Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Monday, July 09, 2012

Ottawa’s cuts to young offender programs are short-sighted and costly

Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative government has slashed funding for programs that help keep young offenders out of jail and able to make something of their lives. It’s a terrible decision and surely the government knows it. Why else would Justice Minister Rob Nicholson have announced it in such a sneaky way?

This $36-million cut was not highlighted in the recent federal budget. It was not discussed with the agencies that provide these important services to troubled youth. Provincial ministers, who are the federal government’s partners in keeping Canada safe, were not consulted. The cut was made public last week in an announcement masquerading as good news.

“The government of Canada announces continued support to youth justice services,” the official news release stated. Sounds good. Too bad that $141.7 million in annual funding is a 20 per cent reduction in spending. Calling a cut “continued support” is misleading, at best.

Cutting this funding is a short-sighted policy. That, unfortunately, makes it typical of the Harper government’s approach to battling crime. Rather than spend $10,000 to provide high-risk youth with the counselling and support that can keep them on the straight and narrow, the government seems to prefer to spend more than $110,000 to lock them up.

This government has demonstrated time and again that it has no problem spending an ever-increasing number of tax dollars on senseless, ideologically driven justice policies. We’re already on the hook for billions in prison spending to keep up with all the new laws designed to lock up more offenders for longer periods.

Experts, such as Queen’s University law professor Nicholas Bala, warn that the loss of youth crime prevention programs may have the opposite effect that everyone wants and result in “an increase in levels of offending.” That won’t sway the Conservatives, who have shown nothing but disdain for experts and evidence.

But such assessments should give Canadians cause for concern. Not just about their safety, but also about Harper’s deeply misguided “tough on crime” agenda.

Original Article
Source: the star
Author: editorial

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