ONTARIO'S ATTORNEY-GENERAL PROMISES TO IMPROVE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

Last Friday's Waterloo-Region Record published an article by academics from their respective Sociology departments at the University of Toronto and the University of Guelph. They are examining the promises recently made to make the criminal justice system faster and fairer. Their conclusion is that one reform namely to make bail faster may occur but as far as making it fairer, that is unlikely. They find that the biggest obstacle and problem lies in numerous conditions, irrelevant to the offence, that are set by the courts in order for the accused to receive bail. These conditions include curfews, sureties and other frankly unrelated and irrelevant to the offence conditions demanded by Crown Attorneys. Justice's of the Peace must also think carefully as to whether demanded conditions are necessary or relevant to ensure an accused's appearance in court.

The title of the article is "Reforms may make bail faster, but will it be more fair?".