Province pledges to tackle repeat offenders
The province has hired two experts to make recommendations on ways to curb the “disorder and chaos” caused by prolific offenders in B.C. cities.
Doug LePard, a retired police chief, and criminologist Amanda Butler will file their report with the government within 120 days, though some specific suggestions for change could come earlier.
Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran, who was in Victoria for the government’s Thursday announcement, said the move was an important first step in addressing the problems posed by prolific offenders.
“We hear and know residents’ and business owners’ frustrations with the increasing levels of property crime and repeat offenders,” he said. “The catch-andrelease cycle of the justice system, building up over time, has had consequential impacts on our residents’ sense of safety and on our local business economy.”
Some prolific offenders have serious addiction and mental-health challenges, Basran said, and need more support and treatment services.
“But there are also career criminals who are too often released without conditions and without consequences, only to be arrested again, sometimes even the same day,” he said. “Their repeated and constant offending requires stronger consequence.”
In their comments, Attorney General David Eby and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth sought to strike a balance between expressing compassion for people with serious drug and mental-health issues, while also appearing tough on crime.
“Simply because we are compassionate, concerned, and taking action on mental-health and addiction issues does not mean we have to accept criminal behaviour, vandalism or violence in our communities,” Eby said. “It’s incredibly frustrating for local governments and residents to see the associated and highly visible disorder and chaos.”
Eby predicted the experts would deliver significant and effective recommendations to curb prolific offending, just as he said other government-led efforts had succeeded in reducing money laundering in B.C. casinos and returning ICBC to financial solvency.
“In both cases, independent experts on quick turnarounds advised us on the best way forward, which we implemented,” Eby said.
The Opposition Liberals said the government’s announcement that two people had been hired to study the issue of prolific offending was of little substance.
“Today’s announcement will do very little to make British Columbians feel safer in their communities and on our streets,” Liberal MLA Todd Stone said in a release.
“People were promised ‘creative solutions’ and immediate action from this government and the best the NDP government could come up with is a report to be completed four months from now, that may or may not be acted upon — where is the urgency in that?” Stone said.