New fund created to help communities target crime

Strong Communities
November 6, 2008
New fund created to help communities target crime
$60 million fund marks next phase of Alberta’s Safe Communities initiative
Edmonton... On the one-year anniversary of Alberta’s Safe Communities initiative, the province has created a new $60 million fund to strengthen and develop community-based projects and community-police partnership projects - marking the next phase of the strategy.

“Alberta is built on strong communities and we expect our communities to be safe and secure for our families,” said Premier Ed Stelmach. “The first year of the Safe Communities initiative has given us a strong foundation as we move forward and this fund will empower communities to launch programs that focus on specific crime issues in their own backyards.”

The Safe Communities Innovation Fund will be used for innovative projects that prevent or reduce crime at a grass-roots level. Over three years, community-based initiatives will receive $30 million and community-police partnership projects will also receive $30 million. Examples of projects that could benefit from this new funding could be programs to provide mentors for Aboriginal children, parenting support for at-risk families, or Neighbourhood Empowerment Teams. The fund will be divided equally between Edmonton, Calgary and the rest of Alberta.

The fund builds on the work under Alberta’s Safe Communities initiative over the past year to address concerns about the bail process, enforcement, addictions and anti-gang and drug legislation. First year highlights include:

the addition of 300 new police officers over three years;
adding 50 new probation officers this year towards a total of 110 over three years to enhance the supervision of repeat offenders in our communities;
hiring 32 more prosecutors and expanding the role of the Crown in bail hearings;
introducing a comprehensive bail information package for repeat offenders;
streamlining the criminal justice process by giving Crown prosecutors enhanced ownership of files;
increasing residential treatment beds for young people in Grande Prairie, Edmonton, and Calgary;
adopting the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act and establishing two new investigative teams to target properties used for illegal activities such as drugs, gangs and prostitution;
implementing the Victims Restitution and Compensation Act to seize the proceeds of crime and compensate victims;
launching a new housing program for Calgarians with mental health issues and addictions; and
establishing the Safe Communities Secretariat.

“The first year of the Safe Communities initiative was a success,” said Alison Redford, Minister of Justice and Attorney General. “Now our focus is shifting to the root causes of crime, and how to treat and prevent those causes. We’re going to enable communities to launch programs that focus on reducing and preventing crime over the long term.”

Any municipality, region, Aboriginal community or non-government organization with either a proven crime reduction approach or innovative pilot projects can apply for funding under specified criteria to be announced in the coming weeks. For more information on the Safe Communities Innovation Fund please visit http://justice.gov.ab.ca/safe/scif.aspx.

“This is about strengthening the ties between police and the communities they serve through innovative partnerships,” said Fred Lindsay, Solicitor General and Minister of Public Security. “We know that preventing crime and improving safety is not something government can do alone. This fund will allow police and communities to work together effectively to reduce and prevent crime to help maintain safe and strong communities.”

The next phase of Alberta’s Safe Communities initiative will focus on the underlying and often complex reasons why people get caught up in the criminal justice system. This work includes addressing families in crisis, mental health services, immigrant support programs and addiction and recovery projects.

The Safe Communities Secretariat is a partnership of nine government ministries working collaboratively to oversee the implementation of the Crime Reduction and Safe Communities Task Force recommendations and address crime in a meaningful way. The partner ministries are Justice and Attorney General, Solicitor General and Public Security, Health and Wellness, Education, Children and Youth Services, Municipal Affairs, Aboriginal Relations, Housing and Urban Affairs, and Culture and Community Spirit.

On November 6, 2007 the Alberta government began work on a three-pronged strategy of enforcement, prevention and treatment in an effort to reduce crime and make communities safer. This strategy came in response to the recommendations of the Crime Reduction and Safe Communities Task Force.

The nine-member task force met with more than 1,700 Albertans in 14 communities to learn how crime is affecting our communities, and what steps need to be taken to maintain the security of our neighbourhoods.

-30-

Media inquiries may be directed to:

Tom Olsen
Premier’s communications
Cell: 780-718-3034
Phone: 780-422-4905*

Jay O’Neill
Justice and Attorney General
Cell: 780-919-4523
Phone: 780-427-6154*

Andy Weiler
Solicitor General and Public Security
Phone: 780-427-6153
Cell: 780-719-9325*

To call toll free within Alberta dial 310-0000.

November 6, 2008

Safe Communities 1-Year Update

Government Actions:

Hired 32 new Crown prosecutors and expanded the role of the Crown in bail hearings for many of the most serious offences.

Over the last seven months added almost 300 new officers to target serious and violent crime in Alberta. Two hundred of those officers as part of a government commitment to add more officers over the next three years, and more than 80 to target guns, gangs, and drugs.

Developed a comprehensive bail package for repeat offenders to ensure appropriate bail, sentence and community supervision conditions are put in place.

Over three years, an additional 110 probation officers will provide supervision and support to repeat and/or high risk offenders living in the community under court ordered supervision.

A joint initiative between Alberta Justice, the Solicitor General and the police is underway to more effectively address priority, prolific offenders. A dedicated team of law enforcement, probation officers, and justice officials will target 60 repeat offenders from Edmonton, Calgary, and rural Alberta.

Implemented proceeds of crime legislation on September 1, 2008. The Victims Restitution and Compensation Act allows the Crown to apply to the court to seize the proceeds of crime and redistribute the proceeds to victims or social agencies that operate in support of victims.

The Civil Forfeiture Office was opened on October 1, 2008 to identify, review and prosecute cases under the Act.

Opened 20 new treatment beds for Albertans aged 18-24 in two existing addiction recovery centres.

Expanded the Pathways to Housing Program in Calgary to divert 60 homeless individuals away from the criminal justice system and into secure housing and treatment for addiction and mental illness.

In August, the Children's Mental Health Plan for Alberta: Three Year Action Plan (2008-2011) was introduced with actions to increase access to children’s mental health services and address the mental health needs of children and youth at risk.

Legislative work underway to amend the Protection of Children Abusing Drugs Act to increase the length of stay in treatment.

Safe Communities Prevention Counselors will engage teachers, parents, school administrators and other health and school community partners in substance abuse prevention efforts to increase protective factors, decrease risk factors and foster resiliency in Alberta students.

Examining potential community locations for a dedicated Aboriginal court and at the request of community leaders, declared a gun amnesty at Hobbema to allow residents to turn in their unwanted firearms.

In February 2008 launched new ProTect security staff training program to help reduce violence and increase safety for bar staff.

In June 2008 created the new Alberta Safer Bars Council (ASBC) to ensure safe environments for patrons and staff of Alberta bars and nightclubs.

Dedicated caseworkers are focused on working with high risk youth to assist them in more effectively transitioning into the community. These caseworkers have smaller caseloads in order to dedicate more time to these high risk youth cases.

On August 1, 2008 new province-wide rules were introduced to eliminate cheap drink specials, regulate the duration of ‘happy hours’ and limit last-call drink orders in licensed premises to make provincial drinking establishments safer for staff and patrons and reduce excessive liquor consumption.

Introduced file ownership to give Crown prosecutors greater responsibility for cases from the beginning of the court process until the end.

In October 2008 a province-wide awareness campaign encouraged liquor industry workers to enroll in the ProServe training course to learn how to monitor patron behavior, amount of liquor consumed, the effect of alcohol on patrons and how to prevent over service.

Under the guidance of the provincial court’s Deputy Chief Judge, and in cooperation with defence counsel and the criminal justice division, moving forward with a court case management project to make more effective and efficient use of court resources.

-30-

To call toll free within Alberta dial 310-0000.

Send us your comments or questions