City of Powell River Council will send a resolution to Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) recommending alternative crime reduction strategies.
At the June 2 city council meeting, councillor George Doubt recommended that the city submit the resolution for consideration.
“This arose out of many discussions we’ve had from concerns from the public about the perception of increased property crime, et cetera,” said Doubt. “We’ve heard from our local staff sergeant about the difficulties they are having with alternative crime reduction strategies working in neighbourhoods. This is a resolution I’ve worked with councillor [Maggie] Hathaway to address.
“It focuses on getting community involvement in the justice system, providing justice, health and social service systems to work more closely with the police to deal with crime issues, and to identify and separate offenders who could be helped by treatment services and support from those who should be in jail.”
Doubt said he had watched the federal auditor general’s report about incarceration and the fact that minorities were incarcerated more often and for longer periods because of lack of access to services at the basic levels.
“Rather than some motions I’ve seen, which encourage throwing more people into jail, which I don’t agree with, this motion is designed to try to get provincial and federal governments to provide more local services and devote to finding better ways to deal with people who come into contact with the justice system,” he added. “I’d like to forward this for discussion at the UBCM. I’d like to have this approach considered.”
Hathaway said she was not opposed to anything included in the motion, but that it seems since the resolution was created by Doubt, it has become somewhat redundant. She read from a media release that indicated the province, in cooperation with the urban mayors caucus, has hired two experts to investigate and report on prolific offenders. The attorney general has indicated there is agreement with the mayors that creative solutions are needed, she added, and the attorney general indicated that experts have been hired to investigate trends, find solutions and help the province implement them.
“So, with all due respect, the suggested motion created by councillor Doubt hits the nail on the head,” said Hathaway. “I don’t disagree with it, but it appears the urban mayors caucus has chosen not to wait for UBCM and has met directly with the attorney general.
“With the hiring of the experts, solutions are already in the works and there is really no longer a role for UBCM in this matter and the motion seems to have become redundant. I’m going to vote against sending it to UBCM.”
Mayor Dave Formosa said a group of coastal mayors, of which he is a part, made a similar complaint to the minister.
“We were all of the same mind and there was a concern that too many crimes were happening continually by the same people, to the point that the police were no longer charging and prosecutors were no longer taking the matters forward because of the amount of times judges didn’t deal with it,” added Formosa. “Some of these people just carry on the crimes in our neighbourhoods. “We’ve heard from the neighbours here how blatant these crimes are. That’s been heard loud and clear. I believe the attorney general is looking at getting tougher on crime.”
Formosa said Doubt’s initiative states that there is a better way of handling matters than throwing people in jail, but to do other things instead of going to prison.
Doubt said it is a middle of the road resolution that calls on provincial and federal governments to provide services to people in the justice system, not with the objective of putting more people in jail, but to deal with matters in the way organizations such as qathet Community Justice does with a restorative justice process.
“Let’s provide some alternative resources and find some help for people,” said Doubt. “Let’s find a way to improve the community.”
Council voted to submit the resolution to UBCM, with Hathaway opposed.
