Posted on: January 18th, 2013 by Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council
At a recent event to launch the Friends of Crime Prevention network, we were so fortunate to have Alan Quarry, of Quarry Communications, as our guest. Since we’re all about positive social change, we asked Alan to wax poetic on the power of networks, like Friends of Crime Prevention, to advance social change. Anyone looking for tips on the latest tools, apps and gadgets to use might have been disappointed by Alan’s talk… because really, it’s all about relationships, not the technology, which we already knew. Right?
Creating change that lasts happens in relationships, from one person to another, and these days, often facilitated with the power of social media. Here are Alan’s 7 best thoughts on the principles for engaging people in change.
“We build too many walls and not enough bridges”. Isaac Newton Plain and simple…. Walls separate people; Bridges bring people together. Networks can only be successful if they are built on the principles of a good bridge:
– bridges are intended to facilitate two-way interaction and communication, comings-and-goings and flow of pedestrians and traffic; they connect physical spaces to each other across seemingly uncrossable barriers like water, chasms and gorges
– bridges are (typically) not controlled by one side or the other
– bridges do not have trolls! or at least, they shouldn’t!
– bridges are intended to be multipurpose and can accomplish a great diversity all at once
– bridges need care and maintenance in order to last for a long time
– bridges inspire people and we are naturally drawn to them to admire; while many bridges are utilitarian in nature, many more are grand and quite beautiful to look at
– bridges can often connect very different worlds and be an entrance into exploring a very new and different place
– bridges can act as ‘neutral territory’, which can be a very good thing at time! Having said all that…. bridges can be uncomfortable places for people with a fear of high places. It can take work for some people to engage in these spaces – be patient with them! But if there is a compelling reason for them to be there… they will.
Networking is not about hunting. It is about farming. It’s about cultivating relationships.
Networking is a key component of building any network, not just Friends of Crime Prevention. But how to engage people who are interested in sticking with the network for the long haul? It’s about building genuine relationships with everyday people. It’s not about head-hunting big names or seemingly important people. Some relationships take longer to develop than others, but guaranteed, an investment in a solid relationship with someone will build stronger connections and commitment to your network.
Build it, and they won’t come Enough said. You can build a bridge, or a network…. but that doesn’t mean everyone will want to take part or use it… especially if it’s poorly designed and built! It’s important to put careful thought, planning and resources into whatever you design. And opportunities to improve it are always there!!
Focus on how to ‘be’ social not how to ‘do’ social
Many attempt to engage people can ring false when there is a lack of authenticity in the engagement. You can ‘do’ all the right things when it comes to social and community engagement but if your online & in-real-life personality don’t match – people can become quickly disengaged. Sharing good content – relevant, personal and recent – with the right people, at the right time, shows you understand the important of connecting in the right way.
You have to make an effort to connect with people. It’s not called ‘net’sitting. Work at it.
Yes. And yes. It’s not enough to have online profiles everywhere and attend every community event possible if you don’t actually engage with people. Just because there’s a Facebook page and a Twitter account doesn’t mean people will flock to you in droves. Work at making connections that make sense. Avoid the flailing arm approach to engagement.
Social media is high touch, not high tech
Like the construction of this bridge, there is some technical thought that goes in to building a network like the Friends of Crime Prevention, and effectively using social media to help it grow. The real success of the bridge in the photo is whether or not people come to gather there when the vendors fill the shops on the sides of the bridge – the high touch part of the equation. We can’t expect technology alone to sustain relationships. We’ve got to do that part in person.
“Be positive – care, share and be friendly”
According to Alan, this statement is also the Quarry Family motto. But it sure applies to something like advancing the ‘Friends of Crime Prevention’ network. Really, who flocks to be part of something negative, territorial, selfish and unfriendly? I just don’t think it would work for something called ‘Friends of Crime Prevention’!
Truly, Alan’s presentation for the Friends of Crime Prevention event got people talking and primed to help grow the network. People talked about actions they could take as individuals and organizations to help advance the work of crime prevention through social development in their own workplaces, homes, schools, families and neighbourhoods. Ideas are percolating. Discussions are happening. Links are circulating. Tweets are tweeting. Phones are ringing. In all, I’d say, a pretty good ROI for the day.
Return on Interaction, that is.
Thanks Alan Quarry!
What were the stand out ideas you learned from Alan at this event? Is Friends of Crime Prevention on the right track? Love to hear your thoughts – leave a comment!
Posted on: December 21st, 2012 by Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council
At this time of year almost every time we turn the on the TV we see a film based on the season. My favourite is “It’s a Wonderful Life”. I’m sure you know it.
