New BC measurements address repeat violent offenders, expand mental health crisis responses

Nov 20 2022, 8:54 pm

Two days after David Eby was sworn in as BC’s premier, he announced new actions intended to strengthen the enforcement of repeat offenders and expand mental-health crisis response teams.

After BC residents have been expressing frustration over the property and violent crime for months, the province released a statement that said it is launching a new Safer Communities Action Plan on Saturday.

As a result of a rise in repeat violent crimes, the province says measures are needed. It added these repeat violent offences are “linked to unintended impacts of federal law changes and subsequent Supreme Court decisions, and increased mental health and addiction challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and the toxic drug crisis.”

So the plan focuses on enforcement and intervention services.

The first measure listed is creating a repeat violent offender coordinated response team consisting of police, prosecutors, and probation officers.

The province will also expand mental-health crisis response teams into more communities “so police can focus on crime, and people in crisis are met early on by healthcare workers and community members.”

For years, advocates like the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) have said that police should not be the first on scene when people are in crisis in the community.

In the past, CAMH has said that some events have led to tragic outcomes for people with mental illnesses who cannot receive the necessary care in the community.

The Safer Communities Action Plan also includes the next steps to create a new model of addiction care at St. Paul’s Hospital.

The province explains that the new model will help people seamlessly move from crisis response in the emergency room to detox to treatment services. This is with the help of Vancouver Coastal Health and Providence Health Care.

A future expansion of this model is planned.

“Being compassionate, concerned and taking action on mental health and addiction issues does not mean that we have to accept repeated criminal behaviour or violence,” said the premier.

The province is also opening 10 Indigenous Justice Centres and introducing the “unexplained wealth order” legislation next spring.

The province added its plans to build public confidence in the prosecution system by implementing “a clear and understandable approach to bail for repeat violent offenders within the existing federal law.” This new policy will take effect Tuesday.

“Everyone deserves to feel safe in their community. We are making changes to bring key groups together to keep people and communities safe — ensuring those who commit violent acts face consequences and creating as many opportunities as possible for them to address mental health and addiction issues to break the cycle of a life in and out of jail,” Eby added.

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