Submitted by smartoncrime
This is section three of the Bill C-10 position released by the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council (WRCPC). Earlier sections of the position paper are available here on the Smart on Crime blog:
Over the next week we will post one position paper section each day for discussion and dialogue. Our position paper was sent to all Members of the Senate as well as our local Members of Parliament in December 2011.
The Government of Canada is attempting to solve a problem that is already on the decline and this decline is in no small part due to the efforts of many individuals, groups and local communities across the country. Canada has seen a largely consistent decline in the rates of crime. Police-reported crime rates, which measure the overall volume of crime, also continued to decline in 2010 reaching the lowest level since 1973. With falling crime rates across the country C-‐10 makes a promise to develop greater safety in streets and communities by relying on the law alone. Inevitably this promise will be broken, likely leading to a call for even tougher measures in the future. Community engagement is critical to ensure that crime prevention remains the responsibility of all Canadians: parents, teachers, community leaders and many others. It is smart to continue to find ways to increase that engagement beyond the formal system of justice. The law is too blunt an instrument to deal with the complexity of public safety and security home by home, street by street, and community by community. All citizens need to be engaged in all facets of the prevention and justice continuum. It has taken Canadians well over two decades to see such increases in community engagement for crime prevention. It was challenging to get beyond the passivity of leaving it to the government of the day. C-‐10 is going "back to the future" who meaningfully engage in keeping their communities safe.
Similar laws are dismissed in other countries as expensive, ineffective and overly reliant on government because they ignored the capacities for pro-social measures and viable alternative approaches such as restorative justice. Measures that address the roots of crime are not only cost effective but they provide the significant savings in human suffering. Police services across the country have long recognized this potential and engage with it. Communities cannot accomplish their task by means of charity. A strategic investment at all orders of government is needed.
What do you think? Does C-10 diminish the community involvement in prevention that is needed to keep Canada safe?
You can download the full position paper here and be sure to visit the Smart on Crime blog each day over the next week to participate in the discussion on the remaining sections of the position paper.
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Comments
In reading this I was reminded of a quote I used in my History classes several years ago when teaching Civics. In 1932 Lord Sankey, from the British House of Lords, said "Amid the shifting sands and swirling seas of public life, the law is like a great rock upon which a man may set his feet and be safe". Law can have a civilizing effect on society. Laws set parameters when other societal forces such as religion or morality may fail. We would be bereft without them. Having said that, they cannot be the only solution when the seas of society swirl and social views shift. It is in that chaotic time that opportunity for change can happen. Individuals and groups coalesce because they see the need to come together for solutions to problems. Laws, in and of themselves, will not teach morality or good behaviour and, if we depend upon them as the only solution, we are already lost. That is where the omnibus bill is flawed. We are using legislation to solve problems that cannot be fixed solely by law.
Frank, I couldn't agree more. In fact, just this morning on CBC's The Current http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/, (Thursday January 11) the host interviewed Judge Barry Stuart, a judge of 25 years in Whitehors, Yukon. He had some very strong concerns about the potential impact of Bill C10 to remove the community component in justice. He starts off with a powerful statement by saying: "Whenever [the justice system] takes away moral responsibility for problems in a community, we leave the community in our wake in much worse condition". I think Judge Stuart would agree with your comment "Laws, in and of themselves, will not teach morality or good behaviour and, if we depend upon them as the only solution, we are already lost." The community plays a role that cannot be replaced by tough on crime laws and legislation alone.
He also has some very strong words about the justice system... which I'll let you hear for yourself in the audio of the interview. But suffice it to say, he would rather see more 'justice' money spent on poverty reduction, education, health and economic opportunities as these supports have the capacity to assist people in making real like changes, and stop the flow of people into jails.