JUSTICE SYSTEM, ACADEMIA TARGETING CRIME TOGETHER

Conference Looks At Different Ways Of Tackling Problem

It's a fact that Canadian police forces are among the most respected
in the world.

Our correctional service system is also highly regarded, and it's more
than a coincidence that world courts often draw their judges from
Canadian benches.

"OK," says Prof. Darryl Plecas, "if we're so darn good at these
things, how come we can't make our own criminal justice system work?"

His question cut right to the meat of the matter at an Abbotsford
Chamber of Commerce conference on Friday.

It was titled Crime: What We Need To Do Differently? and, in a nutshell, the
professor's answer to his own question is that we need to do just about
everything differently.

Whatever we do, it needs doing together.

"Historically, there has been an inability for one police force to
talk to another police force, or a police force talking to the courts
or to the corrections service," he explained.

As the director of the University College of the Fraser Valley's
Centre for Criminal Justice Research, this professor is well-known
across the country, and internationally, for his research and insight
in the criminal justice field.

In this role, he's been part of a select group who, for years, have
raised red flags over the criminal justice system's shortcomings --
including the judicial "revolving door" for repeat offenders.

However, until recently, the criminal justice group and academia
operated as two solitudes but, thankfully, this is changing, and it's
changing quickly.

People like Plecas now find that their good ideas on criminal justice
reform are being accepted by police forces, corrections services and,
to some extent, by the courts.

Certainly we're still only in the very early days, but good things are
beginning to happen. One of them is the recent adoption in Surrey of
the U.K.-developed Crime Prevention Strategy.

Plecas assisted Surrey Mayor Diane Watts in implementing the plan,
which centres on attacking the root causes of crime -- drug addiction,
poverty, unemployment, inadequate skills, housing, etc. -- rather than
simply locking up offenders. Under this system, offenders either do
the full, significantly broadened rehabilitation program, which is
closely monitored, or they face maximum sentences.

"Finally, we've got a connection between the criminal-justice system
and university research," Plecas says. "Crime is no longer just a
police problem, and the system will no longer just tinker with offenders.

"In fact, what we're seeing here by everyone involved is a fundamental
shift in attitude," he adds. "And even though, as university
researchers we're now in this partnership, we're still independent so
that we can be critical when necessary."

Presentations by the conference's other main speakers -- Abbotsford
Police Department Chief Const. Ian Mackenzie and RCMP District
Commander Peter German -- left no doubt that the change is certainly
well under way in their sector as well.

Integration of many services among the region's various police forces
is moving ahead at full speed in areas such as radio communications,
homicide investigations, marine services, traffic safety, emergency
response, etc.

As for Plecas, he's very optimistic about the future.

"There's no doubt in my mind that all of this will lead to a dramatic
decrease in crime," he says.