It’s a Christmas classic about a small-town guy (George Bailey, played by James Stewart) who falls into some financial difficulty on Christmas Eve through no fault of his own. His partner in his Building and Loan Association and Uncle, Billy, has lost his deposit on the same day the bank examiner is coming to inspect their books. Without the deposit they will be in serious legal trouble. His competitor, Mr. Potter, who acts as the town’s ‘Scrooge’ and owns the bank where Uncle Billy was depositing the money, finds the lost money and keeps it to himself. The Building and Loan Association loans money to people Mr. Potter won’t so that they can have a decent home and create a community of people caring for and about each other.
This sends George into despair and he contemplates taking his life in the hopes his insurance will cover the deficit and save his family from ruin. Up in Heaven (yes, in 1946 we could talk openly about that) an apprentice angel named Clarence is waiting for a chance to earn his wings. He is assigned to George so that he may save him from this terrible choice. He does so by creating a situation where George has to save his life and George, being the guy he is, doesn’t’t hesitate.
George tells his new friend Clarence about his troubles and feeling that he is a failure. Clarence hatches a plan to show him what life in his town of Bedford Falls would be like had George not been there to be a friend to so many. The town had become a gambling den, rife with crime and poverty. It’s a sad life without George and he has an epiphany that brings him back to reality willing to face consequences for something he did not do.
However, in the meantime his wife and friends have banded together to raise the missing money that saves George from disgrace and jail. In the climatic scene that closes the film (spoiler alert) as the family and friends are gathered by the Christmas tree, a bell on the tree rings and Zuzu, George’s youngest daughter tells him every time a bell rings an angel gets its wings. As he looks down into the basket of money raised by his friends and family he spots Clarence’s favourite book with an inscription “No man is a failure who has friends”. You may remember the scene. George is a friend to many in his hometown of Bedford Falls and at that moment he experiences the fruit of all the friendships he has made over the years. It is a powerful story, almost a parable, about as far away from “Bad Santa” as you can get.
The concept of “friends” and the influential role they play in our lives and our projects aligns with the initiative of the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council’s launch of the “Friends of Crime Prevention” network. This idea grew out of the work done by the ad hoc Governance Committee, led by the efforts of Peter Ringrose and others. Their task was to increase the engagement of the citizens of the Region without adding to the Council’s membership, which is already comprehensive. The ad hoc committee did not use the term “acquaintances” or “associates” but purposefully used “Friends” because of its power.
Think of your close friends. These are people who share your passion and principles and who will stand with you even when things are tough; in fact, especially when things are tough. These are the people the WRCPC is looking for as friends of Crime Prevention.
What is a Friend of Crime Prevention?
A Friend can be an individual, community agency, business, municipality. Anyone with a passion for community
A Friend sees the connection between the work that they do and the opportunities to work together for a safer community
A Friend wants to become part of a larger network of peers
A Friend wants to stay informed about recent events, trends and research
A Friend takes action to create change in their own neighbourhood, community, workplace or organization.
No one organization, including the WRPS, John Howard Society, school boards, among many, can solve the problem of crime by working alone. We need their expertise and input but we also need that of businesses, social agencies, churches, colleges, universities and, perhaps equally as important, neighbourhoods made up of citizens like you and me who want to live in a safer, more civil society.
Another goal of the WRCPC is to provide strategic leadership in bringing many voices to the table and providing timely and relevant support, resources, research and sponsorship of events that will be the clearinghouse of ideas and projects for crime prevention in Waterloo Region. As you know, the WRCPC is looked to around the world as an exemplar of an organization that mobilizes the community to prevent crime.
The Friends of Crime Prevention initiative is a demonstration of the Council’s commitment to meeting the goals of its Strategic Plan. This network of friends, working collaboratively with each other and the Council shows that it takes a village to also create a community. It gives us access to a broader alliance of people sharing a common purpose who can bring a new array of knowledge and skills to collectively own the goal of truly creating safe streets and communities, more by collaborative actions than legislation.
Like George Bailey, we believe in the power of community. We know communities are groups of friends who want the best for each other and know that safe streets and neighbourhoods are born from connectivity. Research based upon the “Broken Window Theory” demonstrates that citizens, taking an active and intentional role in their community, help make it safer. In that theory, if no one intervenes to keep a neighbourhood safe, then it will continue to deteriorate and can become criminalized as the sense of community is lost since there is no collective ownership of the neighbourhood.
By becoming a “Friend of Crime Prevention” you can, as Gandhi said, “ be the change you wish to see in the world”. It’s a pretty simple process. Just visit www.preventingcrime.ca/friends, and join.
And, on December 24th, grab some popcorn and enjoy “It’s a Wonderful Life”.
Oh, and some Kleenex too. You’ll need it.
Author: Frank Johnson is a regular guest writer for Smart on Crime in Waterloo Region. Frank is a retired principal with the local Catholic school board, a dad, and sometimes runner who possesses an irreverent sense of humour that periodically gets him in trouble. He lives in Waterloo, Ontario.
Frank Johnson’s writing reflects his own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views or official positions of the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council.
Posted on: December 17th, 2012 by Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council
I’ve been asked this question. Not these “exact’ words, but it certainly felt that way when I was asked to ‘provide a rationale’ as to why we use yoga as part of our programs at inREACH, a street gang prevention program in Waterloo Region. Here’s the rationale I gave… which also seems to be backed up by a lot of good solid evidence.
All of the youth we work with at inREACH have deficits in the area of emotion regulation. In its most problematic form this may result in anger and aggression which can cause them to come into conflict with the law; less obviously, but just as seriously, many of the same youth suffer from chronic anxiety and depression. Additionally, many of the youth turn to heavy substance use as the only tool at their disposal to manage powerful feelings. In order for youth to reduce their drug use and manage their emotions well enough to enable them to make good choices when problem solving, they must learn self-calming techniques.
Yoga teaches relaxation and breathing techniques which youth are able to use in a variety of settings as strategies to regulate their stress-response system. By decreasing their level of physiological arousal (heart rate, blood pressure) youth are able to increase their capacity to stay calm in stressful situations and thus make better choices about their behaviour. Evidence suggests that yoga can reduce maladaptive nervous system arousal, thus making it easier for youth to strengthen healthy coping strategies and reduce their dependence on substances to maintain emotional equilibrium. As a result of its efficacy, yoga is increasingly being offered in accredited children’s mental health treatment centres such as Lutherwood in Waterloo, in custody facilities such as Roy McMurtry Youth Centre in Bramptom, and in community-based gang prevention programs, such as Breaking the Cycle in Rexdale.
One of the best parts of working on the inREACH project has been the opportunity to collaborate with local service providers, businesses and community residents to expose the young people we work with to experiences that they would not otherwise have access to. The results have sometimes been surprising. For example, last winter we began working with Meaghan Johnson at Queen Street Yoga to teach yoga and mindfulness to one of our groups for young people at-risk for gang activity.
The youth we work with have responded very well to the experience. We found that by beginning our groups with yoga and mindfulness exercises they were more grounded and focused for the psycho-educational material that followed. Many learned that they could use breathing as a strategy in stressful situations, while others continued to practice yoga on their own time. Beyond the tools they may have taken from it, however, all were able to experience what, to me, is the most powerful aspect of yoga – accepting and honouring who you are, in your body, at this particular moment in time, without judgment.
Now, I could have provided a purely economic rationale for teaching yoga to “thugs”. Something along the lines of… Yoga – 1 teacher @ $100/hour x 6 sessions/5 youth = $600.00 ($120 per youth ) Incarceration – 5 youth @ $350/day x 5/days = $8,750 ($1,750per youth)
… and let the math speak for itself.
However, wouldn’t you rather see a young person who can understand the connection between emotional triggers and behaviour, self-regulate emotions with consciousness, make healthy decisions and learn body awareness techniques that can be used for a lifetime?
I know I would. I believe our community would be a safer place if more of our young people had the opportunity for this kind of experience.
This is an excellent talk from New Leaf Yoga teacher Laura Sygrove about the power of yoga to connect the mind & body in very practical ways and start a healing journey in a healthy constructive way.
Author: Shanna Braden is a social worker at Lutherwood who works for inREACH, a collaborative project of local community partners to prevent gang activity in the Region of Waterloo.
Posted on: December 11th, 2012 by Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council
I know a woman whose husband hit her so hard that he broke all of the bones in her face.
I know a woman who was raped repeatedly by her own father while she was growing up.
I know a woman who lived in a town house where the wall in the living room rotted through so she could see her neighbours but the landlord wouldn’t fix it.
I know a woman who carried her baby for 9 months only to be forced to give her up not knowing if she would be deported.
I know a woman who discovered her husband was sexually abusing their daughter.
All of these women live or have lived in our community but not in a women’s shelter as one would assume after hearing their stories. All of these women have served or are currently serving time at Grand Valley Institution for Women, the federal prison for women here in our Region. Whether or not we like to admit it, we are a prison town. As residents of the Waterloo Region, we are fortunate to house one of the six federal prisons for women in Canada. I say we are fortunate because we have been provided with the unique opportunity to support women like the ones I just described as they go through their journey from being incarcerated to rejoining the community and building a life for themselves.
