NCJ Number
129312
Date Published
1988
Length
300 pages
Annotation
This report of Canada's Standing Committee on Justice and Solicitor General reviews sentencing, conditional release, and related aspects of corrections.
Abstract
The report first discusses a Canadian study of public attitudes toward sentencing and identifies other areas of misunderstanding that contribute to lack of public confidence in the criminal justice system. As a means of reinforcing its view that criminal justice reforms must occur in a context responsive to crime victims and the community, the committee discusses the needs and interests of victims. Four chapters review the recent history of proposed sentencing reforms in Canada and present the committee's proposals for sentencing reform. Three chapters identify the current forms of conditional release, review the recent history of proposed reforms, and explain how the release process functions. Other chapters describe the committee's proposals for the reform of conditional release and outline proposals for correctional program reform, with emphasis on Native and women offenders. Principles underlying committee recommendations are attention to the needs and interests of victims, offenders, and the community; greater use of reparation and reconciliation in all aspects of corrections; greater victim participation in all stages of case processing; and greater accountability and visibility in sentencing and conditional release. Appended list of recommendations, witnesses, and written submissions