Several mayors in British Columbia have called for tougher action against chronic abusers across the province, a problem highlighted by a recent bus attack in Abbotsford.
Last Sunday, footage from one of the passengers on the 66 Fraser Valley Express bus showed David Allen Lucas attacking passengers, leaving four with minor injuries.
This is not his first encounter with the law: Lucas has had a rich criminal record since 1999, court records show.
But after being arrested and charged with the bus incident, Abbotsford police say Lucas was released on a number of court-ordered terms – something Tristan L’Esperance, one of the victims of the attack, said was anxious.
“I am worried that this situation could happen again,” L’Esperance said.
“It was my immediate thought when we found out he was released on bail – he will seriously, seriously hurt someone.”
BC mayors recently called on the province to tackle the problem.
The mayors of 13 city councils are calling on the British Columbia government to take action against chronic offenders across the province. pic.twitter.com/8thuMNGroY
– @ cbcnewsbc
A call to break
In March, the city of Terrace, in northwestern British Columbia, passed a resolution calling on British Columbia prosecutors to suspend the release of repeat offenders without imposing reasonable conditions.
In April, Walt Cobb, mayor of Williams Lake in central the interior, visited Victoria to meet with cabinet ministers to make a similar request.
That same month, BC Urban Mayors’ Caucus, which consists of mayors from 13 municipalities representing more than half of the province’s population, also wrote letter to Secretary of Public Security Mike Farnworth and Attorney General David Abby with a request for action.
Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran says he hopes the province will take action against the numerous violators. (Colin Basran / Facebook)
In the letter, they said police figures showed that most crimes in British Columbia were committed by a small number of high-profile offenders.
As an example, they said, of the 81 numerous offenders – each with more than 10 convictions – monitored by Abbotsford police, 50 have more than 30 convictions. In Vancouver, they said that 40 “super-chronic” offenders had an average of 54 convictions.
In a letter to Secretary of Public Safety Mike Farnworth and Attorney General David Ebby, a group of British Columbia mayors said police figures showed high levels of casualties by a small number of fruitful offenders on police resources in their communities. (British Party of the Mayor)
They also proposed several solutions, including stricter conditions for release on bail and consequences for repeat offenders, as well as the introduction of Community courts, which provide a more meaningful response in assisting and convicting offenders through a combination of justice, social and health services.
The letter was shared by the BC Liberal Party on April 26, as leader Shirley Bond called for action by the BC NDP government during the question period.
In response, Attorney General David Abby said the government was taking the concerns seriously and was talking to local leaders about how to deal with the issues raised.
Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran, co-chair of the group, said the group did not intend to make the letter public, although he was pleased so far with how receptive the BC NDP government was to their concerns.
Sunrise south 6:09 BC the mayors are asking the province to address the numerous violators
Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran spoke of a letter he and a dozen other mayors sent to the British Columbia government earlier this month on community crime. 6:09
But he also said it was important for the government to take action, a feeling expressed by the group’s co-chair, Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps.
“There are serious concerns about repetitive and fruitful offenders who just seem to keep moving through the judiciary … from the streets, to the courts, to prison and back,” she said.
Perception versus reality
Basran said a group of British Columbia mayors had received the statistics shared in the letter from city officials working with local police, and he was “convinced” it was accurate.
But Simon Fraser University criminologist Martin Andresen said police were motivated to expand the statistics to make it look like crime was a bigger problem than it actually was.
Andressen was responding to a statement from Vancouver Police Chief Adam Palmer last month, who said the city was experiencing a surge in violent crime – a statement that helped restore $ 5.7 million in funding to its budget.
Vancouver police say violent crime has increased since 2020, but many forensic scientists say the allegation is untrue. (Matthew McFarlane / CBC)
Andresen said that while police statistics show some increase in criminal activity in some neighborhoods of Vancouver, there is nothing to show a general “jump”.
However, Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart said that even if British Columbia crime statistics were low compared to other jurisdictions in North America, “if you’re a victim of crime, it doesn’t feel that way.”
“Statistics are a good context, but I think we need to listen to people who don’t feel safe in the city and see what else we can do to help,” he said.
Solving social problems
Andresen suggested that resources could be better targeted at providing social support and treating the addictions of chronic offenders, as many struggle with mental illness or substance use.
Fellow criminology professor Neil Boyd agrees.
“Putting these people in jail as a solution to revolving door syndrome ignores the reality that these are people with mental health problems, substance abuse problems – prison just makes things worse,” Boyd said.
According to Attorney General David Abby, mayors in British Columbia have noticed that the recent wave of crime is concentrated in highly visible central areas and is often linked to mental health problems and addiction.
The overall crime rate in the province, he told CBC Daybreak South, has declined, except in certain categories, such as threats and minor attacks.
“[The mayors] they really have in mind what they see, “Abby said.
Vancouver sees a rash of violent attacks
A series of violent attacks on strangers in Vancouver has raised public safety concerns as the city seeks solutions to a growing problem. 2:03
Ibbi suggested several measures the province could take, including ordering the same crown prosecutors to repeat offenders each time they are arrested to help give the full context of their crimes to judges who decide how they will be punished. .
He also said the province is opening comprehensive care services to help tackle mental health problems and substance abuse, and suggested that forced care could be justified in certain circumstances.
“It will take some work with experts in the field and working with mayors to be creative on how to get people involved in this treatment.”
Early Edition 8:31 Why is there such a difference between crime statistics and feelings about crime in Vancouver?
Criminologist Martin Andresen spoke with Stephen Quinn about what he said was the agenda of Vancouver’s political forces to pass the criminal story ahead of the municipal election. 8:31
The Attorney General of The Early Edition8: 39B.C. Defends the Royal Advocate and his Office from allegations that legislative changes are too permissive for recurring offenders
David Abby spoke with Stephen Quinn about complaints that courts in the province do not punish criminals severely enough. 8:39
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