OTTAWA'S CRIME PROPOSALS CRITICIZED

A National Women's Group Says Crime Bill Will Add To Problem

OTTAWA -- Female prisoners are systematically segregated, put under
more intense security than men and face other discrimination in
federal facilities, and the federal Conservatives' new crime bill
will only add to what has become a severe problem, the leaders of
national women's groups said on Tuesday.

The government's call for mandatory minimum sentences and a tough
crackdown on crime is a costly move that will strip social programs
designed to help vulnerable women avoid the prison system, said
Native Women's Association of Canada president Beverley Jacobs.

"The Conservatives' response to get tough on crime is shortsighted
and completely misses the mark. This agenda is based on fear
mongering and is not reflected in evidence-based research that shows
that crime rates are actually declining," she said.

The women's groups spoke out on Tuesday -- the 10-year anniversary of
a scathing report on women's treatment in prison -- because they fear
the government's proposed changes could have catastrophic
consequences for women who already face serious challenges at federal
penitentiaries. Women are the fastest growing population of federal
prisons, with aboriginal women being "grossly overrepresented,"
Jacobs said. This should be a clear sign that segment of the
population faces challenges that won't be solved by tougher crime
penalties, she added.