“Ignorance of the law is no excuse”
Under our legal system, Canadians are expected to be aware of the laws that are in place. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be a legal expert, but you should have a basic understanding of what is legal and what it not. The term “Ignorance of the law is no excuse" informs Canadians that they can not defend their actions by claiming they didn't know the action they committed was illegal. This rule is codified under section 19 of the Criminal Code of Canada, which bluntly states “Ignorance of the law by a person who commits an offence is not an excuse for committing that offence”. For example, if you were not aware that vandalism or damaging property that is not yours was illegal but you still committed
…show more content…
According to the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies the Elizabeth Fry Society “assists women and girls with justice issue or who could have justice issues by ensuring substantive equality in the delivery and development of services and programs through public education, research, legislative and administrative reform, regionally, nationally and internationally.” Basically, in order to help women and girls who are in trouble with the law or that could be in trouble with the law the Elizabeth Fry Society increases public education about the law so that people are aware of the consequences they will have to face if they commit a crime. The Elizabeth Fry Society also pressures the government to minimize the use of imprisonment for serious or violent offences. Additionally, the Elizabeth Fry Society also tries to provide meaningful consequences so that female offenders understand the impact of their actions and because of this they are less likely to offend. Another reason why the Elizabeth Fry Society provides meaningful consequences is because it makes offenders feel like they are being given a second chance to prove that they can be good citizens. Furthermore, the Elizabeth Fry Society rehabilitates and reintegrates women and girls into society with the use of counselling and other programs so that they can become better citizens, contribute to society, and live a life away from crime. Lastly, the Elizabeth Fry Society also provides legal advice and if necessary can refer the accused to Legal Aid. A variety of people with expertise in different fields work for the Elizabeth Fry Society such as doctors, psychiatrists, lawyers, as well as those with knowledge about the law. Like in the John Howard Society many of the members of the Elizabeth Fry Society are volunteers that volunteer their time in order to become more involved regarding issues