Circumstances of Law

[bornagainbiking]

This is or will be a topic of strong opinion or feelings.
Please practice respect and proper decorum.
Everyone has a right to their perspective as do you.
This is a newspaper article and racism is not the intent of submission.

Think twice and read over your submission before pressing submit. FASD is non-discriminating and a serious medical concern.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle2390728/

From the Globe and Mail earlier this week.

[vid]

It's the unfortunate modern issue of punishment taking into account not just the crime, but the circumstances that led to the individual committing the crime, as well. I don't think jail is the appropriate place for someone with FASD, but his condition should have been taken more seriously in the past to prevent this from happening.

Putting him in might make the victim feel better for a short period of time, but given the way our prison system is now structured, it will likely turn the offender into an even harder criminal, and when he is released—and they're always released—he will be even more dangerous to society.

For anyone saying "ignore his past and just put him in jail for the crime"; that is what we had been doing until 10 years ago. Where we are now is where that behaviour has gotten us. Jail does not help criminals to become better people. It turns them against society more, segregates them away from societal norms and positive influences, and makes them a greater danger to us. Unless all prisoners are going to become wards of the state for the rest of their lives, our jails do not make us safer.

The saddest part of this story is that right now, there is a huge generation of aboriginal kids growing up in this part of the country. They're the next generation of people suffering FASD, with little hope for a successful future, because we do so little to prevent them from becoming who Del Louie is. Ten years ago the problem was half as bad as it is now. In five years, it will be twice as bad, all because of ineffective policies and lack of prevention.

I have been saying for years: All jail does is deal with crimes after they've already happened. As a victim of crime, I would rather have the government focus on preventing more people from becoming victims like my family was. I do not see that happening, and that makes me more angry than the fact that someone who murdered a member of my family is still walking free.

[kwoldtimer]

Since I wasn't in the courtroom, and don't think one can form much of an opinion from a newspaper article, I wouldn't have any views on this particular outcome (except to hope that the individual is able to benefit from the opportunity he has been given), but I think it's probably safe to assume that victims of FASD are disproportionately represented in our prisons.

[vid]

Something like 40% of prisoners last I've heard. Another 40% (not the same, but with significant overlap) is aboriginal.

This kind of verdict happens in northern Canada/the prairies all the time, it is always the same story: the kid basically didn't have a chance at ever having a decent life so they don't give him hard time for the crime he committed. The problem is, he'll end up still being "free" and commit more crimes because nothing is done to deal with why he's committing the crimes in the first place.

The whole system is done in a very half-assed way and people here have simply stopped respecting it because of that.

Typically, the victims of these crimes are other aboriginals with criminal records, usually suffering FASD. In Thunder Bay, it is the same thousand or so people regularly committing crimes against each other, occasionally bringing a non-aboriginal into the fray. At this point, unless it ends in murder, it is only considered newsworthy when a non-aboriginal is involved.

[Symz]

I feel very empathetic for north American aboriginals.