B.C. is investing $16 million to create 12 new regional hubs to supervise and monitor chronic offenders.
“The province is targeting chronic property offending that threatens the livelihood of small businesses, which are the backbone of our communities,” Public Safety Minister Nina Krieger said in a Monday news release. “We’re building on progress we’ve made, dedicating more resources and working with partners to strengthen enforcement and keep communities vibrant and safe.”
This program will create local teams of prosecutors, police, probation officers, correctional supervisors, community integration specialists and mental-health liaisons to identify and monitor selected individuals. Referrals will be made by corrections workers and police, based on criminal history, level of community disruption and risk of reoffending.
Supervision includes “enhanced monitoring,” targeted enforcement, release planning and income assistance, where eligible.
This initiative is based on a similar one targeting repeat violent offenders, but will instead focus on crimes such as vandalism and theft. It has already been piloted on a small scale in Kelowna, Nanaimo and Nelson. Officials estimate this new program will target as many as 420 individuals provincewide, adding to the up to 445 monitored under the violent offender initiative.
Combined, the programs will operate 24 hubs in 19 communities.
“This coordinated approach helps ensure repeat offending is addressed consistently and appropriately, while maintaining a justice system that is fair, independent and supports public safety,” Attorney General Niki Sharma said in the news release.