Category Archives: Mental Health
A mental-health lawyer’s wake-up call to the profession
In this Law Times “Speaker’s Corner” piece, lawyer Sarah Shartal begins by quoting the federal prison ombudsman who last year stated, “Canadian penitentiaries are becoming the largest psychiatric facilities in the country.” Bringing a forthright “front-line” perspective, Shartal tackles the … Continue reading
Mentally ill can stay in jail, judge decides
The Globe & Mail reports on a decision of Ontario Superior Court Justice Ian Nordheimer, who has reversed a lower court practice ordering mentally ill offenders to be moved from jails to hospitals “forthwith.” Due to a shortage of hospital … Continue reading
Bishop to Harper: Tough-on-crime is not what Jesus would do
A Yukon bishop has written to Prime Minister Stephen Harper asking him to reconsider his criminal justice policies. With more than two decades experience as a prison chaplain, Whitehorse bishop Gary Gordon opts not to mince words: “our policy is … Continue reading
Globe & Mail: Why Canada’s prisons can’t cope with flood of mentally ill inmates
This excellent Globe story by crime writer Kirk Makin points to the fact that while the tough-on-crime agenda has the Conservatives allotting millions to prison expansion, scant attention or resources are assigned to the existing mental health crisis in our … Continue reading
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