Al7 - Sunday, April 29, 1984 - North Shere News Feel secure. Professionally installed security systems. Govt. licensed & bonded. Off deadbolt installation with this ad - until May 31. WIFE-BEATING _Policy change sees FROM PAGE A15 assaults.’ + Says Light: ‘‘The police are the most critical and the most visible for getting people into the system. The way they act in these cases 1s influential to the public. The Crown is equally important once the case is tn the system. They can influence how the police will act. If the Crown decides not to pursue certain cases, the police may decide not to follow up similar cases in the future.”’ She adds all witnesses in wife assault cases should be placed under subpoena in order to impress upon those involved the seriousness of the crime. In the event a person refuses to tesufy, however. and the question of contempt of court charges arises. the case will be referred to the = assistant deputy minister in charge of criminal justice. Taken in conjunction with Bill C-127 (amendments to the Criminal Code which became effective January 4, 1983) the new policy paper will have many _ benefits. Light cites the new assault categories as being par- ticularly crucial. “*Bill C-127 makes level one assault a hybnd offence (summary or indictable), which means that assault can be considered an indictable offence until the Crown decides otherwise,’’ she savs Cpl. Don Jette of the North Vancouver RCMP adds that when police were previously called to oa domestic dispute where the husband had assaulted the wife, the police would not arrest the husband if the wife refused to lay charges. However, Jette says the police will now arrest the husband in such cir- cumstances ‘‘to cease commission of the offence.’’ Jette says the arrest would occur if the attending of- ficers felt there were reasonable and probable grounds to believe an assault had been committed. Jette adds that since assault is now viewed as a ~ dual procedure, that police will fingerprint and photograph the offender as though he had committed an indictable offence. However, should the Crown decide the offence is a summary or less serious act. the prints and photos wil! be destroy at the request of the offender Reaction to the policy paper has generally been favorable, with the support from those working with battered women possibly the strongest. However, local police forces and Crown Counsel officials have yet to deal with the new policy on a practical basis. According to Light, the issue of wife assault is now being studied at provincial and federal! levels across the country. The policy paper says the provincial Attorney Generals have stated that ‘“‘particular attention must be paid to ensure that the battered wife recetves pro- tecuon trom. assault,’’ ad- ding that, “‘thts is not a private but a public problem and that the protection of individuals is a function of the criminal law ° At the federal level, the government has considered a report by the House of Commons Standing Com. Hong Kong Style Chinese Food. 4 leh RL RS & OR xt Tableside cooking _ | Str tned beet pork Chicken cr Prawns Sefved Of a SiZZling plater TEPPAN STYLE $8 mittee on Health, Welfare and Social Issues, while last year, the Government of Ontario began implementing Tecommendations of the report done by the Qntario Standing Committee on Social Development. In Manitoba, a service network is in the works which would aid assaulted women, while that Pprovince’s Attormery General has already in- structed officials and police to becomé more active in female assault cases. Says the -policy paper: ‘“‘Unlike crimes between Strangers, a battered woman usually lives with her assailant and its under the constant threat of violence By this fact alone, an argument can be put for- police laying charge ward that wife assault is an even more serious situation than assault between strangers.’’ Light is reserving com- ment on just how effective the new wife assault policy will be until she sees the results of its monitoring and evaluation study. She says letters regarding the policy have been sent out to B.C.'s 12 municipal police forces, as well as to the provincial RCMP _ headquarters, and she says she expects the en- forcement agencies to im- plement the policy as soon as possible. In addition. the province's corrections branch ‘1s standing by. ready to go ahead once some cases come through the = system.”’ Locksmith Deadbolt installation Patio Door Locks Master keying Auto Alarms Boat Alarms AN FOSTER SECURITY + FIGHT THE LUNG CRIPPLERS . 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