Prisoners with vacation dream homes and TV watchers piss'd off at Amber Alert. Another WTH moment.

Sigh, what to say. Am ashamed.

1. 'It's appalling'; Murder victim's mom livid killer living 'resort' life at B.C. prison cnews.canoe.com...

CALGARY - A tennis court, theatre program and beautiful views of the mountains and ocean — it’s not exactly what Pamela Novak was expecting to see when she visited the B.C. facility where her daughter’s killer lives. Last week, Novak travelled to Victoria to attend the first parole hearing for Vuong Minh Vu, the man who strangled her 18-year-old daughter Stephanie in her family’s Calgary home in 2007 after Stephanie ended her relationship with Vu. Novak left the March 4 hearing relieved that Vu wasn’t granted day parole, but shocked by the scenic minimum-security institution where Vu is serving a life sentence for second-degree murder. “He’s in an absolutely beautiful location for a prison. It’s appalling,” Novak said. “It’s outside Victoria on the island, right on the banks with beautiful views out to the ocean ... Inmates can wear their own clothes, they live in townhouses, they don’t live in a cell, they order groceries for their townhouse and they cook their own meals. I was stunned. I don’t know how you put a murderer there.”

The prison, on a peninsula about 25 km west of Victoria, can house up to 180 inmates and has previously made headlines because it offers Canada’s only inmate-run theatre company and at one time boasted a six-hole golf course for prisoners. While Novak didn’t notice a golf course on her visit, she spotted a ball diamond, tennis courts, picnic tables and fire pits, and said the facility completely caught her off guard. “If it was a resort, I probably couldn’t afford to go there,” she said. Having to comprehend the beautiful setting her daughter’s killer is living in was one of the last things on Novak’s mind as she prepared to attend the parole hearing, which took place four days after the ninth anniversary of Stephanie’s death and one week ahead of what would have been Stephanie’s 28th birthday.

2. Ontario viewers peeved after Amber Alert interrupts Sunday night TV-watchinght TV-watching

www.cbc.ca...

At the time, police were trying to locate a young boy. Callers had reported he had been physically taken and forced into a minivan in Orillia, Ont. In the end, it turned out the boy was picked up by his parents after they said he had run away from home. The OPP fielded several complaints to 911 about the alert that took over TV and radio. Insp. Patrick Morris, the Orillia OPP detachment commander, said he is "disappointed" with the calls and tweets of viewers annoyed by the alert.

This isn't the first time 'townhouse' prisons have come under fire for dangerous offenders (Holmoka, etc) so why is this still going on??

If you have to ask Trudeau a question, ask him THAT. When will these stop?

Why are victims/or families being treated worse than the perpetrators in this so-called civilized society?

a reply to: dianashay

I think this should be 2 different threads.

a reply to: reldra

Not necessarily, not after seeing threads about people wanting to move to Canada because they assume it would be better.

They are in for a disappointment, despite how they spin it. It adds up daily how the thread of the machine keeps running in favor of the highest bidder and the road to hell is long and endless.

thetyee.ca...

sandrafinley.ca...

originally posted by: dianashay
a reply to: reldra

Not necessarily, not after seeing threads about people wanting to move to Canada because they assume it would be better.

They are in for a disappointment, despite how they spin it. It adds up daily how the thread of the machine keeps running in favor of the highest bidder and the road to hell is long and endless.

thetyee.ca...

Aah, I see. You are using these 2 completely unrelated stories to paint a picture of Canada.

Ohh, sorry. A third unrelated story where they have sold arms to Saudi Arabia, one of our closest allies. Can't argue with the venerable TYEE newsletter/blog.

a reply to: reldra

The point is that nothing, anywhere is unrelated anymore. It all leads to the same path.

a reply to: dianashay

I guess my question is:

Why is a murderer serving out his time at a minimum security prison ??

Minimum security prisons are mainly for non-violent offenders... not takers of human life.


Either somebody royally screwed up, or was paid a handsome chunk of change.

originally posted by: dianashay
a reply to: reldra

The point is that nothing, anywhere is unrelated anymore. It all leads to the same path.

Yes, as you say, the road to hell is long and endless. Would that be the path?

Those Amber Alerts on television are stupid and annoying.

Who's going to see a kidnapped kid sitting in their living room?

originally posted by: CranialSponge
a reply to: dianashay

I guess my question is:

Why is a murderer serving out his time at a minimum security prison ??

Minimum security prisons are mainly for non-violent offenders... not takers of human life.


Either somebody royally screwed up, or was paid a handsome chunk of change.

It is odd he ended up there. The point of this prison was for prisoners that had already spent 25+ years in prison and would be getting out, so would be sent there to learn a trade and slowly get used to normal life. I could not find why he was sent there.

a reply to: CranialSponge

This not new (here) Crania, a life term in the US is akin to 10-12 (approx) here.

See the case of Karla Holmoka. She and her husband killed 3 teen girls, she confessed (called the Deal of the Devil) and gave evidence to get 10 yrs (also in comfort of a townhouse) and now has moved to the Caribbean and had children of her own. www.youtube.com...

She got a law degree in prison while living in townhouse conditions.

en.wikipedia.org...

a reply to: dianashay

It is odd he ended up there. The point of this prison was for prisoners that had already spent 25+ years in prison and would be getting out, so would be sent there to learn a trade and slowly get used to normal life. I could not find why he was sent there.

That is a question that the mother is asking. There are many prisons (not as much as the US) and some are (apparently) horrid conditions.

