Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

BC Attorney General David Eby announces opening of the new integrated court in Kelowna

 


Starting on Thursday, May 6, 2021, a new integrated court at Kelowna Provincial Court will improve access to health and social services to help to address the underlying mental health and addiction issues that lead people to become chronic offenders. This will be the third such integrated court in B.C., following Vancouver and Victoria. The community of Kelowna advocated for this kind of court, and we are responding to that call.

 

Integrated courts aim to reduce recidivism by bringing together government and community organizations with the court, to support people in regular contact with the criminal justice system. This serves to deliver more effective responses that help offenders break the cycle of offending and protect the broader community from crime at the same time.

 

With an integrated court, social workers, nurses, counsellors and others will work closely with offenders to understand their individual circumstances. With this additional information, judges are able to make a more informed decision when sentencing.

 

An integrated court is not a trial court, but eligible individuals may have bail hearings or plead guilty and be sentenced in the integrated court. People who plead not guilty have their trial in the regular court system.

 

This model works to divert people away from the justice system, offering them lasting help to overcome the challenges they may be facing that lead them to being arrested again and again, such as addiction, mental-health issues or homelessness. The new court will work with individuals following sentencing to provide continued support.

 

Like so many things over the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic posed challenges to the opening of this court. Yet, through the perseverance, dedication and hard work of many individuals and organizations in Kelowna, the integrated court will now be able to provide more people with the services they need to turn their lives around.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

FORSETH: Without a strong local presence, there is NO reason for anyone to tune in to local(?) radio

LOCAL HOMETOWN RADIO IS DYING … and without serious measures put in place, it will likely never see the light of day again. For well over four decades, the Canadian Radio and Television Commission (CRTC) has presided over its’ demise, and for that I say, “Shame”. Without out a word to say enough was enough, the CRTC has allowed corporate Canada to buy up one radio station after the other, and then allowed them to slash staff to the point where some so-called local radio stations do nothing more than air programming that originates from communities well outside the region in which they are located. Case in point?   On CHNL* 610 in Kamloops, the morning show hosted by Vinnie and Randi, DOES NOT originate from Kamloops -- it doesn’t even originate here in BC. It’s a program that Stingray airs across multiple radio stations in Western Canada. It doesn’t end there. Not only are Vinnie and Rando doing mornings on CHNL, but they also show up on sister station Country 103 … and of course o...
5 comments
Read more

Conservative Economic Team Responds to Urgent Industry Concerns

 " For far too long, the BC NDP has ignored the economic challenges facing British Columbians. Manufacturing jobs are vanishing, forestry is in decline, and private sector employment growth has stagnated. Meanwhile, affordability has worsened for both families and businesses. British Columbians deserve better, and we’re here to deliver real solutions to rebuild our economy and create jobs that support everyday working people and their families ." – Gavin Dew, MLA and Shadow Minister for Jobs, Economy, Development, and Innovation.   December 3, 2024, Vancouver, BC – The Conservative economic team met today with business leaders and stakeholders to tackle critical issues impacting British Columbia’s economy. Attended by 9 critics from the Conservative Caucus, this meeting was convened by MLA Gavin Dew – Shadow Minister for Jobs, Economic Development, and Innovation - as a direct response to an October 30th open letter from seven of the province’s largest industry associations. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

WARD STAMER -- We need certainly in our markets, and certainly in our fibre supply, before we no longer have a forest industry in this province

Image Government of BC I think we all realize that the threat of Trump’s 25% tariff is like other provocative statements he’s made in the past. That said, we should have reason to be concerned. Tariffs don’t benefit anyone. A tariff of that magnitude – included on our own softwood lumber exports, will make things more expensive for Americans, and cause friction in the supply chain. If imposed, a twenty-five percent tariff will be equally detrimental to the citizens and economy of the United States, as well as the people of BC. There are two things, however, of equal concern to the threat of punitive tariffs by incoming U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. One is our antiquated stumpage fees. It is a legacy from decades ago, and one incapable of responding to changing market conditions. We need to revamp our stumpage system to better reflect market conditions, and our economic costs. Instead, a value-added tax system will be instantly responsive to current market conditions and will encou...
Post a Comment
Read more

Labels

Show more