The following definitions were adopted, created and/or refined by the ministry in consultation with its community and provincial partners. They are complementary to the risk and protective factors identified in the Crime Prevention in Ontario: A Framework for Action booklet, and are also consistent with the Risk-driven Tracking Database. They are intended to guide partners involved in the community safety and well-being planning process as they identify local risks to safety and well-being and develop programs and strategies to address those risks. These risk and protective factors are commonly used by communities across the province that have implemented multi-sectoral risk intervention models.

Risk factors

Antisocial/problematic behaviour (non-criminal)

Antisocial/negative behaviour - antisocial/negative behaviour within the home
Resides where there is a lack of consideration for others, resulting in damage to other individuals or the community (i.e., obnoxious/disruptive behaviour)
Antisocial/negative behaviour - person exhibiting antisocial/negative behaviour
Is engaged in behaviour that lacks consideration of others, which leads to damages to other individuals or the community (i.e., obnoxious/disruptive behaviour)
Basic needs - person neglecting others’ basic needs
Is unable to meet their own physical, nutritional or other needs
Basic needs - person unable to meet own basic needs
Cannot independently meet their own physical, nutritional or other needs
Elder abuse - person perpetrator of elder abuse
Has knowingly or unknowingly caused intentional or unintentional harm upon older individuals because of their physical, mental or situational vulnerabilities associated with the aging process
Gambling - chronic gambling by person
Regular and/or excessive gambling; no harm caused
Gambling - chronic gambling causes harm to others
Regular and/or excessive gambling that causes harm to others
Gambling - chronic gambling causing harm to self
Regular and/or excessive gambling; resulting in self-harm
Housing - person transient but has access to appropriate housing
Has access to appropriate housing but is continuously moving around to different housing arrangements (i.e., couch surfing)
Missing - person has history of being reported to police as missing
Has a history of being reported to police as missing and in the past has been entered in the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) as a missing person
Missing - person reported to police as missing
Has been reported to the police and entered in CPIC as a missing person
Missing - runaway with parents’ knowledge of whereabouts
Has run away from home with guardian’s knowledge but guardian is indifferent
Missing - runaway without parents knowledge of whereabouts
Has run away and guardian has no knowledge of whereabouts
Physical violence - person perpetrator of physical violence
Has instigated or caused physical violence to another person (i.e., hitting, pushing)
Sexual violence - person perpetrator of sexual violence
Has been the perpetrator of sexual harassment, humiliation, exploitation, touching or forced sexual acts
Threat to public health and safety - person's behaviour is a threat to public health and safety
Is currently engaged in behaviour that represents danger to the health and safety of the community (i.e., unsafe property, intentionally spreading disease, putting others at risk)

Criminal involvement

Criminal involvement - animal cruelty
Has been suspected, charged, arrested or convicted of animal cruelty
Criminal involvement - arson
Has been suspected, charged, arrested or convicted of arson
Criminal involvement - assault
Has been suspected, charged, arrested or convicted of assault
Criminal involvement - break and enter
Has been suspected, charged, arrested or convicted of break and enter
Criminal involvement - damage to property
Has been suspected, charged, arrested or convicted of damage to property
Criminal involvement - drug trafficking
Has been suspected, charged, arrested or convicted of drug trafficking
Criminal involvement - homicide
Has been suspected, charged, arrested or convicted of the unlawful death of a person
Criminal involvement - other
Has been suspected, charged, arrested or convicted of other crimes
Criminal involvement - possession of weapons
Has been suspected, charged, arrested or convicted of possession of weapons
Criminal involvement - robbery
Has been suspected, charged, arrested or convicted of robbery (which is theft with violence or threat of violence)
Criminal involvement - sexual assault
Has been suspected, charged, arrested or convicted of sexual assault
Criminal involvement - theft
Has been suspected, charged, arrested or convicted of theft
Criminal involvement - threat
Has been suspected, charged, arrested or convicted of uttering threats

Education/employment

Missing school - chronic absenteeism
Has unexcused absences from school without parental knowledge, that exceed the commonly acceptable norm for school absenteeism
Missing school - truancy
Has unexcused absences from school without parental knowledge
Unemployment - person chronically unemployed
Persistently without paid work
Unemployment - person temporarily unemployed
Without paid work for the time being

Emotional violence

Emotional violence - emotional violence in the home
Resides with a person who exhibits controlling behaviour, name-calling, yelling, belittling, bullying, intentional ignoring, etc.
Emotional violence - person affected by emotional violence
Has been affected by others falling victim to controlling behaviour, name-calling, yelling, belittling, bullying, intentional ignoring, etc.
Emotional violence - person perpetrator of emotional violence
Has emotionally harmed others by controlling their behaviour, name-calling, yelling, belittling, bullying, intentionally ignoring them, etc.
Emotional violence - person victim of emotional violence
Has been emotionally harmed by others who have controlled their behaviour, name-called, yelled, belittled, bullied, intentionally ignored them, etc.

Family circumstances

Parenting - parent-child conflict
Ongoing disagreement and argument between guardian and child that affects the functionality of their relationship and communication between the two parties
Parenting - person not providing proper parenting
Is not providing a stable, nurturing home environment that includes positive role models and concern for the total development of the child
Parenting - person not receiving proper parenting
Is not receiving a stable, nurturing home environment that includes positive role models and concern for the total development of the child
Physical violence - physical violence in the home
Lives with threatened or real physical violence in the home (i.e., between others)
Sexual violence - sexual violence in the home
Resides in a home where sexual harassment, humiliation, exploitation, touching, or forced sexual acts occur
Supervision - person not properly supervised
Has not been provided with adequate supervision
Supervision - person not providing proper supervision
Has failed to provide adequate supervision to a dependant person (i.e., child, elder, disabled)
Unemployment - caregivers chronically unemployed
Caregivers are persistently without paid work
Unemployment - caregivers temporarily unemployed
Caregivers are without paid work for the time being

Gang issues

Gangs - gang association
Social circle involves known or supported gang members but is not a gang member
Gangs - gang member
Is known to be a member of a gang
Gangs - threatened by gang
Has received a statement of intention to be injured or have pain inflicted by gang members

Housing

Housing - person doesn't have access to appropriate housing
Is living in inappropriate housing conditions or none at all (i.e., condemned building, street)

Mental health and cognitive functioning

Cognitive Functioning - diagnosed cognitive impairment/limitation
Has a professionally diagnosed cognitive impairment/limitation
Cognitive functioning - suspected cognitive impairment/limitation
Suspected of having a cognitive impairment/limitation (no diagnosis)
Cognitive Functioning - self-reported cognitive impairment/limitation
Has reported to others to have a cognitive impairment/limitation
Mental health - diagnosed mental health problem
Has a professionally diagnosed mental health problem
Mental health - grief
Experiencing deep sorrow, sadness or distress caused by loss
Mental health - mental health problem in the home
Residing in a residence where there are mental health problems
Mental health - not following prescribed treatment
Not following treatment prescribed by a mental health professional; resulting in risk to self and/or others
Mental health - self-reported mental health problem
Has reported to others to have a mental health problem(s)
Mental health - suspected mental health problem
Suspected of having a mental health problem (no diagnosis)
Mental health - witnessed traumatic event
Has witnessed an event that has caused them emotional or physical trauma
Self-harm - person has engaged in self-harm
Has engaged in the deliberate non-suicidal injuring of their own body
Self-harm - person threatens self-harm
Has stated that they intend to cause non-suicidal injury to their own body
Suicide - affected by suicide
Has experienced loss due to suicide
Suicide - person current suicide risk
Currently at risk to take their own life
Suicide - person previous suicide risk
Has in the past, been at risk of taking their own life

Neighbourhood

Poverty - person living in less than adequate financial situation
Current financial situation makes meeting the day-to-day housing, clothing or nutritional needs, significantly difficult
Social environment - frequents negative locations
Is regularly present at locations known to potentially entice negative behaviour or increase the risks of an individual to be exposed to or directly involved in other social harms
Social environment - negative neighbourhood
Lives in a neighbourhood that has the potential to entice negative behaviour or increase the risks of an individual to be exposed to or directly involved in other social harms

Peers

Negative peers - person associating with negative peers
Is associating with people who negatively affect their thoughts, actions or decisions
Negative peers - person serving as a negative peer to others
Is having a negative impact on the thoughts, actions or decision of others

Physical health

Basic needs - person unwilling to have basic needs met
Person is unwilling to meet or receive support in having their own basic physical, nutritional or other needs met
Physical health - chronic disease
Suffers from a disease that requires continuous treatment over a long period of time
Physical health - general health issue
Has a general health issue which requires attention by a medical health professional
Physical health - not following prescribed treatment
Not following treatment prescribed by a health professional; resulting in risk
Physical health - nutritional deficit
Suffers from insufficient nutrition, causing harm to their health
Physical health - physical disability
Suffers from a physical impairment
Physical health - pregnant
Pregnant
Physical health - terminal illness
Suffers from a disease that cannot be cured and that will soon result in death

Substance abuse issues

Alcohol - alcohol abuse by person
Known to excessively consume alcohol; causing self-harm
Alcohol - alcohol abuse in home
Living at a residence where alcohol has been consumed excessively and often
Alcohol - alcohol use by person
Known to consume alcohol; no major harm caused
Alcohol - harm caused by alcohol abuse in home
Has suffered mental, physical or emotional harm or neglect due to alcohol abuse in the home
Alcohol - history of alcohol abuse in home
Excessive consumption of alcohol in the home has been a problem in the past
Drugs - drug abuse by person
Known to excessively use illegal/prescription drugs; causing self-harm
Drugs - drug abuse in home
Living at a residence where illegal (or misused prescription drugs) have been consumed excessively and often
Drugs - drug use by person
Known to use illegal drugs (or misuse prescription drugs); no major harm caused
Drugs - harm caused by drug abuse in home
Has suffered mental, physical or emotional harm or neglect due to drug abuse in the home
Drugs - history of drug abuse in home
Excessive consumption of drugs in the home has been a problem in the past

Victimization

Basic needs - person being neglected by others
Basic physical, nutritional or medical needs are not being met
Crime victimization - arson
Has been reported to police to be the victim of arson
Crime victimization - assault
Has been reported to police to be the victim of assault (i.e., hitting, stabbing, kicking, etc.)
Crime victimization - break and enter
Has been reported to police to be the victim of break and enter (someone broke into their premises)
Crime victimization - damage to property
Has been reported to police to be the victim of someone damaging their property
Crime victimization - other
Has been reported to police to be the victim of other crime not mentioned above or below
Crime victimization - robbery
Has been reported to police to be the victim of robbery (someone threatened/used violence against them to get something from them
Crime victimization - sexual assault
Has been reported to police to be the victim of sexual assault (i.e., touching, rape)
Crime victimization - theft
Has been reported to police to be the victim of theft (someone stole from them)
Crime victimization - threat
Has been reported to police to be the victim of someone uttering threats to them
Elder abuse - person victim of elder abuse
Has knowingly or unknowingly suffered from intentional or unintentional harm because of their physical, mental or situational vulnerabilities associated with the aging process
Gambling - person affected by the gambling of others
Is negatively affected by the gambling of others
Gangs - victimized by gang
Has been attacked, injured, assaulted or harmed by a gang in the past
Physical violence - person affected by physical violence
Has been affected by others falling victim to physical violence (i.e., witnessing; having knowledge of)
Physical violence - person victim of physical violence
Has experienced physical violence from another person (i.e., hitting, pushing)
Sexual violence - person affected by sexual violence
Has been affected by others falling victim to sexual harassment, humiliation, exploitation, touching or forced sexual acts (i.e., witnessing; having knowledge of)
Sexual violence - person victim of sexual violence
Has been the victim of sexual harassment, humiliation, exploitation, touching or forced sexual acts

Protective factors

Education

Academic achievement
Successful at school (i.e., obtains good grades)
Access to/availability of cultural education
Availability of programming and/or curriculum that includes cultural diversity, including First Nations, Francophone, etc.
Adequate level of education
Has obtained at least their high school diploma
Caring school environment
Attends a school that demonstrates a strong interest in the safety and well-being of its students
Involvement in extracurricular activities
Engaged in sports, school committees, etc., that provide stability and positive school experience
Positive school experiences
Enjoys/enjoyed attending school and generally has/had a positive social experience while at school
School activities involving the family
School and family supports are connected through activities

Family supports

Adequate parental supervision
Caregivers are actively involved in ensuring safety and well-being
Both parents involved in childcare
Two parents that are both strong, positive figures in their life
Family life is integrated into the life of the community
Family life is integrated into the life of the community, creating strong social bonds
Open communication among family members
Communication among family members allows for open and honest dialogue to discuss problems
Parental level of education
Parents have at least received their high school diplomas
Positive relationship with spouse
Relationship with spouse is positive and their spouse positively affects their thoughts, actions or decisions
Positive support within the family
Positive and supportive caregivers/relatives whom they can rely on
Single parent family with a strong father or mother figure
Although they are from a single parent family, they have one strong, positive father or mother figure
Stability of the family unit
Consistent family environment
Strong family bond
Relationships with parents and/or other family members based on bond which may prevent them from engaging in delinquent behaviour
Strong parenting skills
Strong parental monitoring, discipline, clear standards and/or limits set with child/youth

Financial security and employment

Financial stability
Financially stable and able to provide the necessities of life
Ongoing financial supplement
Receiving a financial supplement which provides a regular non-taxable benefit (for example, housing subsidy, Guaranteed Income Supplement, Old Age Security, Ontario Disability Support Program, etc.)
Positive work environment
Working in an environment that is safe, supportive and free of harassment/discrimination
Stable employment
Steady paid employment
Temporary financial support
Receiving a financial supplement on a short or fixed-term basis in order to overcome a temporary obstacle (for example, Ontario Works, etc.)
Work life balance
Positive use of time; employment schedule includes adequate down-time and time to pursue personal interests

Housing and Neighbourhood

Access to/availability of resources, professional services and social supports
Access to/availability of resources, professional services and social supports
Access to stable housing
Stable housing is available that they may access at any time
Appropriate, sustainable housing
Lives in appropriate, sustainable housing, in which they are reasonably expected to remain
Housing in close proximity to services
Lives in close proximity to resources, professional services and social supports
Positive, cohesive community
Resides in a community that promotes positive thoughts and/or behaviour and has a reasonable level of social cohesion
Relationships established with neighbours
Relationships with neighbours assist in providing a strong network of support

Mental health

Accessing resources/services related to mental health
Currently accessing resources and/or services (i.e., involved in counselling, seeing a psychologist, addictions counselling, etc.)
Adaptability
Ability and willingness to adjust to different situations while communicating and building relationships
Personal coping strategies
The ability to solve/minimize personal and interpersonal problems related to stress or conflict
Self-efficacy
Belief in their own ability to complete tasks and reach goals; self-motivated
Self esteem
Positive perceptions of his/her self-worth
Taking prescribed medication
Taking prescribed medication for a mental health disorder in accordance with doctor's instructions

Physical health

Accessing consistent resources/services to improve on-going physical health issue
Established and ongoing medical support for a chronic health issue through a consistent service provider
Accessing resources/services to improve a temporary physical health issue
Accessing resources and/or services to treat a short-term illness or injury
Demonstrates commitment to maintaining good physical health
Exercises regularly, eats a balanced diet
Positive physical health
Appears to be in good physical health
Primary care physician
Has a family doctor

Pro-social/positive behaviour

Optimism and positive expectations for future
Has a positive expectation for their future which could lead to positive decisions/behaviour
Positive interpersonal skills
The ability to interact positively and work effectively with others
Positive pro-social behaviours
Engages in activities/behaviours that positively impact others prompted by empathy, moral values, sense of personal responsibility (for example, sharing, volunteering, etc.)
Sense of responsibility
Takes responsibility for their own actions
Strong engagement/affiliation in community, spiritual and/or cultural activities
Involved in positive activities with cultural, religious, spiritual and/or social groups that strengthen community ties and social support
Strong problem-solving skills
The ability to address issues and solve day-to-day problems in an effective, calm manner

Social support network

Close friendships with positive peers
Associates with people who positively affect their thoughts, actions or decisions
High level of trust in community support services
Believes community support services are willing/able to help/influence them in a positive way
High level of trust in police
Believes the police are willing/able to help them in a positive way
Positive role models/relationship with adult
Engagement with a positive role model/adult who they receive support from and can look up to