This series of Information Sheets provides overviews of the youth gang prevention projects supported by Public Safety Canada, National Crime Prevention Centre, Youth Gang Prevention Fund (YGPF). The YGPF provides time-limited funding in selected Canadian communities where youth gangs are an existing or emerging threat and supports initiatives that clearly target youth in gangs or at greatest risk of joining gangs. These Crime Prevention in Action Information Sheets are based on data from a variety of sources and the preliminary results are as of January, 2009. Updates will be made as new information becomes available. Contact information for each of the projects is provided at the end of the documents and further details on the work can be provided by the project sponsors.

National Crime Prevention Centre ››

“Less Law, More Order: The Truth about Reducing Crime” by Irvin Waller, University of Ottawa, now published in German, French and Chinese

We have the knowledge to reduce crime significantly. The challenge to policy makers is to make the shift from over-reliance on expensive and unsuccessful reaction to a balance between smart law enforcement and smart investments in crime prevention. Increasingly, policy makers are making that shift because it protects taxpayers and potential crime victims. Waller has made this knowledge accessible to mayors, legislators, and taxpayers in his book “Less Law, More Order: The Truth about Reducing Crime” – now also available in Chinese, French, German and Spanish.

He has combined the science with examples of successful programs that show that national and local government could reduce the number of crime victims by 50 per cent or more by shifting from over-reliance on policing and corrections to smart use of police and smart investments in prevention. Incidentally, this also protects taxpayers as most investments in prevention based on scientific knowledge are much more effective and efficient than paying for reaction.

The book starts from where the US went wrong, what are the causes of interpersonal violence and crime, what has been proven to reduce crime and prevent victimization, and what are the innovative strategies to mobilize agencies such as schools, housing, children and youth services, as well as families and the police to use what is needed where it is needed most.

The good news is there is strong evidence to prove that specific projects which tackle causes of crime before it happens can reduce victimizations from both violent and property crime. There is also good news that when cities and governments follow a basic multi-sector problem solving process that resources are targeted to gaps in services and so to reduced crime.

The key to success is a sustained, comprehensive and results oriented approach led at the highest level of government – not just enforcement and courts. The potential for return on investment in effective prevention is significant (reduced victimization and climate of safety), while continued growth in expenditures on reaction impedes economic and human development.

Cost benefit analysis of projects suggests that increasing investment in ¨effective violence prevention¨ over a five year period to the equivalent of 10% of current expenditures on enforcement and criminal justice will reduce violence by 50% over a ten year period. The rights of citizens not to be victims of crime require national and local governments to get to know the results of scientific analyses of the causes of crime and the results of programs tackling those causes. Less Law, More Order makes this part easy. Then they must engage in reforms that shift from over-reliance on reaction to making smart investments in programs that are effective in reducing the number of crime victims and making our communities safer.

Beccaria Portal is looking for Partner Institutions

The Beccaria Portal is looking for Institutions and organizations that want to become a Partner and join the Network. Interested? Then contact us!