Visit Crystal Cyr's YouTube Channel

Please visit Crystal Cyr Barristers' YouTube Channel to view informative videos on the criminal justice system and the steps taken when an individual is charged.

Therapeutic sentencing: Counterfeiter, drug dealer gets conditional sentence

Robert was a fifty year old man with a multitude of charges and a cocaine addiction. He had fallen into a criminal lifestyle following a major depression. He had lost his family, his health and his hope. We were able to craft a creative and unusual sentence that saw him enter into treatment and live with his brother and sister in law. Justice Maranger of the Superior Court was intrigued by this plan and lamented the lack of judicial resources to monitor Robert. Robert's criminal cohorts were given lengthy prison sentences, but Robert was given a conditional sentence. He died a year after he was sentenced but spent it with his young son rather than behind bars.

Man accused of threats and wielding a knife in a domestic argument acquitted

The reasons for judgment clearly showed that while Mr. Lyttle's then girlfriend called 911 she was the aggressor and grabbed Mr. Lyttle by the throat. Mr. Lyttle was found to be credible and thus he was acquitted of his charges.

The Therapeutic Sentence

A therapeutic sentence is one that is crafted by the defence counsel and the client. In a real sense, the client 'serves' his or her sentence and the Court often adopts a well crafted and thought out plan which uses both community and professional resources.

The Basis of Addictions

This is a workbook on substance abuse, anger and addictive behaviours. It allows the reader to explore the cognitive distortions evident in addictive behaviour as well as offering some solutions using cognitive behavioural techniques. The workbook has exercises, relapse prevention and guidelines for a life without drugs.

The Power of Forgiveness

Reena Virk was a young isolated teen who was savagely beaten to death in British Columbia by the very group she so desperately wanted to befriend. During the trial of her murderers, her parents forgave her attacker, Warren Glowski. This article speaks on the importance of forgiveness and how it enables both the victims and the perpetrators of the crime to live their lives with dignity and as individuals rather than 'victim' or 'offender'.

Catching Criminals One Hug at a Time

When a man accused of murdering an RCMP officer and being chased by dogs and tactical teams is 'brought in' by a farming couple who responded to him by giving him a hug, it makes one think that many people who have been accused are themselves victimized and our penchant to demonize them allows us to forget that they too are worthy of compassion.

Misbranding Your Client

We all experience people we label as difficult or needy. This article notes that it is a waste of resources and time to avoid these individuals. It requires discipline to sit and to actually listen to your clients without judgment and avoidance. When this is accomplished, you can obtain far better results than if you try to do the case without dealing with the client.

My Client, My Case

Interacting with clients requires a balance between compassion and passion. Passion is exemplified in your belief in the case and in advocacy work and making sure that your client gets the best possible representation. On the other hand, if this is not balanced with compassion, or a real empathy for the pain of the client, the client will see you as cold and sterile and not have confidence. On the other hand, being too emotionally involved with a client can spell disaster for your objectivity. This article cautions balance between the Scylla of passion and the Charybdis of compassion.

The Best Case I Never Had

The key factor in any solicitor client relationship is open and honest communication with your client. By being accessible to your clients and by letting them know about their case, the lawyer can do a lot to reduce stress in their clients and keep the clients satisfied. This article is a warning to all lawyers who believe they can practice law without communicating with their clients.