Pubdate: Wed, 31 Jan 2007
Source: 100 Mile House Free Press (CN BC)
Copyright: 2007 100 Mile House Free Press
Contact:  http://www.100milefreepress.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2143

HELPING TO FIGHT CRIME

There seems to be a lot of crime lately in the 100 Mile House area.

RCMP are reporting everything from agressive panhandlers, to thefts 
into businesses and last week we heard of a harrowing situation where 
a mother and her child hid in a locked room in their home, while 
thieves entered their premises.

This week at the 100 Mile and Area District Safety Committee meeting, 
residents in the Blackstock sub-division showed up demanding 
something be done about drug dealers living on their street.

But governments and police seem to have a difficult time dealing with 
these kinds of troubling situations.

One government however appears to have found at least some kind of 
actionable solution. Instead of putting the onus on law enforcement 
agencies, they've put the onus on landlords.

The United Kingdom's web-site from the "home office" talks about new 
powers to close 'crack houses' that have been in operation in that 
country since Jan. 20, 2004. These powers were implemented because 
"Class A drugs (cocaine and others) have been linked with street 
level violent crime and community disorder, acquisitive crime, gun 
crime and sex work, thereby having damaging effects on local 
communities, undermining regeneration and reducing social capital."

The new powers basically give communities the ability to seek a court 
order to have a crackhouse closed down by police authorities, if a 
landlord refuses to deal with complaints about their buildings. It 
states, that "the likelihood of landlord compensation is prevented by 
the courts providing written warnings to all landlords explaining 
that if they do not take action then a closure order will be applied 
to address the problem."

There are provisions for early intervention by social services to 
support vulnerable tenants and a Drug Action Team for fast-tracking 
'crack house' residents into treatment following a closure.

The powers it indicates allows premises which have "blighted 
communities for years" to be closed.

Having checked numerous crime prevention sites in Canada, this 
information from the UK seemed to offer solutions to communities and 
seems certainly worth further investigation.

This website hopefully may help communities in their efforts. 
www.crimereduction.gov.uk/toolkits/.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman