The bill seeks to modify the Criminal Code and the Judges Act to better protect victims of intimate partner violence. It includes the option for electronic monitoring of offenders upon request by the Attorney General and mandates judges to undergo additional education on topics such as sexual assault and coercive control.
Victims of intimate partner violence may experience increased safety due to the electronic monitoring of offenders. Judges will receive more training, which could lead to better-informed rulings. However, concerns exist for taxpayers and judicial staff regarding the potential burdens of new requirements and programs.
Implementing electronic monitoring could incur significant costs, including the purchase and maintenance of monitoring devices, administrative expenses for tracking offenders, and potential increases in workloads for judicial and correctional systems. Additionally, funding for new educational seminars may divert resources from other critical judicial services, leading to an overall strain on the justice system's budget.
Supporters argue that electronic monitoring can help deter future violence and enhance the safety of victims. They believe that educating judges will lead to more informed decisions, ultimately resulting in a more just outcome for victims. Increased awareness of systemic biases is also seen as beneficial for fostering a fairer legal environment.
Critics point out the financial burden that electronic monitoring may impose on state resources and question its overall effectiveness in preventing violence. They argue that support and community protection programs could be a more effective approach. Additionally, concerns arise over whether the training programs will genuinely improve the judicial process or merely serve as an additional bureaucratic requirement, possibly undermining more urgent resources needed in fighting intimate partner violence.
That the bill be now read a third time and do pass.