NCJ Number
225973
Date Published
July 2008
Length
68 pages
Annotation
This report outlines themes and challenges in community safety and crime prevention in 14 municipalities across Canada and identifies guiding principles for improving the capacity of municipalities to effectively plan and sustain crime prevention and community safety initiatives.
Abstract
Municipalities have a key role to play in reducing crime and enhancing community safety. This review of municipal-level crime prevention and community safety strategies in 14 municipalities in Canada (Vancouver, Surrey, Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Waterloo Region, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Saint John, and Halifax) illustrates the importance of partnerships and collaboration among municipalities, residents, and community agencies and institutions in implementing and sustaining crime prevention and community safety strategies. In this review, many of the same issues were identified as elements or barriers to success. Based on an analysis of information gathered and an examination of municipally-based crime prevention initiatives at the international level, a set of guiding principles were identified and designed to enhance the capacity of municipalities to reduce crime and victimization and improve community safety. They are meant to serve as a framework for a blueprint on future actions; these guidelines include: establish responsibility centers at all orders of government, address priorities at the local and community level, effective use of knowledge and data, sustained funding for targeted programs and networking, and public engagement. Figures, tables, references, and appendix