This is the official position statement of the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council given at a public consultation on the question of a casino in  the City of Kitchener. The remarks below were given by WRCPC Executive Director, Christiane Sadeler on behalf of the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council. 

How can government solve the complex issues facing society?

2012 was a busy year for the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council. To see what we've been up to, be sure to check out the progress on our 2012/2013 Priority Directions. It's also been busy here on the Smart on Crime blog with over 50 posts, 5 guest bloggers and many comments from readers.

Do politicians and a debate about policy and policy changes impact public opinion? Anthony Piscitelli asked this question at the end of the previous episode and now he reveals his answer!

Everyone wants to know... how do political leaders make their decisions about crime policy anyway? Are they influenced by public opinion polls? Do politicians influence public attitudes?

You probably already know this about the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council, but it bears repeating.... When a wicked question¹ comes our way, we're not satisfied until we get an answer, even if it means tons of research and pounds of data!

I wish this were a fairy tale but sadly, it's all too true. Every so often my white bread world is, to quote a British friend, "gobsmacked" (shaken, astonished, shocked) and this was the case recently when I attended a workshop on the issue of human trafficking in Canada. The event was sponsored by the Downtown East Project and hosted by the Steps to Change Diversion Program.

And while we're at it, let's also talk about prevention, addictions and compassion.

Some time ago two articles from the Globe and Mail collided with such force that it woke me from my early morning stupor. Without the clarity induced by several cups of coffee, I might not have made the connection. The first article by Margaret Wente, " Why Alex can't add (or subtract, multiply or divide)", attracted my attention as a retired teacher. Ms.

An underlying premise of Bill C-10, the government's anti-crime omnibus bill, is that our country has become less safe, therefore making it necessary for harsher consequences for those who violate the law. This premise is based more on perception than actual data. One need only look at the political discourse during elections to realize that if one tells a lie often enough, it becomes the truth.