A friend of a friend knows a guy who is locked up at Penetanguish Prison (for sexual assault on a vulnerable person) and he got his ass kicked the first day (as it should be). He chose to go there though, apparently he was too afraid to stay at his local jail. I guess he assumed that the guards wouldn't tell or that other prisoners wouldn't know who he is (from family who read the newspaper). I have no idea how or why they get to pick n' choose but somehow the worst of the worst get it easy and they get a short time.

Any chance this guy has a lot of money?

originally posted by: dianashay

Sigh, what to say. Am ashamed.

Why are victims/or families being treated worse than the perpetrators in this so-called civilized society?

The purpose of putting crims into institutions of public revenge, is deny them their freedom as punishment. Denying them their freedom is the punishment right?. Making them live in inhumane conditions in a cage is not the punishment.

This point should not be missed or lost on the issue of crime fitting the punishment and the issue of justice.

just because placing prissiness in inhumane conditions has become routine and common and has been that way for many years, it is NOT the punishment.

I understand the concern that crims seem to be living better standards of living in goal than non-offenders do out side goal do, but this does change the purpose of why we put people in goal.

I appreciate that this goes against the grain for many and will make the blood of some boil.

Do I have much sympathy for evil people? no!

I have worked with people who I have thought either should be in goal or have done time in goal as they were thoroughly unpleasent and dangerous people. They are threat to safety of all persons around them but even they are entitled to the concept of justice as the principles of it are.

Sounds like the murderer guy had a REALLY good lawyer.

As to the Amber Alerts, meh. I have a terrible memory for unfamiliar faces (I'd suck at IDing someone in a line-up) The alerts south of the border don't annoy me, but showing me one is a wasted effort.

a reply to: Azureblue

The purpose of putting crims into institutions of public revenge, is deny them their freedom as punishment. Denying them their freedom is the punishment right?. Making them live in inhumane conditions in a cage is not the punishment. This point should not be missed or lost on the issue of crime fitting the punishment and the issue of justice. just because placing prissiness in inhumane conditions has become routine and common and has been that way for many years, it is NOT the punishment. I understand the concern that crims seem to be living better standards of living in goal than non-offenders do out side goal do, but this does change the purpose of why we put people in goal. I appreciate that this goes against the grain for many and will make the blood of some boil. Do I have much sympathy for evil people? no! I have worked with people who I have thought either should be in goal or have done time in goal as they were thoroughly unpleasent and dangerous people. They are threat to safety of all persons around them but even they are entitled to the concept of justice as the principles of it are.

Trust me, after seeing your post it does remind me that our prisoners and their crimes are merely a reflection of the society as a whole. So one cannot expect genuine justice without being accountable to ALL of our own petty or even extreme crimes that we ignore or get away with daily. There are far more heinous and horrid crimes against humanity that are going on than we know. If we looked into that microscope, we'd all live within gates.

edit: Yet on the paranoid side...we all DO live within gates. Looking into (out of?) Windows seeing what we are allowed to see. hmmm

I don't see what the big deal is. The point of prison is to remove them from society so they don't harm anyone else. Once that's accomplished what does quality of life matter? Sure you can put them in a cold, damp, cell but does that actually do anyone any good? It hardens the criminal, and makes matters worse when they get out. Putting them in a place that tries to keep them in some sort of society is much better for rehabilitation.

If you believe rehabilitation should be the goal, then townhouse prisons are what you should do. If you believe the goal is suffering and punishment, then they're not.

originally posted by: Restricted
Those Amber Alerts on television are stupid and annoying.

Who's going to see a kidnapped kid sitting in their living room?

Perhaps the folks who leave their home on any given day?

a reply to: dianashay

Well if it was up to me these murderous scumbags would get the firing squad and asap after the verdict.As in a few hours after.I think its sick that these contaminants should lounge around in luxury while good decent people have to work their asses off-sometimes at two jobs-and still battle to make it through every month,in relative poverty.Sometimes including the grieving families of the victims of the murdering pieces of crap who,like Vu,sitting in the lap of luxury.

And there's people who will think i am the psycho for my viewpoint.That is how ass over teakettle this world has become,thanks to the insanities of the progressive mindset.

a reply to: dianashay

Well asking Trudeau about it at this point, would be rather like asking a person who has just arrived at work, why next months returns paperwork is not yet done. Simply put, there has been no where near enough time between Trudeau taking office and now, for him to have gotten every little thing done.

Attempting to blame a man who took office in November of last year, for the actions of successive leaders and parliaments over decades previous to his election, is more than a little suspect in its intent.

a reply to: Restricted

I think you might have to think it through a little harder, before poo pooing the amber alerts on television.

You see, televisions are also present in rest stops on highways, petrol stations, hotels, motels, coffee shops, bars, eateries, doctors offices, and so on and so forth. It is also worth mentioning, that sometimes people leave the confines of their couches, and their homes, and go foraging for food, or even to work! Therefore, having an alert system which displays crucial information to as many people as possible, means that as many people as possible have their eye out for the victim, and for any suspicious activity in the area to a greater degree than they might otherwise.

Now, of course a total couch potato is not going to be getting off the couch and venturing outside all that much, but people with fully functioning reserves of willpower, physical capacity, and get up and go about them, will carry the alert they saw in their heads, while about their business outside their homes, while on the way to and from work, or to and from a hunting expedition, or to and from the library, the post office, the bank, the dentists, the bar, and so on...

I mean, this is basic stuff, right?