DC Party-goers Largely Unfazed About Cameras on Granville Nicole Burton, News Editor Maybe it makes some people uncomfortable, but there’s no reason to worry about survéillanc cameras on Granville Street, according to club-going students at Douglas College. The discussion began making headlines last week after Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan sak he’s willing to look into a new City Council proposal recommending surveillance cameras on Downtown Vancouver’s Granville strip. Supporters of the proposal say that this new feature 1 help discourage violence and other illegal activities along the strip, which is popular for its bat and nightclubs. “Tt seems like a normal development to me,” says Valerie, a Criminology student at New Westminster campus and a regular visitor to Granville Street on weekends. “From my perspec tive, I see it as a deterrent for crime, which makes it better than just about any other option fc minimizing fighting and violence in the area.” The police department released a statement on their concerns earlier last week, saying that the Downtown section is simply out of control on weekends. Critics are calling it an invasion privacy for people in the area, and an measure that is too extreme given the situation. “T go [to Granville] about once a month—I wouldn’t mind. I mind it less than the brawls 3 in the morning,” said Dan, a part-time Douglas student at New West campus. His friend, Jeremy, also a part-time student, was inclined to agree. “Maybe people think it’s an invasion of privacy,” he said. “But the people who are going t be taped are the ones coming out of clubs plastered, starting fights and vomiting in the street Maybe some of them are just edgy about having all that stupid debauchery on tape.” Understanding the Mentally Disordered Offender Douglas College Media Release Managing people with mental illness is becoming a bigger issue for those working with et’s needs.” says Currie. offenders and inmates in Canada. For more information about this course, contact Currie at 604-527-5786 or Now a new course at Douglas College is helping Criminology students understand the curtieh@douglas.be.ca. For more information about the Criminal Justice program, visit complex challenges of dealing with offenders who are “not criminally responsible” for their www.douglascollege.ca/criminology actions. Canadian Law and the Mentally Disordered Offender explores how the system handles risk-assessment and treatment options. “There is a lack of training available for correctional staff con- cerning mental illness,” says Douglas College instructor Heidi Currie. “In addition, such offenders are extraordinarily difficult to work with. The treatment and management of their mental illness needs to be recognized if we are to have any success in managing that population. “Surprisingly high proportions of imprisoned inmates have some level of mental disorder,” says Currie. Currie’s professional experience includes representing mentally disordered offenders at the British Columbia Review Board as a Legal Advocate. She has worked extensively with mentally disor- dered offenders in secure hospital custody and mentally disordered offenders living within the community. “Approximately 20 percent of incarcerated inmates in correc- tional facilities have a serious mental disorder. If the broadest range of mental illnesses is included, the number of inmates with mental disorders is estimated to be in the 80-percent range,” says Currie. “Schizophrenia, psychosis, bipolar, obsessive compulsive disorders and substance induced disorders are common to disorders that we deal with.” Students will attend an actual disposition hearing that examines whether an offender still poses a significant threat to public safety and establishes a course of treatment. “T hope students will see that Canada has a beautifully devel- oped, and for the most part, compassionate legal system as it relates to the mentally ill. The best mental health care happens in the forensic psychiatric field and we know more about the mental illness than most people realize. As educators, we need to rise to the chal- lenge of training those who will serve as advocates for the offend- 4 THE OTHER PRESS NOVEMBER 16 2006