Thursday, September 29. 2022

Today's schedule is is DCBA

D/C Blocks Social and Environmental Sciences - The Colorado River Basin covers an area of over 252,000 square miles (652,677 square kilometers), travelling 1,450-miles (2334 km) from source to mouth. The river supplies water to over 40 million people and irrigates nearly 5.5 million acres of farm land. Twenty two federally recognized tribes (indigenous nations), seven National Wildlife Refuges, eleven National Parks, and four National Recreation Areas also rely on the Colorado River. In addition to this more than 4,200 megawatts of electricity is generated on the river. It created the Grand Canyon (one of the Eight Natural Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and is an economic driver of the American southwest:

1. The Colorado River supports $1.4 trillion in annual economic activity and 16 million jobs in California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming - that’s equivalent to about 1/12 of the total U.S. domestic product, meaning the Colorado River’s contribution is important to the national economy as well
2. For each of these western states, the river accounts for at least half of its gross economic product. The total is much higher for some state economies, including 65% in New Mexico and 87% in Nevada. 
3. If just 10% of the river’s water were unavailable for people, we would see a loss of $143 billion in economic activity and 1.6 million jobs in just one year.
4. The resulting economic hit would be delivered across the board, with the largest effects in real estate, healthcare and social services, retail, technical services and finance.

As famous as the Colorado may be, it’s equally infamous for the stresses placed upon it due to over-allocation, overuse, and more than a century of manipulation. The Colorado River Water Compact drafted in 1922 to divide water between upper and lower basin states was based on analysis of one of the wettest 10-year periods in history, establishing a permanent deficit. The battery of threats facing the natural masterpiece the river has carved through the Grand Canyon have earned that segment the number one spot on American Rivers’ Most Endangered Rivers report in 2015. About two-thirds of the water flowing in the Colorado River and its tributaries is used for irrigation, and the other one-third supplies urban areas, evaporates into the atmosphere, or provides water to riparian (streamside) vegetation. Without Colorado River water, the region would support few crops, and major cities such as Las Vegas, Nevada, and Phoenix, Arizona, would not have grown so rapidly.

How a 100-year-old miscalculation drained the Colorado River

Where the Colorado River crisis is hitting home

Inherit the Dust

Western States Are Fighting Over How to Conserve Shrinking Water Supply

Drastic Cuts to Colorado River Water Use Show Depth of West’s Drought

US west ‘megadrought’ is worst in at least 1,200 years

Lake Powell Is Losing So Much Water, It May Not Be Able to Generate Hydropower in 2 Years

There's a 1-in-3 chance Lake Powell won't be able to generate hydropower in 2023 due to drought conditions

This stunning timelapse shows the megadrought’s toll on the West’s largest reservoir
Western states chart diverging paths as water shortages loom

The shocking numbers behind the Lake Mead drought crisis

Lake Mead – The Largest Reservoir in the United States – Drops to a Record Low

First federal water shortage declared for Lake Mead

Can the Southwest Survive With Less Water?

Depleted by drought, Lakes Powell and Mead were doomed from the beginning

Can the Colorado River keep on running?

B Block Legal Studies - Today we'll continue our look at Aboriginal Rights in the Charter (Section 25). It's important to note that section 25 does not create any new rights but rather protects against the abrogation or derogation of existing aboriginal, treaty or other rights or freedoms

We'll talk about the significance of the Calder v. Attorney-General of British Columbia, 1973 decision. From the Agreements, Treaties and Negotiated Settlements Project:

The decision in Calder v Attorney-General of British Columbia was handed down by the Supreme Court of Canada on 31 January 1973. It is often credited with having provided the impetus for the overhauling of the land claims negotiation process in Canada. The case was initiated in 1968 by the Nisga'a Tribal Council against the Government of British Columbia. It failed both at trial and in the Court of Appeal. The Supreme Court overturned the Court of Appeal's finding in recognising the possible existence of Aboriginal rights to land and resources, but was equally divided on the issue of whether the Nisga'a retained title. The decision prompted the federal government to develop new policy to address Aboriginal land claims. In 1976 Canada commenced negotiations with the Nisga'a Tribal Council. British Columbia did not join the negotiations until 1990. The Nisga'a Final Agreement was concluded in 1999 and implemented by legislation in 2000.

We'll also talk about the landmark Delgamuukw-Gisday'way Aboriginal title case. In the Delgamuukw case, Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs established that the Indigenous nation has a system of law that predates the days of elected band councils enacted under Canada's Indian Act. ​​​​​​Under traditional Wet'suwet'en law, hereditary chiefs are responsible for decisions regarding ancestral lands. 

From this case, the Supreme Court of Canada declared that for aboriginal title to be present it must satisfy the following criteria:

1. the land must have been occupied before sovereignty,
2. there must be a continuity between pre-sovereignty and modern times (but not an unbroken chain)
3. at the time of sovereignty, the occupancy must have been exclusive (but it could have been jointly exclusive by more than one party or tribe).

If these are established, then aboriginal title exists. So, the Supreme Court established that Wet'suwet'en had never extinguished title to their territory.  

A Block Criminology - Since we didn't get to it yesterday, we'll talk about victims of crime. Every day we have specific routines we engage in. Many of these routines are tailored to preventing us from becoming victims of crime. We do things like lock our doors, watch where we walk at night, or avoid walking alone. We take these actions because at some level we are afraid of the possibility of being a victim of crime. Despite taking these actions people often fall prey to crime in Canada. So what do we know about victimization?

1. Women were at higher risk than men of being victims of a violent crime
2. Age was the key risk factor in violent victimization
3. Drug use, binge drinking and the frequency of evening activities were associated with the risk of violent victimization
4. Mental health was associated with the risk of violent victimization
5. People who suffered child maltreatment were more likely to be victims of a violent crime
6. People with a history of homelessness were more likely to report being a victim of a violent crime
7. The risk of violent victimization was higher among people residing in a neighbourhood with low social cohesion
8. Aboriginal people, in particular women, were more likely to be victims
9. One-quarter of violent incidents took place at the victim’s place of work
10. The majority of offenders were male and, on average, in their early thirties
11. Most victims knew their attacker
12. Most violent incidents did not involve weapons and did not result in physical injury
13. Low social cohesion was associated with a higher risk of household victimization
14. Households residing in apartments or condos were less likely to be victimized by household crime
15. The size of the household was linked to the risk of victimization
16. One incident in five resulted in losses of $1,000 or more
17. Most incidents of victimization did not come to the attention of the police

we will focus on the impact that crime has on victims. We'll try to examine the impacts of crime on victims (both short and long term)




I'll go over some notes with you on this and we'll try to understand how violence and violent crime (out next topic in the course) is a traumatic event that impacts human lives. I'd like you to read through the "Nature of Victimization" on pages 53-5 and 57-58  and "Theories of Victimization" dealing with Victim Precipitation, Lifestyle, and Routine Activities on pages 59-62 in the CRIM text. After discussing these sections your job will be to complete the following:

1. Briefly outline and explain the patterns we've identified in victimization (social ecology, household, personal characteristics and repeat victimization)
2. Explain and compare the three theories of crime victimization.