The B.C. government has hired two experts to look into and report back on how best to prevent cycles of crime involving prolific offenders and people who commit random violent attacks.
Attorney General David Eby says a small group of people is creating disorder and chaos, mostly in downtown cores, as businesses are trying to recover from the pandemic.
“Untreated mental health and addictions challenges are major factors that are driving some of these individuals to commit repeated property crimes,” Eby said.
“It is incredibly frustrating for local governments and residents to see the associated and highly visible disorder and chaos.”
The investigation and recommendations will be completed by Doug LePard, a former Vancouver Police Department deputy chief and former Metro Vancouver Transit police chief, who has authored several reports and sets of recommendations related to issues of crime and police response; and Amanda Butler, a health researcher and criminologist whose specialties include mental health, substance-use disorders, criminal justice systems, and prison health.
The pair have been tasked to talk to key stake holders about their concerns to define the problem before coming up with those recommendations in four months. They’ve also been told to reach out to government sooner, if they find things that can be done before their final report is ready.
Eby says repeat offenders are unlikely to take up voluntary supports for issues related to mental health and addictions, but notes the solutions may involve compulsory participation in programs that integrate both health and justice systems.
“The investigation will focus on determining the best solution to these issues available to us under existing provincial authority,” he said.
“I understand that local governments are looking at increasing policing in areas that are particularly affected, which they should do. But the police themselves tell us that policing and jail is not going to be the long term answer to this problem.”
Eby says study is similar to what the government did with both the money laundering in B.C. Casinos, as well as with the issues at ICBC.
“In both cases, independent experts on quick turnaround advised us on the best way forward, which we implemented,” he said.
“It is important to underline that simply because we are compassionate, concerned, and taking action on mental health and addiction issues, does not mean that British Columbians have to accept criminal behavior, vandalism or violence in our communities. We will not accept this behaviour.”
BC Urban Mayor’s Caucus welcomes move by BC Government
Thursday’s announcement comes after the BC Urban Mayor’s Caucus wrote to Eby about prolific offenders that are routinely arrested but often released to attack strangers and damage property.
Co-Chair, Colin Basran, the mayor of Kelowna, says many offenders are often released from jail without supports and are arrested again and again, adding it is why there needs to stronger consequences to protect residents and business owners.
“As the mayors of B.C.’s large urban cities, and representing 55 per cent of British Columbians, we hear and know residents and business owners frustrations with the increasing levels of property crime and repeat offenders. We are at ground zero and we hear it every day,” he said.
“The catch and release cycle of the justice system over time has had consequential impacts on our residents sense of safety and on our local business economy.”
Basran says while each municipality has different challenges and needs, he is confident that the study will propose solutions to address the situation provincewide.
“We are confident that this commissioned reports findings will propose a diverse set of solutions,” he added.
“It is the adoption and applications of the bold changes and recommendations from that report that will ultimately drive results and have a significant impact on accountability, justice, and safety.”
Meanwhile, Kamloops Mayor Ken Christian, welcomes today’s announcement from Eby, telling NL News these chronic offenders are a “headache” for everyone and that dealing with them can feel like a waste of time.
“There’s just a number of fundamental changes that need to happen to stop this catch and release program because it is really traumatizing business owners, customers and it is really causing chaos on our streets,” Christian said.
“This is tying up valuable police resources. It’s tying up the prosecution service. It is tying up our jail cells. And it’s not providing any consequences so there is no deterrent to the kinds of behaviour that we’re seeing.”
In the letter the BC Urban Mayor’s Caucus sent to David Eby, it noted how in Kamloops, there are 15 chronic offenders who have had nearly 500 negative police encounters in a 12 month span.
But Christian also noted that when it comes to prolific offenders Kamloops, the Tournament Capital is actually one of the better cities in the province.
“At the end of the day, the enforcement approach only is not working,” Basran added Thursday. “We know that people aren’t going to get the care that they need or make the changes in their lives that they need in prison.”
“This is an important step to getting people the help that they need [while] also restoring a sense of safety to our communities.”
– With files from Jeff Andreas and The Canadian Press
Investigation into prolific offenders terms of reference
The investigation will focus on the origin of evolving crime trends regarding two groups of offences and offenders (chronic property crime and violent offences) and identify solutions under existing provincial authority.
The investigation will be required to complete the following:
- Reach out to key stakeholders with practical or academic knowledge and expertise related to the issue of prolific offenders and the recent rise in violent incidents for information on the origin of these trends, clear definitions of the problem and relevant terms, and suggestions on policy and legislative responses that are in provincial government jurisdiction, including the newly formed Crown Counsel Police Liaison Committee working group and the BC First Nations Justice Council; and
- As part of this work explore specific proposals already received by government for feasibility of implementation and effectiveness in mitigating these two specific problems, including:
- offering courts the option of ordering real time electronic monitoring of those identified as chronic offenders and under release conditions to preserve public safety and confidence while respecting federal rules about release and least restrictive conditions;
- identifying supports or programs that can effectively be delivered or referred to by first responders (police, fire, ambulance) or by courts for offenders to interrupt the cycle of offending or the escalation of offending;
- identifying whether compulsory programs between the province’s voluntary complex care housing and the province’s involuntary mental health hospital beds could respond to the unique needs of this group of offenders; and,
- any other policies identified as promising through the work in subsection 1 or otherwise.
As noted, these findings will be compiled into a written report which is due in 120 days.