Law and legal issues

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(Vancouver) As a result of legal aid cuts women are losing custody of their children, giving up valid legal rights to support, and being subjected to litigation harassment, according to a new report. It finds that women are paying a greater price for BC’s deep cuts to legal services because it is primarily family and poverty law legal aid that have been affected. Women’s need for legal services is overwhelmingly in these areas, not in criminal law (where almost no cuts were made).
Every time a police officer is killed by a criminal, it makes front-page news. The funeral is attended by law enforcement officers from across the country. The bravery of the slain crime-fighter is lauded in newspaper editorials, and condolences for the family pour in from government and business leaders. These tributes are well-deserved. The police protect us from evil-doers. It is only fitting that, when one of them is killed while in our service, they should be publicly acclaimed and their sacrifice recognized. We want their slayers to be hunted down and severely punished.
Most of what is known about gang activity and involvement centres around men. With the exception of some media reports, female gang members have remained mostly invisible in research about gangs, and in gang prevention and intervention programs, a new study has found. The "Invisible" Gang Members: A Report on Female Gang Association in Winnipeg was written by Melanie Nimmo for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives-Manitoba. It is based on in-depth interviews with representatives from criminal justice, social services, and community-based agencies.