Pubdate: Mon, 28 May 2007 Source: Chronicle Herald (CN NS) Copyright: 2007 The Halifax Herald Limited Contact: http://thechronicleherald.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/180 TOUGH ON CRIME WHO doesn't want safer streets? Finally, an issue that every Nova Scotian can get behind. The justice minister's task force report on crime in Nova Scotia was released last week. It contained 18 recommendations, including hiring more police officers and imposing stiffer sentences. The key message to government from the high-level report: Nova Scotians are fed up with violent crime, lenient court sentences and the lack of services for youth. There is reason for concern: Take a look at the most recent crime statistics, included in the task force's report. Nova Scotia's overall crime rate in recent years has decreased, but it remains the highest among the Atlantic provinces and marginally higher than Canada's overall crime rate. Also, unlike the national trend, the youth crime rate had increased in the three years prior to May 2006. So, last year, provincial Justice Minister Murray Scott struck a Task Force on Safer Streets and Communities, which travelled the province and talked to about 800 people, in 21 public meetings and 23 focus groups, to gather views on crime. After months of consultations, the volunteer task force handed over its report to the minister. Many of its recommendations had already been made by former justice Merlin Nunn following his inquiry into the death of Theresa McEvoy. Other recommendations involve crime prevention, early intervention at schools, creating a provincial drug strategy, alternative court processes and fighting racism. Mr. Scott admitted these are not new ideas and promised to review the recommendations, which will form part of the government's new crime prevention strategy to be released this fall. The task force found street crime, particularly the behaviour of a small number of out-of-control youth, "dismayed many Nova Scotians. Communities were also experiencing the impact of illegal drugs, especially in schools, and leading to incidents of property crimes and theft. Crime also has an economic cost. Nova Scotia's Justice Department has no current statistics on this area. However, a study done eight years ago by a non-profit research group, GPI Atlantic, estimated the cost of crime in Nova Scotia at $1.2 billion a year or $3,500 per household. Nova Scotians told the MacDonald government they don't want this report to sit on a shelf and making the streets safer is a complex issue. It may require the government to spend more money on correcting the social and economic inequalities that appear to be the cause of many crimes committed, along with hiring more officers and possibly tougher sentences. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake