First event under new name.

by Kevin Smith

The Law Courts Education Society of B.C. celebrated its 20th anniversary on May 28 and announced it has changed its name to the Justice Education Society.

“The Society has evolved dramatically since its inception to produce programs and resources that go far beyond educating the public about the law courts,” said Rick Craig, Executive Director and a founder of the Society.

Former Attorney General Wally Oppal, a past president of the Society, joined Craig in unveiling the Society’s new name, logo and tagline: “Justice Through Knowledge.” Craig also launched the Society’s new website www.JusticeEducation.ca.

Throughout its two decades of pioneering public legal education, the Society has created more than 100 programs and resources while introducing more than one million British Columbians to the province’s justice system.

As part of its year-long 20th anniversary celebrations, the Society is hosting a series of speaking events. Aboriginal Justice in Our Times took place in March and is available for viewing at www.JusticeInOurTimes.ca.

Recently, the Society partnered with Shaw and the Vancouver Sun to present Gang Wars: Justice in Our Times. Newspaper articles, a webcast and TV broadcasts focused on how our justice system and communities can better respond to B.C.’s gang problem.

Gang Wars began with five articles in the Vancouver Sun that covered a range of issues including how to keep children out of gangs, getting witnesses to testify and the structure of gangs in B.C.

The articles were followed by a forum, during which a panel of experts discussed the issues. The forum, which was webcast live and then broadcast twice on Shaw, was moderated by The Honourable Judge Pedro de Couto and featured:

• Superintendent Dan Malo, Officer in Charge, B.C. Integrated Gang Task Force
• Teresa R. Mitchell-Banks, QC, Deputy Director (Special Prosecutions), Ministry of the Attorney General
• Theresa Campbell, Manager, Safe Schools, Surrey School District
• Kim Bolan, Journalist, Vancouver Sun

Numerous MLAs, judges, police officers and community members attended the forum and heard the panelists recommend 16 solutions that they think can help our justice system and communities better respond to B.C.’s gang problem. Some of the solutions focused on:

• Balancing the public’s right to know with a defendant’s right to privacy
• Preventing kids from being attracted to, and joining, gangs
• Reforming current legislation to make it easier, safer and faster for police to make arrests

Next, the Society will help the forum “reach as many British Columbians as possible, including decision-makers in the political and judicial systems,” said Craig.

“We will be distributing copies of the forum to MLAs, MPs, mayors and members of the justice system as well as writing a teacher’s guide so that the video can be shown in classrooms throughout the province.”

You can watch the Gang Wars: Justice in Our Times video and read the Vancouver Sun articles as well as the panelists’ solutions at www.JusticeInOurTimes.ca.

Kevin Smith, Communications and Events Co-ordinator, Justice Education Society (formerly The Law Courts Education Society of B.C.). www.JusticeEducation.ca

This article was published in the August 2009 issue of BarTalk. © 2009 The Canadian Bar Association. All rights reserved.