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Woman was jailed infinitely for taking prison staff hostage
March 16, 2011 - 10:47pm
Woman declared dangerous offender in Kitchener
http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2011/03/16/17644586.html
This seems a huge injustice! How could this be allowed to happen in Canada?
This woman - who has had a troubled childhood - is sentenced to jail for a relatively minor crime, gets pregnant in prison, has her child taken away from her, spends years in segregated cells, finally loses it and takes a prison staff hostage.
And as a result is jailed indefinitely. Does this punishment fit the crime in any way?
The dangerous offenders law is the most cruel and unjust piece of legislation that one could imagine. Has it been challenged on constitutional/charter grounds?
The dangerous offender law has been challenged using the charter and it held up. It is supposed to be to protect the public from repeated offenders of violence and sex crimes, similar to the 3 strikes laws in some states though it is not automatic like theirs. Unfortunately it is, and will continue to be misused in certain cicumstances. I do not think there has been even 1 request by prosecutors for a dangerous offender classification denied and once that classification is applied it then becomes a situation where the offender has the burden of proof to try and get rid of it. I agree in principle with the law but its application is based on the opinion of the individual prosecutor which will always be subjective therfore open to misuse.
Actually most applications are denied and so should have this one.
Is the title supposed to say "indefinitely" rather than "infinitely"? If so, could a mod adjust it?
Dangerous offender designations aren't being given away like candy either, but there's good evidence that - like much else in the criminal justice system - they're overapplied to natives. There's definitely odd inequities involved. This lady receives a designation, but it was not applied for in the case of former Colonel Russel Williams, with his numerous charges of sexual assault and two murders.
There's a much more substantial article on her here: http://www.walrusmagazine.ca/articles/2010.03-justice-life-on-the-instalment-plan/1/
Its a travesty. I believe the fact she is a FN woman plays a role in the utter bias shown by everyone. Shame