Liberal "thinking" on crime.

Sometimes you read something, and you just shake your head.  This is one of those time

After an unprecedented summer of gun deaths in Toronto, two senior provincial ministers, the Attorney-General and the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, endorsed a sweeping plan to create an "offender-focused" justice system.

Ok, so what does "offender focused" mean in English when translated from Liberal Bafflegab?  It means they were going to let more criminals out earlier and close some jails, that's what. 

No, I'm not kidding.  I wish, but no.  This is really what they really proposed.

A series of detailed briefing notes, including some marked "confidential Cabinet document," that outline proposed changes were obtained by the National Post. They say the goal is to create an "offender-focused" justice system and seek "cost-effective alternatives to custody and court processes."

The plan was to "increase the range of offences/offenders who can be diverted by using community-based alternatives to the criminal justice system."

It would keep "more offenders supervised in the community at $25 a day instead of incarcerated in a correctional facility at $162 a day," the documents say.

A key measure of success would be additional "diversion from custody" with an apparent target or quota of an extra 5% to 10% of offenders never reaching jail, the documents say.

...

The plan also called for the closing of several jails in Toronto, Chatham, Monteith and Thunder Bay, as well as largely shutting down one of the large jails, either Penetanguishene or Lindsay. A plan to build a new jail in Toronto was also to be scrapped.

So was this some blue-sky deal whipped together by a couple of dumb-ass politicians?  Nooo.  Nuh uh.  Check it:

The plans were in an advanced state of progress through both the bureaucratic and government channels when rejected.

At least three people were hired to oversee the changes, including a criminologist, a lawyer and a former federal bureaucrat. "Base funding" for the plan of $5.9-million had already been approved with another $4.5-million "on holdback" pending Cabinet and Treasury Board approvals.

Yeah baby!  Hell, they even had some payback for a Liberal buddy in there.  This was The Plan, pretty much.  Dalton McGuinty seems to be the only guy in Queens Park with a functioning neuron, because he's the one that killed it.

Let's listen in on the meeting where this was presented, shall we?

Michael Bryant:  "So that's our cost cutting plan Dalton.  We release most of the offenders on bail, and keep them out in the community instead of in jail because its cheaper.  Don't have to feed 'em."
Monte Kwinter:  "Huh, uh, yup yup.  Hehe."
Dalton McGuinty:  "So your brain trust's answer to 54 murders in the GTA this year is to let more criminals out faster, and shut a bunch of jails.  Right?"
Michael Bryant and Monte Kwinter:  "Uh, yup."
Dalton McGuinty:  "Sounds good!  How's the focus group data?"
Un-named Liberal Factotum:  "Uhm, sir, the focus group tried to kill and eat the group leader when this was brought up.  Then they ran amok and smashed up all the furniture.  We had to subdue them with tasers, cake and ice cream."
Dalton McGuinty:  "Goddamn voters!  No vision, any of them.  Oh well, tough shit Mikey and Monte, your plan is toast."
Michael Bryant and Monte Kwinter: "Uh, yup ok boss.  Heh heh, yup yup."

h/t Proud to be Canadian

The Phantom