Social support network must form part of a crime prevention strategy

By Lethbridge Herald on September 28, 2022.

Editor: 

In the Lethbridge Herald of Thursday, Sept. 22, there appeared a guest column written by Tyler Shandro titled “Longer sentences, better bail regime needed in Canada.”

In this column Shandro cited the Miles Sanderson case as justification for harsher treatment for offenders. In stark contrast, in Friday’s Herald (Sept. 23) there appears a Canadian Press story with the following title: “Hardline enforcement no solution to repeat offenders.”

 The story acknowledges the distress caused in many communities by repeat offenders, but offers a number of recommendations that relate to the complex and interrelated social conditions that lead to crime and specifically to repeat offenders. The B.C. government is moving immediately to implement the 24 recommendations in this report. 

Notably, the report was prepared by a former Vancouver deputy police chief and a criminologist who specializes in mental health and addictions. 

Criminologists and justice professionals know that hard cases make bad law. Moreover – without diminishing the seriousness of the Sanderson case – the single example trotted out by Shandro is not representative of all crime. It is a dog whistle, nothing more, cynically aimed at garnering support for increasing punishment for offenders. It’s pretty rich that Shandro wants to increase penalties for crime, and make granting of bail more difficult, when the government to which he belongs has decimated health care, education, AISH, and other facets of our social support network – all of which must by definition must form part of crime prevention. 

Ian Hepher

Lethbridge