Crime Legislation Could Set Back Gladue: Advocate

Crime Legislation Could Set Back Gladue: Advocate

Wednesday, July 27, 2011 at 09:24

The Federal government’s recent crime bills could set back a Supreme Court Ruling according to a volunteer at the John Howard Society.

Emile Therien sits on the board of directors for an Ontario chapter of the group.

He says Aboriginal people will lose out through much of the crime legislation which tends to keep offenders behind bars for longer periods of time.

He feels the legislation may also impact the number of times the so-called Gladue factor is applied to cases involving aboriginal offenders.

Back in 1999 the Supreme Court urged judges to be sensitive to the circumstances of Aboriginal people when sentencing in an effort to reduce the over-population of aboriginal people behind bars.

Therien says he worries this factor could fall by the wayside.