Pubdate: Wed, 10 May 2006
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 The Vancouver Sun
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477
Author: Carly Weeks, CanWest News Service
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?199 (Mandatory Minimum Sentencing)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/women.htm (Women)

OTTAWA'S CRIME PROPOSALS CRITICIZED

A National Women's Group Says Crime Bill Will Add To Problem

OTTAWA -- Female prisoners are systematically segregated, put under 
more intense security than men and face other discrimination in 
federal facilities, and the federal Conservatives' new crime bill 
will only add to what has become a severe problem, the leaders of 
national women's groups said on Tuesday.

The government's call for mandatory minimum sentences and a tough 
crackdown on crime is a costly move that will strip social programs 
designed to help vulnerable women avoid the prison system, said 
Native Women's Association of Canada president Beverley Jacobs.

"The Conservatives' response to get tough on crime is shortsighted 
and completely misses the mark. This agenda is based on fear 
mongering and is not reflected in evidence-based research that shows 
that crime rates are actually declining," she said.

The women's groups spoke out on Tuesday -- the 10-year anniversary of 
a scathing report on women's treatment in prison -- because they fear 
the government's proposed changes could have catastrophic 
consequences for women who already face serious challenges at federal 
penitentiaries. Women are the fastest growing population of federal 
prisons, with aboriginal women being "grossly overrepresented," 
Jacobs said. This should be a clear sign that segment of the 
population faces challenges that won't be solved by tougher crime 
penalties, she added.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman