Section 8 – Ontario’s way forward

Ontarians generally look first to the police as credible authorities on crime and crime prevention issues. As a result, a large burden is placed on our police services to engage in community mobilization and crime prevention along with the traditional methods of crime control and law enforcement. While police play a strong and active role in responding to these expectations, building strong, healthy communities from the ground up requires a localized response and involvement of many partners.

In response to this challenge, MCSCS in partnership with the OACP has undertaken the development of this booklet. To date, the input received from many of our partners has been critical in exploring possibilities on how to move forward. The objectives, pillars, guiding principles, and priority groups identified in this section have all been developed based on existing crime prevention strategies across Canada and internationally and on research findings. These have been further refined to reflect Ontario’s unique needs after consultation with multiple stakeholders. Gathering input and feedback from a variety of sources will be essential and MCSCS will continue to engage municipalities and Aboriginal communities as we move forward.

Objectives

• Strengthen sense of safety in communities across Ontario.
• Demonstrate provincial leadership in crime prevention and community wellness.
• Bring together various levels of government, police, community agencies, individual community members, business, educators and health care professionals to create an integrated approach to crime prevention.
• Ensure federal/provincial/municipal initiatives are complementary and aligned.
• Assist Ontario’s communities in developing their own, region-specific crime prevention/social development activities.
• Enhance community level involvement, ownership and control in the development and implementation of crime prevention activities.
• Identify priority areas and vulnerable groups affected by crime and target the socio-economic risk factors of crime and reduce the opportunity to commit crime.

Pillars

The pillars of a coordinated, multi-disciplinary approach to crime prevention.

Prevention through Social Development by targeting risk factors associated with crime and victimization.

Prevention through Situational Measures by reducing opportunity to commit crime.

Prevention through Education and Awareness of all Ontarians, including building knowledge about local communities and their needs.

Prevention through Community Policing by enhancing policing efforts and supporting police in their crime prevention activities.

Guiding principles

The guiding principles outline fundamental ways in which crime prevention can be undertaken.

Prevent crime through community leadership and a local approach

Each community is unique in its capabilities and needs. Communities are best placed to provide the most accurate and relevant information pertaining to their crime problems and can best create responses that are applicable to the specific needs of their region.

Through community leadership, citizens are given ownership and responsibility for creating safe communities and neighbourhoods by complementing current police work.

Community responsibility and engagement are essential aspects of developing and delivering effective crime prevention programs.

The localized approach strongly emphasizes that the existence of crime in a particular community is not solely the result of actions by a small number of individuals but is rather the interplay of a multitude of determinants present within communities. The goal is to identify how all citizens can contribute positively.

Many crime and community safety issues emerge from local, specific contexts and thus are rightfully ‘owned’ at the community level. Communities experience crime problems first hand and thus have valuable knowledge that may be critical to the success of an intervention. Moreover, the long term success and sustainability of positive changes are seen as inextricably linked to the level of community involvement and ownership of strategies.
– International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (2006)

Prevent crime through evidence and evaluation – based experience

Evidence-based crime prevention refers to the collection of reliable and valid data that provide factual information regarding the effectiveness of crime prevention programs and/or policy.

Evaluation is a key component that should be built into all crime prevention programs so that effectiveness can be assessed.

Evidence-based crime prevention ensures that public funds are being spent on programs that actually work and allows decision makers to determine where funding should be allocated.

Prevent crime by establishing integrated, multi-sectoral, multi-disciplinary responses and partnerships

Crime prevention cannot be undertaken by one agency or sector alone. Crime prevention partnerships – formalized at the local level – are essential to coordinating efforts among the relevant sectors and disciplines, and ensuring that the risk factors associated with crime are attacked from every angle.

There are numerous risk factors associated with crime – each of which is addressed by different agencies, sectors and areas of responsibility. To ensure that a comprehensive approach is taken, each of these risk factors must be addressed by the various sectors and disciplines best suited to provide expertise. Each of these sectors needs to be kept apprised of what has transpired with individual cases.

Evidence shows that police are most effective when their crime prevention efforts are combined with multi-sectoral collaborations. Schools, governments, communities and numerous other key players all have vital roles to play.

Partnerships are an integral part of effective crime prevention, given the wide-ranging nature of the causes of crime and the skills and responsibilities required to address them. This includes partnerships working across ministries and between authorities, community organizations, non-governmental organizations, the business sector and private citizens.”
- Institute for the Prevention of Crime (2008)

Preventing crime through sustainable responses

Sustainable crime prevention creates lasting conditions, structures, programs and policies required to respond to crime and victimization.

Risk factors that may contribute to crime did not emerge overnight. It took years, decades and generations to develop. Similarly, building protective factors will not happen overnight. It will take years, decades and generations to develop these through sustained and long-term approaches to create safer communities in the long run.

Sustainable responses enable communities to build capacity and be prepared for crime. Without sustainable, long-term programs in place, crime and victimization will come back.

Prevent crime by increasing knowledge and sharing information among police, criminal justice and community agency partners

A vast amount of information and knowledge exists on crime prevention efforts that are effective. Facilitating the sharing of this information allows communities to build capacity using existing resources, ideas and practices.

Information sharing allows for the development and delivery of programs and strategies that may be working well elsewhere, instead of dedicating resources to re-invent the wheel.

It is important to share information among agencies and partners about individuals who are at risk for offending. The more information that is shared, the greater the likelihood that the individual can be assessed and targeted by multiple sectors at multiple fronts, thereby building lasting protective factors.

Prevent crime by recognizing the diversity of Ontarians

Diversity refers to the differences in race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, sexual identity, socioeconomic status, physical ability, language, beliefs, values, behavioural patterns, or customs among various groups within Ontario.

Ontario’s demography is diverse in many ways and is continually changing. Crime prevention approaches should develop and deliver programs, policies and strategies that recognize and apply to the diverse regions, populations and groups in Ontario.

Ontario’s Aboriginal people have unique needs and capabilities. These must be recognized, acknowledged, engaged and partnered with when developing and delivering crime policies and programs.

Priority groups

There is a strong need to focus on three priority groups through the combined use of a social development and situational crime prevention approach:

1. children and youth
2. individuals convicted of a criminal offence
3. victims of crime

Early intervention with children and youth

The propensity to offend is significantly higher among one of our youngest demographic groups, with almost 50% of crime being committed by individuals between the ages 12-24.^{footnote 1[1]} Research shows that 15-18 is the peak age period for delinquent acts.^{footnote 2[2]}

Although youth in Ontario represent only 23% of Ontario’s population, they account for 56% of those charged with a crime and 52% of those charged with a violent crime in 2007.^{footnote 3[3]}

Most importantly, it has been found that the earlier the onset of criminal and delinquent behaviour, and the longer it is allowed to continue without effective intervention, the greater the likelihood that a child will go on to committing crime in adulthood.

Both crime prevention theory and practice point to the fact that focusing on early intervention – that is, when problems often first begin to appear – is more effective in the long-term than responses that seek to address immediate issues. Intervening at critical points in a child’s life ensures that they are offered positive opportunities to lead safe and productive lives into adulthood.^{footnote 4[4]}

As such, there is a strong case to be made for early intervention. The social development approach seeks to place a high value on early intervention which naturally applies to all children and youth in Ontario. This must start at a young age.

Young men of 15 to 24 are the age group with the highest rate of offending and victimisation worldwide.
- International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (2008)

Identifying children and young people who are on the cusp of getting involved in offending is crucial in preventing them escalating rapidly into more serious crime, and in preventing them becoming victims of crime. The success of early intervention depends on services recognising individual risk, discussing potential solutions in a multi-agency forum and responding in a co-ordinated way.
- United Kingdom Home Office (2008)

Those convicted of criminal offences

People convicted of a criminal offence do not necessarily receive a sentence that is served in a correctional facility. Of those that do, they come from our communities and most will return to our communities after serving their time in correctional institutions. On any given day, provincial corrections in Ontario has approximately 8,500 people in custody and another 56,000 under community supervision (probation, conditional sentences, parole). There are some significant consequences – both from a financial and community safety point of view – to the unsuccessful reintegration of offenders into society. It is to each community’s benefit to assist in the successful reintegration of current and former offenders.

A small number of people commit a disproportionately large number of crimes. Of those who have been convicted nearly 75% have had multiple prior convictions.^{footnote 5[5]} As such, it is in society’s best interests to work with those who commit crime repeatedly. A key feature of successful crime prevention includes a focus on those who are responsible for committing crime repeatedly.

When offenders leave the correctional system and return to their communities, they face a vast number of pressing challenges including housing, employment, treatment and building pro-social networks. Former offenders rely on the resources and services available in their community to successfully reintegrate.

While offenders receive valuable treatment and intervention within the correctional system, a continuum of care that extends into the community and outside of the programming provided in correctional facilities is important. This should be provided collaboratively by the criminal justice system, health and social services, the offender’s family and/or friends, and community-based organizations. In addition, the offender’s family often requires support to cope. Parental/sibling criminality is often related to crime. Working closely with the families of offenders is a key to preventing crime.

In the absence of material, psychological and social support at the time of their release, offenders may have a very difficult time breaking the cycle of release and re-arrest.
- International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy (2007)

Victims

In 2004, 5% of the Canadian population reported being a victim of violent crime with one third reporting being victims more than once.^{footnote 6[6]}

In Ontario, 187 victim services agencies reported serving approximately 3,000 individuals in 2005/06. 74% of these were female and 14% were male. 88% of those served were victims of crime against the person with 35% being victims of sexual assault. Most victims of violent crime knew the offender with 70% victimized by a spouse, ex-spouse or intimate partner, 24% by another family member and 6% by a friend, acquaintance or stranger.^{footnote 8[8]}

Victimization is a risk factor for crime and further victimization and as such, examining victimization is an important part of crime prevention. Studies show that there is a consistent link between juvenile offending and a history of violent victimization.^{footnote 9[9]} Victimization can have severe financial, emotional and physical impacts on the actual victim, family and friends. Focusing on victims of crime prevents re-victimization by identifying the factors that make some individuals/groups more susceptible than others. Victim Services organizations can contribute to developing a more accurate understanding of the factors that contribute to victimization allowing crime prevention activities to be targeted towards the areas of greatest need. Reducing repeat victimization reduces re-offending and responding to victims requires a holistic approach.