Social Policy in Ontario

Talk about being out of step [more prisons]

Posted on August 19, 2010 in Child & Family Debates

Source: Toronto Star — Authors: Shirley Farlinger

Just as the U.S. is rethinking its high incarcerations rates and the Canadian Bar Association is urging alternatives to jail, the Harper government is pouring our money into “big box” jails and “tough on crime” rhetoric. Talk about being totally out of step!

It’s not just those suffering from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome caused by mothers drinking during their pregnancy, there are other problems, including: lack of literacy and numeracy skills, attention deficit disorder and dropping out of school (common among young boys), lack of ability to make decent friends, addiction to alcohol, drugs and gambling, credit card debt at interest rates of 20 per cent, the constant bombardment of TV ads for going into debt to acquire new stuff, and a history of inability to accept authority.

If you want to send criminals back into society full of resentment, hatred and with enhanced skills in committing crime, then by all means support Harper’s crackdown on criminals.

Shirley Farlinger, Toronto

< http://www.thestar.com/opinion/letters/article/849573–talk-about-being-out-of-step >

Tags: corrections, crime prevention, ideology

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