Province outlines plan to deal with prolific offenders

Two experts have made 28 recommendations to deal with repeat offenders and unprovoked stranger attacks in B.C., but there are few short-term solutions.

The report, prepared by Dr. Amanda Butler and Doug LePard, was initiated this spring after an uproar from communities throughout B.C. dealing with an increase in criminal activity from a small group of people. The frustration stems from an increase in petty crimes as well as unprovoked violent stranger attacks.

“The expert recommendations confirm that these evolving crime trends are very complex challenges,” Attorney General Murray Rankin said.

Rankin said the recommendations highlight the “very real need” to continue investing in social and health supports.

Two of the suggestions call for more Crown counsellors and probation officers to deal with repeat offenders. Another calls for the province to look into creating facilities for people with acute and chronic mental health and substance use needs who are in provincial custody.

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said the report includes a range of measures that could help to improve safety in communities, with some of the work already underway.

“We will continue our work with our partners, including the B.C. Mayor’s Caucus, and the B.C. First Nations Justice Council, to identify how we can move quickly to identify and implement further changes to help keep our communities safe,” Farnworth said.

Farnworth said his ministry currently funds 17 situation tables across B.C.. The community-based teams bring together front line staff from public safety, health and social services to identify vulnerable people who may commit criminal acts and rapidly connect them to the services they need.

Other recommendations include:

* improving the system of care for people in the criminal justice system with mental-health and substance-use challenges;

* creating more opportunities to divert people from the criminal justice system;

* improving services for Indigenous Peoples;

* improving collaboration between partners, including community services, law enforcement, and all levels of government; and

* addressing repeat offending and improving public confidence in the justice system.

Kelowna mayor and co-chair of the BC Urban Mayor’s Caucus, Colin Basran, called the report “really good news.”

“I’m here today to support and applaud this path to action for improved public safety and crime reduction that our communities desperately need,” Basran said.

Basran said the caucus consists of 13 mayors representing 55 per cent of British Columbians, who share their residents’ frustrations.

“From repeat property offenders, and in some of our communities the unprovoked random attacks, these crimes have a deteriorating impact on our residents’ sense of safety and their confidence in the justice system,” he said.

Basran said the recommendations where health and justice intersect particularly capture the concerns of the communities.

To read the executive summary and recommendations, click here.

One reporter asked Attorney General Murray Rankin where the report shows compassion for the victims such as business owners dealing with repeated break-ins or people subject to random violent attacks.

“The compassion for them is the committment we make, as local governments and the provincial government, to address the concerns head-on that they have raised,” said Rankin.

LePard, a former deputy chief of the Vancouver Police, was asked about using more electronic monitoring on repeat offenders.

“Electronic monitoring is not a panacea. It is useful for for some offenders in some circumstances. For example, a sex offender can be geo-fenced away from parks and schools and an alarm will go off immediatly if they go into those areas. It’s useful for people who have a curfew.”

But LePard said the system has technical challenges, such as people having to have a home, and is of no use for offenders with conditions not to possess tools or not to be in a parking lot as it can’t tell if there is a breach.

LePard said about 300 people in B.C. are subject to electronic monitoring at any given time.

B.C. Green Party leader Sonia Furstenau said reducing crime will only happen by increasing affordable housing and treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, along with other measures.

“This report also makes it clear that the increase in random violent attacks and crimes we are seeing is a direct result of allowing the toxic drug crisis to continue, and not treating mental health as part of our healthcare system. Increased enforcement and coercive treatment don’t treat the root of these issues, and are largely ineffective,” Furstenau said.