False guilty pleas

Our jails are full of mostly younger men, under 40 or so, who have been denied bail or cannot make bail for economic reasons.

This often means that faced with a long wait in jail (often a year or more) for trial in a matter for which the maximum sentence may be only 30 days, they plead guilty even though innocent. They usually get time served and are out.

But the false guilty plea will haunt them for life.

There is a better solution.

Release anyone remanded once their time in jail on remand exceeds the sentence they may get if convicted.

That would do no harm. It would save a huge cost to the taxpayers.

Is there any chance that a government like Harper with a Justice Minister like Toews will ever see the wisdom in this proposal?