It is through the dedication of local agencies like Community Justice Initiatives and their Stride program that community volunteers provide much needed support for federally sentenced women. Stride brings community volunteers into the prison every week to do activities such as crafts and sports, growing friendships and showing the women that the community cares about them, even though they have committed a crime. Let me provide you with an example of how we, as residents of this amazing region, can truly make a difference in a woman’s life by doing one very simple thing: caring about her.
Missie, one of the women I just described, started drinking alcohol and doing drugs when she was 12. Her father was very abusive and her mother left them when she was 11. She hung with the wrong crowd and eventually ended up in a relationship and had two children. This relationship was extremely abusive and it got so bad that she turned to drugs. Missie became addicted to crack cocaine. She started selling, got caught for dealing and was sentenced to 3 years in a federal prison.
Missie did her time at Grand Valley Institution for Women. She followed her correctional plan and when the time came, she was released with virtually no support and guidance. She was expected to be “rehabilitated” and know how to manage on her own.
As is often the case, Missie had to spend some time in a halfway house after her prison time. It wasn’t long before she was getting high and hanging out with old friends. Missie felt very judged and alone so it was hard to reach out and make new friends and accept the fact that she needed support. For Missie, it was easier to go back to her old ways because that’s what she knew best. She had never had any positive support when she got out and it made her feel like she wasn’t worth it and nobody cared. Missie was caught for being high at the halfway house and was sent back to prison.
This time, she decided that she was going to seek out support for herself and that is where she discovered the Stride program. Through Stride, Missie cultivated some amazing relationships with volunteers who went into the prison each week to see her. Each week, these three volunteers sat with Missie in the prison and listened to her, shared with her, laughed with her, cried with her. They cared about her.
While Missie was getting ready to leave the prison, these three volunteers helped her plan and prepare. When it was time to leave the prison, Missie’s circle of friends picked her up at the prison and drove her to the halfway house. After completing her halfway house time, Missie’s circle of friends picked her up again and drove her to her apartment. They had groceries and flowers waiting as well as household items so that Missie could start working on making her apartment her home.
One of the biggest challenges Missie faced upon leaving the prison was trying to regain custody of her two children. They had visited her every week while she was in the prison and she was able to visit them on the weekend once in the halfway house. Missie’s circle members attended Children’s Aid appointments with her and held her hand throughout the very difficult and challenging process of getting her kids back. One of the most challenging barriers to overcome was that of housing – Children’s Aid required Missie to have specific housing that she couldn’t afford and when Missie tried to get financial assistance, they said she had to prove that she already had housing in order to qualify for assistance. The perfect catch 22
With the support of her circle, Missie was able to figure out how to obtain housing that met Children’s Aid’s requirements and after a very long process, Missie finally received full custody of her two children.
Missie has been out of prison for 5 years now and is completely finished her sentence. She got married, she is a homeowner and she recently had a new baby, a beautiful girl. She is also giving back to her community by volunteering at a Youth Custody Facility in order to help the young men feel connected to their community as her circle did for her. By all accounts, Missie has “reintegrated” back into our community.
However, if Missie was here tonight, she would tell you that it was not easy. She would tell you that she would not have been able to make it through those dark, hopeless moments without the support of her circle. She would tell you that while there are some nice people at the halfway house and parole they are authority figures and if you are struggling they are the last people you want to tell because they can send you back to prison. She would tell you that her circle provided her with hope and helped her believe in herself that she could do it. When she was feeling down and feeling like her world was going to collapse, she would call her circle members and they would support her through any rough patch. Without these supports, Missie would tell you, she would have landed back in prison. To this day, Missie is still in contact with her circle members. Only now, it is because they are genuine friends.
The reason I am telling you this story is because the simple act of caring for another human being can never be underestimated. People often look at those in prison as evil, or as people who deserved to be punished and ostracized from society. However, embracing these individuals and helping them to feel connected to the community is the best tool we have to prevent them from ending up in trouble with the law again.
If this “heart-tugging” story isn’t doing it for you, how about this – community approaches come with a far cheaper price tag. The cost of running a program such as Stride is a fraction of the astronomical $220,000 it costs to incarcerate one woman for one year in federal prison in Canada. There are approximately 200 women at GVI. You can do math on that one.
