Pubdate: Tue, 27 Feb 2007 Source: Peace Arch News (CN BC) Copyright: 2007 Peace Arch News Contact: http://www.peacearchnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1333 Author: Kevin Diakiw TACKLING CRIME It's 2002, and Dianne Watts flips open a large black binder where she keeps her plan for crime reduction in Surrey. Approaches include enforcement, education, prevention and treatment -- a quantum shift from a city that leaned hard on enforcement, with little provision for root causes of crime. Five years later, Watts is mayor, with a finely tuned version of her rough document started six years ago. More than 100 people from government, justice, social services and health care contributed to the creation of the Crime Reduction Strategy made public Monday. The four "strands" are: - - Prevent and deter crime - - Apprehend and prosecute offenders - - Rehabilitate and reintegrate - - Reality of crime Key elements include community courts, where offenders are referred for treatment, job training and other services to keep them from committing crimes. Offenders exhibiting problems such as addiction would be prime candidates. The court concept is modelled after a similar system in New York, and would need approval from the province. B.C. Attorney General Wally Oppal said Monday he supports Surrey's plan. "We can no longer deal with the symptoms of crime, we have to deal with the root causes of crime," Oppal said. "We simply can't do business the way we have been doing business for the past 35 years." He couldn't say when the community court system would be implemented here. Until then, Surrey will lay the groundwork by providing Crown counsel with information about available treatment beds, homeless shelters and other required services. It's hoped those services will be included in recommendations for sentencing. The plan also calls for "sobering centres" to treat people who are drunk or high on drugs. This year, outreach workers will hit the streets to help people most at risk find the services they need. "We know the criminal justice system is not a place for the homeless, it's not a place for sex trade workers and it's not a place for chronic runaways or the drug addicted," she said. The plan also includes the implementation of closed-circuit television cameras in Surrey's crime hotspots. Russ Hiebert, MP for South Surrey-White Rock-Cloverdale, said the federal government backs the plan. "Our government is fully committed to working with Surrey to tackle crime." - --- MAP posted-by: Derek