Do criminals have more rights than victims?

We've all heard the stories of violence on transit, of Canada's notorious serial killer Paul Bernardo being moved to a medium security correctional institution. There's a perception in the air that we aren't as safe these days. One of the options the Ontario government is exploring to protect the public is bail reform.

Nam Kiwanuka is joined by Chris Sewrattan, a criminal lawyer and Toronto Metropolitan University law professor to gain insights on the problem and its solutions.

Will bail reform keep us safe? What's included in Ontario's proposed bill to strengthen the bail system? Is bail reform needed at all? Does it go far enough? How does it affect people who are caught up in the system now? What would be the most beneficial way to help those inside jails and correctional institutions? Do we need to focus more on mental health and other supports rather than updating the criminal justice system?

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About The Thread with Nam Kiwanuka:   
The Thread isn’t a show, it’s a conversation. Every month we use artificial intelligence to scour the internet and uncover the topics that matter most to Ontarians. We then hit the streets to determine how these issues impact daily life and the efforts being made to solve them. Through a combination of expert interviews and stories of lived experience, we're here to help you understand the headlines, challenges, and opportunities Canadians face in a quickly changing political and social landscape. 

About TVO Today:  
TVO Today is a trusted source of insight and information about life in Ontario and beyond. Our award-winning current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts explore relevant issues and inspiring solutions. TVO Today’s website, mobile apps, broadcast programs and streaming services are all ad-free.

[DS]

Better to defend yourself and deal with the repercussions then to let criminals do harm. "Better to judged by 12 than carried by 6"

[ryanburden]

If you think a “public pretender” is going to get you out of a serious legal jam and not just plead you down a bit, you’re in for a surprise.

[mfa]

The real problem is, laws in Canada except QC are not codified but are developed slowly based on case law. This is a piece of crap system and the executive branch meddles in the judicial branch far too much.
We now have precedent for being sued by people that commit crimes against us, etc.
too much bureaucracy and we can’t ditch the common law system because it’s constitutional entrenched.

[yt]

It’s my opinion based on decades of observation and many live court cases or court cases that were on video with good audio, I find that district attorney/prosecutors are playing a game with the defendant. I am not saying this happens in every incident, but I noticed that the police will add extra charges which in many cases can’t be disputed because there are no witnesses such as resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, fighting with first responders. This is done by the police and encouraged by the district attorney/prosecutor because then they have something to give away on a plea deal. Seldom do cases go to trial. 93% of all cases in court are settled by plea deals. When you are trying to interrupt someone’s life and they have five charges against them and you are willing to dismiss four of them and just get them to plead guilty to, you’re playing a game. If you actually have good evidence, take them to trial. Many times additional charges are brought against the person to get them to agree to a bail which they can probably not afford and sometimes judges play into this instead of giving them a PR bond.. The court system is as far as I’m concerned is a game and everyone associated with it knows what the rules are from the cop to the judge. No one wants to do the work all they want to be able to do is sign off on a plea deal. This is not something that happens in every situation, but it happens enough that it looks shabby.