Safer Communities?

Dear Federal Government:

Help us to better understand your plans to make our communities ‘safer’. As it stands right now, you plan to spend $17 Billion on prisons.

Canadians deserve to know the truth. And, we have questions that remain unanswered.

This money is going to come from somewhere. What programs are going to be cut to fund this $17 Billion?  

So many people have told you that building more prisons does not make communities safer. These are people who are experts in criminology, lawyers, analysts, professionals and knowledgeable citizens whose collective voice has been all but ignored.  Where are you getting your facts from, and what sources can you give us to back your stance that more prisons are the solution?

Unless you plan on having all individuals who are incarcerated die while still incarcerated, we know that they will eventually be released into the community. When you overfill a prison, the first priority becomes security. Not rehabilitation. Security at all costs. We need only look at our neighbors to the south to see the detrimental effects of over-crowded prisons. Eventually incarcerated individuals will suffer the known effects of criminalization and institutionalization, and they will be released into the same community with the same ‘criminogenic’ and aggravating factors present in the community that lead them to the crime cycle in the first place. This is NOT safer for our communities. In fact this further exacerbates these root causes of crime. What then? Or is your plan to have an aging prison population with long term sentences, factoring out the community altogether, where you then have to deal with degrading health and increasing costs of health care in the prisons? And what then?

The only way to make communities safer is to reduce crime in the communities themselves. The only way to reduce or prevent crime is through crime prevention. Every expert, every criminologist, every person who has been incarcerated has said, collectively, that prisons are NOT a deterrent for crime, and do not prevent crime. Drug use and abuse for example. Many addicts will say that the threat of jail in no way impacts their drug use. Of course they do not want to go to prison, but addiction becomes priority #1. Federal government, since you believe that building new prisons makes communities safer, do you plan on arresting and imprisoning every drug user, every drug dealer, ever gang member, ever drug runner, etc? If so, a) good luck, b) do you believe that the problem of drugs (a known criminogenic factor) will then cease to exist? c) what are the policing costs tied to this kind of thought pattern?!  Obviously this is absurd, but it exemplifies the absurdity of this entire stance on safety. The bottom line is, locking up ‘the criminals’ and throwing away the key will not make communities safer because unfortunately, unless we address the root causes of crime (through crime prevention), there will be more where they came from.

It is time for the truth…

Sincerely,

Toni Sinclair

Concerned Canadian

Executive  Director of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Edmonton

In truth, Bill C-10 has made me exhausted, frustrated, and with very little faith (if I ever had any?!) in our systems and powers that be. I need a silver lining, and some hope. And, I find that hope in the voices that are speaking up: a shout out to everyone on Twitter, Facebook, and in the media! But we need more collective action. What is happening is WRONG and it is targeting the most vulnerable citizens in our country.

I came to work this morning entirely fed up and feeling powerless and hopeless. Then, there on the wall was the most poignant and timely message. It was a poem written by one of our women in Changing Paths:

One Day at a Time

Whatever the goal we’re pursuing,

No matter how rugged the climb,

We’re certain to get there,

By trying out best,

And taking One Day at a Time.

‘Forever’ is hard to imagine,

‘The Future’ may seem far away,

But every new dawn

            Brings a wonderful chance

            To do what we can

            On that Day.

Yet again, it is the voices of our women that keep me going, that fan the flames inside me, that remind me that THEY are our hope, and we are here for them. And on we go.

Toni  

We're Blogging!... Our Apologies?!

I would like to start our first blog with an apology! … Let me explain.

I’m not sure if other Non-Profits agree, but at our Agency, there is a natural ebb and flow of busy times, extremely busy times, and a bit less than busy times. Administratively, it seems as though major reports and proposals are all due around the same time (what’s up with that?!). As well, we have naturally very busy times of each fiscal year (our audit, and our AGM time, for instance.) Operationally speaking, we have busy Agency priorities that take on a life of their own at times and become the focal point for all of us at EFry. And then there are our women who seem to follow their own ebb and flow; at times there is practically a line up out the door to access our supports and services (like today for instance, when I traversed from my side of the building to the main reception area to grab something from my mailbox, but came to a sudden halt when I saw our main foyer filled with women waiting to meet with our Employment Coordinator, Britt. Where did they all come from?! It’s great, but I was quite surprised.) Some days, like today, we need ‘all hands on deck’ to meet the challenging needs of our women, and other days, we wonder where they are?! As mentioned, our busy drop-in seems to follow a pattern of its own.

Back to the apology. Quite simply, sometimes we will have more time to blog than others. And we apologize if it seems inconsistent.

We are committed, however, as an Agency to blog as we see it as a way to discuss the issues that are pertinent to us and to our women, issues that should be pertinent to you too! (‘just sayin’…). Often times I will chat with our team and say things as they come to my mind (specifically about social justice issues in the news or about ‘prison realities’), and Florence, our Changing Paths Coordinator, will say ‘These are things the public should know about!’ And while I agree, I didn’t really know how to spread these messages, aside from shouting them aloud on the sidewalk(?!), and more importantly, who would want to listen to me. So, this blog is PERFECT for this purpose. Therefore, the next time I go on one of my rants, and Florence gives me ‘the prompt’, I will make a mental note and try to discuss it here.

Furthermore, we have amazing and talented writers at EFry! I hope to have them showcase their ‘mad skillz’.  … When they have time. Like I said --- ebb and flow… busy, not-so-busy….  And right now, actually is one of those crazy busy times for EFry. Christmas!

And on that note, back to work!

Thank you for reading!

Toni
Executive Director