One of the most important learnings for me over the years is that the women at GVI could be my neighbour, my sister, my mother, my friend – it could be me. Their stories make me realize how fortunate I am to have grown up in a two parent home with enough food to eat. I was not abused as a child or as an adult. I do not have a mental health concern nor do I struggle with problematic substance use. I have obtained my Master’s degree while most of them are still trying to get their GED. On the surface I seem to be the opposite of these women. However, after getting to know these incredible women it became apparent to me that if any one of these things were different my life could have taken a drastically different direction and I could have ended up in prison just as they are. These women are not the monsters the media depict. They are ordinary, everyday women who have been dealt a bad hand in life. Their crimes are often normal responses to abnormal and desperate circumstances. I have learned that a woman in prison is so much more than her crime. Missie admits she has made mistakes in the past but her crimes do not define who she is.
I work with women in prison in order to bring some normalcy into their lives and to bring some reality into mine. As a citizen of the community in which this prison is located, I feel a moral obligation to support these women in any way I can as I have been afforded privileges in my life that they have not.
Never underestimate the difference you can make in someone’s life by simply showing them that you care.“People do not want to be fixed. They want to feel valued”. I firmly believe this and try to live it out each day.
Author: Jessica Hutchison is Coordinator, Community Development & Research at the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council. She coordinates the community mobilization activities and initiatives of the inREACH Street Gang Prevention Project.
Posted on: November 29th, 2012 by Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council
Has the Internet and its anonymity ruined civility? Let me be more precise. Has our ability to instantaneously respond to issues that we see reported in the media given rise to intemperate thoughts, comments or attitudes? What makes me ask the question is reading the reader comments to articles in any given newspaper, on any given day, on almost any topic.
One would have thought the comments are moderated but maybe this would be seen as a violation of free speech. Doesn’t free speech have some limits in the newspaper? I just don’t get why readers who respond to articles in the online version of newspapers have to demonize people with whom they disagree. I’ve contacted our own local newspaper numerous times on this issue but nothing has changed.
Whether the issue of education or health care funding, bullying, the air show or almost any other endeavour covered by the local paper, there is almost a guarantee that someone will either see a conspiracy, a government rip-off or some other nefarious plot to impose something on themselves or others. Is it the anonymity allowed that allows them to berate politicians, newsmakers, civil servants, immigrants and others they have a problem with without identifying themselves? Whatever happened to civil discourse where one can disagree without being disagreeable? If you think I am exaggerating, take a look at the comments on almost any issue covered in the local paper. Now, maybe it’s not a big issue because the people who write their missives tend to do so in response to those written by others. One tends to see the same usernames over and over again and they often battle with each other. I think it’s great that they like to be involved with the news of the day. More power to them. What bothers me is the vitriol that is spread and the assumptions that are made. You may know about the theory of attribution where we tend to ascribe the worst possible motives to others who may have offended us while diminishing any role we may have played. In this theory we don’t give others the benefit of the doubt that we may allow ourselves. If people want to comment in this fashion and fight with each other, maybe the newspapers can create a separate page where commenters can talk to themselves and not attach comments to the bottom of the online article.
I am not alone in noticing this issue. Rosie DiManno, a long-time columnist with The Toronto Star recently wrote a column decrying the anonymity allowed commenters noting that much of what is written can be considered libelous. She made the point that her editors would refuse her columns if they contained the same kinds of unproved allegations allowed in online responses. People seem to feel that the internet has given them something akin to Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak allowing them to scurry around the halls of the online commenting world unseen and free from responsibility.
T – Is it True H – Is it Hurtful I – Is it Illegal N – Is it Necessary K – Is it Kind
These filters are being used by students who have put a blue elastic band around their phones to remind them the texting can be used to bully or defame another. Many young people are unaware that some things they text or attachments they send are covered under the Criminal Code and they could be held liable for their actions. This proactive approach will not, by itself, solve the problem of online bullying but at least it’s a step in the right direction. Maybe this simple acronym could be used by those who comment online and whose comments seem to pass unfiltered through our local newspaper’s edit process.
But it’s not just the Internet where we see a lack of civility; I was recently at a local mall handing out “Say Hi” buttons to passersby during Crime Prevention Week and to chat with them about the work of the Crime Prevention Council. It was a study in social psychology to see the effort some people went to not to make eye contact with me. Their ability to duck out of my way would make them valuable assets to any major hockey team. One would think I was asking them if they would like typhus or Ebola instead of a Say Hi button. It was actually quite comical. Many responded to my offer of a button with a curt “I don’t live in Waterloo”. I guess saying hi is prohibited by a city bylaw in their respective region.
Is there a correlation between a less civil society and increased crime? Some think so, though the definition of ‘civility’ may relate more to neighbourhood development that what might archaically be called ‘good manners’. Certainly healthy neighbourhoods that are well taken care of and where neighbours actually know each other mitigate against rampant street crime. So, I may be putting myself out there by suggesting that if we were simply nicer to each other, in how we speak, how we write, how we drive, how we shut off our iPhones and BlackBerries in theatres and while waiting in lines at the market (you get the picture) might we end up with a safer place to live? Isn’t that what we want?
