JUDGES SOFT, STREETS NOT SO SAFE

Our Sense Is That Gangs, Guns And Crime Are A Major Problem Here

Rarely does a day go by without a violent act making the news, and
crime often heads the list of voters' concerns during election campaigns.

An Ipsos Reid poll conducted for CanWest/Global News set out to find
how safe Canadians felt in their own communities. Crime and personal
safety is the topic for this week's Pulse of Canada poll, which
examines a host of neighbourhood indicators: Diversity, commuting,
housing, the environment, poverty and the economy.

This week's survey shows how British Columbians feel about their
neighbours' willingness to help others in trouble, if they feel safe
walking or having their children play outside and whether youth are
well-mannered.

More than 8,400 respondents were polled via an online survey between
Feb. 24 and March 3. The poll is considered accurate plus or minus
1.1 percentage points 19 times out of 20.

There were more than 1,000 respondents in B.C., where the margin of
error was plus or minus three.

Major Crime

More than any other province, B.C. is overrun with drugs and
prostitution, according to people who live here.

Almost half of B.C. respondents -- compared with 30 per cent of
Canadians on the whole -- agreed with the statement, "Drugs and
prostitution are a big problem in my community."

Some 43 per cent of Greater Vancouverites and 45 per cent of
Victorians agreed with the statement, more than twice the 22 per cent
who agreed in Toronto and Montreal.

Some 31 per cent of Vancouverites also agreed that guns are a "major
problem," second only to Toronto's 34 per cent (and triple Victoria's
10 per cent). The national average was 20 per cent.

Compared with 39 per cent nationally who said they expect gang
violence to rise in the future, 52 per cent of Vancouverites did so,
slightly more than Toronto's 48 per cent.

Respondents in Winnipeg and Edmonton, at 55 per cent each, were most
likely to expect gang violence to rise in future.

While only six per cent of Canadian rural-dwellers saw guns as a
problem in their areas, one-quarter of those living outside cities
considered drugs and prostitution a problem.

Youth

To trust or not to trust.

The majority of Canadians (60 per cent) and British Columbians (58
per cent) say "children and youth are respectful and well-mannered."

But a majority of B.C.ers -- 73 per cent, compared with 68 per cent
nationwide -- thought "parents should have the right to search their
kids' rooms and personal property for drugs and other illegal items."

And 62 per cent of those in B.C. -- slightly more than the 59 per
cent Canada-wide -- said parents should be able to access all their
children's e-mail and other electronic communications.

Meanwhile, some 85 per cent of British Columbians, slightly more than
the 83-per-cent national average, say the "justice system is not
tough enough on young offenders."

Crime And Punishment

A testament to the public outcry at the release of judgments in
high-profile cases Canadians judge to be too light, a vast majority
of respondents in the poll said they think the courts are too soft on
criminals.

The national average of 81 per cent of respondents who disagreed with
the statement "judges are handing out sentences for crimes that are
tough enough" is even higher, at 85 per cent, in B.C., the country's highest.

That's followed closely by Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Nova Scotia,
with 84 per cent each.

In comparison, 77 per cent of respondents in Ontario disagreed with
the statement.

Opinions were generally consistent despite a person's income but
those who earn less than $30,000 were slightly less likely to
disagree with the line than those earning more.

Personal Safety

Except when it comes to the possibility of a terrorist attack,
Vancouverites don't feel very safe compared with others in Canada.

A third of respondents -- 34 per cent -- in Vancouver were "very
concerned" they or a loved one will become be a victim of crime.

That's higher than the national average of 27 per cent, tied with
Winnipeg and slightly higher than Toronto's 32 per cent.

Vancouverites were also less likely (71 per cent compared with 76 per
cent Canada-wide) to agree they felt safe walking alone in their
neighbourhood after dark, the same as Toronto, but second only to
Winnipeggers (69 per cent).

Neither did Vancouverites feel secure on public transit, with
three-quarters saying they did not, compared with eight out of 10
across the country.

Vancouverites -- 55 per cent -- were more likely to agree a home
alarm system is a necessity than the 37 per cent of Canadians.
Vancouver's rate was almost twice as high as Victoria's 28 per cent,
and second only to Winnipeg's 58 per cent.

Less than half -- 45 per cent -- of Canadians agree with the
statement "I am confident that a major terrorist attack will not
happen in Canada soon."

On the only question where Vancouverites weren't as pessimistic as
others across Canada, but only sightly, it was 43 per cent.

Kid Safety

Some 25 per cent of parents who send their children off to school
each day do it with a certain amount of trepidation.

Three-quarters of B.C. parents agreed with the statement "Kids are
safe at their schools," the same number as in Manitoba and a nationwide low.

The percentage climbs to 80 per cent across Canada and is highest in
Prince Edward Island (100 per cent) and in Newfoundland and Labrador
(97 per cent).

Across Canada, parents in a rural area are more likely to feel safe
sending their kids to school (85 per cent) than those in cities (79 per cent).

And the more parents earn, the safer they feel their children are,
with 83 per cent of parents nationwide earning $60,000 or more
agreeing with the statement, a percentage that drops to 75 per cent
for those respondents earning $30,000 or less.

Community And Diversity

Canadians, British Columbians and Vancouverites all agree that
chivalry is not dead and diversity is welcomed.

Some 82 per cent of all respondents agreed that "People in my
community would stop to help someone in trouble."

The percentage was 85 per cent in B.C., compared with Quebec, 74, the lowest.

Canadians also agree people in their communities are "accepting and
welcoming of diverse people," with a national average of 83 per cent.

It was was 86 per cent in B.C.

But 62 per cent of Vancouverites agreed with the statement "I think
there are some ethnic groups in the city that are more responsible
for crime than others." The percentage Canada-wide was 44 per cent
and across B.C. was 52 per cent.

Rights And Freedoms

Vancouver in the past has worn the label of a no-fun city, but half
of respondents disagreed with the statement "The recent crackdown on
drinking, smoking and other 'fun' activities has gone too far and is
only political correctness gone wild."

In Victoria, it climbed to 60 per cent. Nationally, the number was 48 per cent.

Vancouverites were split 50/50 on whether volunteer groups like
Guardian Angels would make them feel safer (slightly fewer Canadians
overall, at 47 per cent, agreed with that statement).

And Vancouverites were more likely to welcome surveillance cameras in
their communities to discourage crime, with 56 per cent agreeing with
that statement, compared with 46 per cent across Canada.