tobi Cohen and Jason Fekete

FEDS TABLE CRIME BILL DESPITE OUTCRY

Justice: Crackdown on Crime to Cost Time, Money: Critics

OTTAWA -- A sweeping omnibus crime bill tabled Tuesday that seeks to 
crack down on young offenders, drug dealers and sexual predators is 
under fire from critics -- who argue it's a waste of time and money 
since crime rates are on the wane in Canada.

The bill, dubbed the "Safe Streets and Communities Act," comprises 
nine individual justice bills that died during the previous 
parliamentary session because the then-minority Tory government could 
not push them through.

The new legislation will include measures to protect children from 
sexual offenders by setting mandatory minimum penalties, will target 
organized drug crime and crack down on young offenders, said Justice 
Minister Rob Nicholson, accompanied by representatives from victims 
rights groups in Brampton, Ont.

The legislation also will remove the option of house arrest for those 
who have been convicted of serious violent and property crimes, such 
as sexual assault, human trafficking, arson, break-and-enter, 
child-luring and kidnapping, he said.

"Since coming into office, our government has accomplished a great 
deal when it comes to cracking down on crime and better protecting 
Canadians," he said.

"But we know more needs to be done. Canadians want and deserve to 
feel safe in their homes and their communities."

The government has vowed to pass the bill within the first 100 
sitting days of the new Parliament, which began Monday.

The opposition has promised to oppose it, citing Statistics Canada 
data that suggest crime is actually going down in this country as 
well as U.S. studies that conclude locking people up for longer 
doesn't necessarily work. With their majority, however, the 
Conservatives no longer need the opposition's support.

The bill will also heap additional costs on provinces, Comartin said, 
as provincial institutions house more prisoners for minor drug crimes.

Comartin said that he was happy to see provisions in the youth crime 
bill that give the courts more ability to keep violent offenders 
behind bars in pre-trial custody.

Interim Liberal leader Bob Rae slammed the legislation, suggesting 
the legislation has more to do with the government's "obsession" with 
the "symbolism" of denouncing crime than with improving public safety.

Catherine latimer of the john howard society, a group dedicated to 
effective crime responses and the rights of offenders, also raised 
concerns about the bill, including the potential for overcrowding in 
prisons, the cost to provinces, territories and taxpayers and the 
tight time frame the government has set for passing the legislation.

"We think it will endanger corrections workers and inmates and 
compromise rights and not promote good corrections and undermine 
principles of justice and have a disproportionately harsh impact on 
some of the most vulnerable members of our society," she said.

- -- With a file from Jordan Press
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