We all have a part in this; we could all use a little more ‘THINK-ing’. And maybe, the newspapers could rethink their position on moderating comments or at least, raise the standards by which it judges comments as appropriate.
Author: Frank Johnson is a regular guest writer for Smart on Crime in Waterloo Region. Frank is a retired principal with the local Catholic school board, a dad, and sometimes runner who possesses an irreverent sense of humour that periodically gets him in trouble. He lives in Waterloo, Ontario.
Frank Johnson’s writing reflects his own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views or official positions of the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council.
Posted on: November 6th, 2012 by Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council
It’s Crime Prevention Week in Ontario. Every November, community agencies, organizations, police departments, municipalities and citizens come together to raise awareness of crime prevention as a building block for creating vibrant, dynamic, safe and healthy communities. “Engaged communities are safer communities” is this year’s theme! We couldn’t agree more!
Your average neighbourhood superhero can make a difference every day with actions small and large. Watch our Twitter and Facebook pages this week where we’ll be posting tips and sharing ways that you can get engaged and be a friend of crime prevention in your home, neighbourhood, workplace, faith community, school, team, youth group….. you name it.
How do you engage in your community? What do you see others doing? Do you see a gap where some one should engage?
Love to hear from you – we know you are out there doing amazing things to create safer communities.
Posted on: November 1st, 2012 by Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council
Being tough on crime often means talking about keeping criminals off the street, protecting the rights of victims and deterring offenders from either offending in the first place, or re-offending upon release. All of these things, however laudable, sound great on talk radio. In my very unscientific poll listening to a recent local talk radio program where the host interviewed the Honourable Rob Nicholson, Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of Canada about toughening the Safe Streets and Communities Act (Bill C-10) about 90% of the callers supported this tough stance that would result in more offenders going to prison. Now, these are serious offenders, not joy-riders or B+E specialists. These are the people found guilty of violent offences. Tough to argue against that. But, have these callers thought about where we are sending these offenders and at what cost, or do they give much thought at all to prison, beyond it being the destination for bad guys (and girls in increasing numbers)?
“Canadians should be interested in who is ending up behind bars. Questions about whom we incarcerate and for how long and why are important public policy issues…Visible minorities, Aboriginal people and women are entering federal penitentiaries in greater numbers than ever before. Twenty-one percent of the inmate population is of Aboriginal descent and 9% of inmates are Black Canadians. In the last five years, the number of federally incarcerated women has increased by about 40% while the number of Aboriginal women has increased by over 80% in the last decade. In fact, if not for these sub-groups, the offender population growth rate would have flat-lined some years ago.”
Think about that for a moment. Does this not seem out of whack to you? How often have we heard our politicians or talk show hosts calling attention to these stats? Not very, at least in my memory. How long can we keep sweeping this issue under the proverbial rug before we need an SUV to climb over it? Why is this not on the national radar?
Mr. Sapers goes even further to paint a picture of today’s inmate:
“More offenders are admitted to federal penitentiaries more addicted and more mentally ill that ever before. 36% have been identified at admissions as requiring some form of psychiatric care of psychological follow-up. 63% of offenders report using either alcohol or drugs on the day of their current offence…These needs often run ahead of the system’s capacity to meet them.”
Given this, would it not make sense for the government to invest some of the money it is using after the fact to house these people to invest at the front end in some form of proactive therapy that can address alcohol and substance abuse issues as these are often linked to mental health problems? We know that it currently costs the government (in reality you and me, the taxpayer) about $98,000 to incarcerate one male (female prisoners are much more expensive to house, in fact about twice the cost) for one year in a medium security federal prison. By the way, these figures come from Public Safety Canada. I am not making them up. If that money were invested in mental health and addictions counselling (and it wouldn’t even cost near that amount) for a person when symptoms first arise, it would save exponential amounts of money after the fact in costs of incarceration. This isn’t bleeding heart liberalism. It’s simple mathematics. You should know that there is a range of costs for persons incarcerated that is dependent on whether or not they are in a federal or provincial institute, whether they are male or female and the level of security and so on. I think there are more options out there that are less expensive and arguably more effective.
Look for example at InREACH, the anti-gang project running in Waterloo Region. In 2009, the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council received nearly $3.8 million from the National Crime Prevention Centre (Canada) for a 45 month time period to create and implement a collaborative street gang prevention project that involved a collaboration among various community agency partners. You can read about the initiative yourself so I won’t take you through all it offers in terms of its programs like addictions counselling, mental health supports, job skills training, community mobilization and so on. Visit the site though. You will be impressed.
