You Want To Reduce Crime

Get the criminals off the streets and keep them off the streets for long periods of time. This might have more impact on Miller's "at-risk youth" than trying to bribe them with taxpayer dollars. Knowing they are going to pay for their crimes is the message we want to send to the small percentage of criminals, regardless of their colour or their neighborhoods, who know how to manipulate the present political and judicial system. The Star's solution; "Additional law enforcement measures might be necessary if another "summer of the gun" were to erupt." is shortsighted

Editorial: Prevention is key to reducing crime
Oct. 17, 2006. 01:00 AM

Everyone running for the job of Toronto mayor wants a safer city and reduced crime. All decent people do. The disagreement, though, comes in how to get there. Councillor Jane Pitfield says the city needs 250 more police officers. But incumbent Mayor David Miller argues Toronto already has enough people in uniform. He would rather spend millions of dollars on programs tackling the root causes of criminal behaviour.

Miller's approach makes the most sense, especially after a recent surge of police hiring in Toronto and a drop in crime rates, including fewer murders this year compared with last year's "summer of the gun." Toronto police report 54 homicides so far this year, below the more than 60 slayings occurring over the same period in 2005.

Under the leadership of chief Bill Blair, the police department has become a more effective force. About 250 new officers have been hired since 2004, and 200 more have been redeployed from desk jobs to the city's streets. Anti-gang efforts have produced solid results with police sweeping up the Jamestown Crew, the Ardwick Blood Crew and an array of suspects connected with the Boxing Day killing of Jane Creba.

As law enforcement moves ahead, Toronto must redouble its efforts on a more difficult, long-term challenge: stopping young people from turning to a life of crime in the first place.

To that end, Miller proposes several worthy initiatives, including spending $1 million on better parks and recreation opportunities in each of the city's 13 most troubled neighbourhoods and eliminating municipal recreation user fees in at-risk communities. He also is pushing for the creation of 2,000 jobs for youth who are in danger of slipping into gang life.

Pitfield, to her credit, also has enhanced social programs in her anti-crime package, including a peer-mentoring initiative and partnerships with agencies such as Big Brothers and Big Sisters. But her overall approach has a harder edge, stressing a need for more police officers and more enforcement measures. She accuses Miller of being "soft on crime" and says concentrating efforts on the city's 13 hardest hit neighbourhoods would only "stigmatize" them.

That is an unfair criticism. Programs should be focused on those who truly need them. And Pitfield does not seem to grasp how expensive it would be to hire 250 new recruits. She pegged the cost at $14 million while Alok Mukherjee, head of the police services board, set it at $25 million with the cost of training and benefits included. Stephen LeDrew, the third high-profile person in the race for Toronto mayor, said his "safe streets" policy package will be released later in the campaign. He said, in general terms, that Toronto probably could use more police officers and that there is a role for improved community initiatives.

Priorities could shift. Additional law enforcement measures might be necessary if another "summer of the gun" were to erupt. But what Toronto needs now, above all, is a new focus on crime prevention programs.