In a recent monitoring report of the project prepared by Karen Hayward, she notes that 210 youth have been referred to the program since 2010. If, and it’s a very big if, all of these youth would have gone on to commit crimes which would land them in a medium security federal penitentiary the cost to the taxpayer would be $20,580,000. Okay, that’s a stretch. It depends on lots of factors so I am asking you to give me some leeway here. So, let’s say only a quarter of these youth could be diverted successfully. The cost is still $5,145,000. Oh, by the way, this is per year. So, if for example we say that the program diverted 25% of these youth from a federal penitentiary over three years, at a program investment of roughly $3 million and without it, the government (again, you and me) would be on the hook for $15,435,000 – does it not look cost effective? And, interestingly enough, inREACH is scrambling for funding since the money is running out. It begs the question as to why, when simple economics tells us it makes more sense to invest upfront dollars that will save the taxpayer huge amounts later on. I know there are a lot of suppositions in my example that may fail to take various factors into consideration, but the message is still clear: pay now or pay a lot more later.
Mr. Sapers helps make my argument. “Expenditures on federal corrections totalled almost $2.5 billion in 2010-11, which represents a 43.9% increase since 2005-06.” Have we seen the same percentage increase going to mental health and addictions support? Well, it appears not. According to the Canadian Psychiatric Association, the federal government has cut mental health services at Correctional Services Canada including three doctors, 28 nurses, six psychologists, three social workers and two occupational therapists. These numbers don’t include the 18 nurses and five psychologists affected by the closure of Kingston Penitentiary who will lose their jobs.
When one considers, as Mr. Sapers’ report notes, that 4 of 5 offenders have substance abuse problems, 50% of federally incarcerated women report a history of self-harm, over half identify a current or previous addiction to drugs, 85% report a history of physical abuse and 68% experienced sexual abuse at some point in their lives, any cuts to mental health supports seem short-sighted. And I am not even touching on the story of Ashley Smith, as an example of what can happen to a person with mental health needs in our prison system.
As much as I think many callers to talk shows debating the tough on crime agenda reasonably want to protect victims, it might be time for them to think about what happens after the cell door slams. After all, at some point these people are coming out and will be standing in line with us at Tim Hortons or riding the bus with us. From a strictly selfish point of view, do we want them to come out healthier, more able to handle stress and addictive tendencies, more compassionate and remorseful, or just angrier and more damaged?
Is it time to stop pretending prison is our best option? What are we pretending not to know?
Author: Frank Johnson is a regular guest writer for Smart on Crime in Waterloo Region. Frank is a retired principal with the local Catholic school board, a dad, and sometimes runner who possesses an irreverent sense of humour that periodically gets him in trouble. He lives in Waterloo, Ontario.
Frank Johnson’s writing reflects his own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views or official positions of the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council.
Posted on: October 26th, 2012 by Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council
How to understand the complex nature and impact of psychological trauma in our community? Important steps are being taken in this direction by KidsLink, a Waterloo Region based organization supporting the emotional and mental health of children and youth in our community.
We recently hosted Laurie Robinson in a webinar to explore the prevalence and science of trauma and how our community can move toward a trauma-informed system of care. Participants in the webinar came from many different sectors representing children & youth mental health, addictions, health care and more.
But why would the Crime Prevention Council be interested in issues of trauma? Trauma (adverse childhood experiences, or adult in some cases) is often the root of many psychological, physical, behavioural and health conditions – and WRCPC is all about getting to the root causes or conditions. For example, did you know….
75% – 93% of youth entering the criminal justice system have experienced some form of trauma
Among boys who experienced a traumatic incident under the age of 12, 50% – 79% became involved in serious juvenile delinquency
Incarcerated women are more likely to report a history of childhood physical or sexual abuse (Justice Policy Institute, 2010).
Prevention tell us: “it’s easier to build strong children than to mend broken adults.”
I share Laurie Robinson’s presentation here to give you a starting point for finding out what trauma is and the impact it has on our community.
How do you see trauma affecting people you work with, serve, represent? What do you see as the impact within our community? How might a trauma informed system of care improve the lives of the people that you works with. How might it improve the health of us all? How could this approach have an effect on prevention, early intervention, effective treatment and intervention, the corrections & court system, rehabilitation…..? Let you mind consider the possibilities!
Post your questions or comments here and Laurie will do her best to answer them all.
Posted on: October 22nd, 2012 by Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council
When the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council talks about everyone having a role to place in crime prevention, we really do mean EVERYONE, including doctors and all health care providers! Drawing on the recommendations from The Missing Pieces report, an assessment of services and gaps for victims and offenders of interpersonal violence (2010, WRCPC), many sectors in our community have been taking action on the 44 recommendations that were developed. Several of the recommendations addressed the need for screening for abuse in health care settings:
Begin screening for domestic violence at the triage stage at Grand River Hospital
Encourage physicians region wide to screen for domestic violence, elder abuse and child abuse and neglect
Offer more training for teachers about how to recognize and respond to abuse and neglect
Screen for elder abuse at hospital admission or emergency department visits
To help educate primary care professionals in health care settings about their role in preventing violence, several community partners collaborated to present this webinar on “Screening for Intimate Partner Violence in Health Care Settings”.
This training was led by Dr. Robin Mason, a scientist and academic research expert at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto and Dr. Patricia Mousmanis a community based clinician and trainer with the Ontario College of Family Physicians. In just one hour, they covered:
the prevalence of abuse and the potential health effects on the victim and children exposed to violence
a discussion on the prenatal period when women may be more vulnerable to abuse and the potential for serious harm to the mother and her developing fetus are very great.
the role of health care providers in screening for abuse
ALPHA Forms for health care professionals providing primary care
the importance of being aware of and facilitating good relationships with community organizations providing support to people experiencing intimate partner violence
availability of online education for health care providers on domestic violence. This interactive, case-based education may be accessed free of charge and completed at your pace. CME credits are available. For more information go to www.DVeducation.ca.
Health care providers are key partners in the community in assisting people experiencing domestic violence and their children. Together we can make a difference.
What do you want to know about the role of health care providers in screening for personal violence and abuse? Our presenters are happy to answer some more of your questions.
Posted on: October 16th, 2012 by Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council
By now you’ve likely heard, read or seen the tragic story of Amanda Todd who committed suicide a few weeks after posting a video of her using flash cards to describe the torment she faced as a result of being initially cyber-bullied which then overflowed to actual violence. She made the mistake, as many young people do, of sending a picture of herself (sexting) which was then used to basically blackmail her into other unwanted activities. She trusted the wrong people who used her innocence against her. She tells her story much more eloquently than I could ever hope but be warned, it is heart-wrenching in its desperation and honesty.
Parents, schools, police and community agencies alike are deeply concerned about the issue of cyber-bullying and the often related re-posting of photos on Facebook, Twitter or other social networking sites. In many cases, this amounts to a criminal offence related to the dissemination of pornography. Many young people have no idea that forwarding such images can result in a criminal charge that may affect their lives for a very long time. Equally as important is the effect this posting has on the lives of the victimized who, like Amanda, are forced to move school and communities in the hope they can escape the cruelty and scrutiny of their peers. Even more disturbing is the news that blogs set up to honour Amanda are being used by some pretty disturbed people to further attack her in death. Though the RCMP are investigating these acts, tracing the source of anonymous online bullying is not an easy task.
The Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council has started to look at how it can be of service to parents, schools, police and youth to help them think before posting anything that could be potentially harmful to themselves or others. The WRCPC has formed a working group of police, educators, researchers, community members and Council members to create an action plan and hopes to have this in place for the next school year. Ironically, the group was meeting just as the story of Amanda’s death was breaking in the media.
We don’t have to wait for the plan to be completed before taking action on our own to reduce, if not end cyber-bullying. All we need to do is think before we hit the ‘send’ button on our computer or smartphone. As parents we need to talk with our kids about what the fact that what is posted lives on the internet forever. Companies regularly go on Facebook to check the pages of prospective employees to see the types of things they post and make hiring decisions based upon what they see. Having a criminal record, particularly for possession or dissemination of child pornography will limit access to future career opportunities and can create issues in seeking entrance to other countries when travelling.
Amanda’s story is a cautionary tale not only to the perpetrators of the bullying, but to those who act as bystanders and enable it to continue. For bullying to thrive it needs a willing audience. Each time we fail to stop the cycle we become one of those thousand cuts that eventually kill.
How many more Amanda Todd’s are out there?
Author: Frank Johnson is a regular guest writer for Smart on Crime in Waterloo Region. Frank is a retired principal with the local Catholic school board, a dad, and sometimes runner who possesses an irreverent sense of humour that periodically gets him in trouble. He lives in Waterloo, Ontario.
Frank Johnson’s writing reflects his own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views or official positions of the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council.
Enough said. You can build a bridge, or a network…. but that doesn’t mean everyone will want to take part or use it… especially if it’s poorly designed and built! It’s important to put careful thought, planning and resources into whatever you design. And opportunities to improve it are always there!!
