A newly-released BC government report on "prolific offenders" and random violent attacks across the province says the term itself should be abandoned by officials due to the "harm and stigma" it perpetuates..An investigation into the issue now referred to as "repeat offending" was commissioned by BC’s attorney general and public safety minister in May, following a detailed call-to-action letter from the BC Urban Mayors' Caucus (BCUMC), which represents 13 mayors from cities across BC..The province sought to hire two experts to conduct the investigation and provide recommendations addressing the problems highlighted by the informal caucus, leading to the commissioning of Doug LePard, former Vancouver police deputy chief and former Metro Vancouver Transit police chief, and Dr. Amanda Butler, a health researcher and criminologist..The report was set to be submitted September 2, however the two experts said more time was needed in order to effectively consider all feedback..Still not entirely finished, but made publicly available, the unveiling has been met with both support and criticism across the province..“Our government shares British Columbians’ frustration and concerns about repeat offending and we are grateful to Dr. Amanda Butler and Doug LePard for their hard work,” said Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth..“These recommendations build on work we already have underway and are already helping us identify further next steps we can take quickly to keep communities safe.”.The report begins by addressing the term “prolific offender,” suggesting it “may contribute to stigma” while ignoring “system-level failures” contributing to crime..The authors say the term is historically used to refer to a small and stable group of people engaged in “somewhat skillful and planned repeated property crimes,” and therefore shouldn’t be applied to those dealing with mental health and substance abuse issues, further noting that it "perpetuates harm.".“I guess it's easier to distance and deny that there is a problem if no one is allowed to name the problem,” said Vancouver lawyer Sarah Leamon, who’s among several to criticize the take..As for the author’s recommendations, they focus on addressing gaps in care for people with mental health and “substance use” needs..The report uses substance “use” as opposed to substance “abuse,” keeping in line with language changes set forth by Better Regulations for British Columbians, a program designed to modernize, correct, or repeal what it calls “outdated information" used by government..A central recommendation in the report is to bring in legislation that would divert accused people with serious mental disorders from the criminal system to "low secure care.".“We recommend the provincial government create low secure units for clients with complex mental health and substance use needs who present with a high risk of harm to others, and who need the safety of a secure setting,” reads the report..“The units would be for people who are not appropriate for forensic care, but whose needs exceed the structural design and capacity of an open in-patient hospital unit.”.Units would be designed to provide rehabilitation as well as social, housing, education, and employment services, similarly to a program developed in the United Kingdom..The report also calls for investments in services for people with brain injuries and developmental disabilities..Another key recommendation is the need to invest in civilian-led (non-police) mental health crisis response teams, noting it wants to hear more from indigenous people..Further details and a complete report from Butler and LePard will be released later this month..“We are pleased to see the concerns we raised for our communities reflected, and especially the focus on where health and justice intersect,” said Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps..“Taking steps toward a no wrong off-ramp approach to providing care and treatment for those whose criminal activity is a symptom of severe mental-health and substance-use conditions is the right step forward.”.Helps is co-chair of the BCUMC..BC Liberal leader Kevin Falcon says he agrees with some parts of the report, calling it “a small step in the right direction,” however he notes it lacks compassion for people experiencing crime and feeling unsafe in their communities..READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: Fed up Penticton residents take crime into their own hands.“There isn’t much in this report that our communities and law enforcement agencies weren’t already fully aware of, and nothing that citizens can rely on for immediate relief,” said BC Liberal MLA Mike Morris, official opposition critic for public safety and solicitor general..In May, the BCUMC highlighted a Kelowna RCMP report about one offender who's been the subject of 346 police files over the last six years, earning 29 convictions for various property crime and assault offences, only to be routinely released with conditions before re-offending..Also in Kelowna, local RCMP sent out a rare warning about the release of a prolific offender last month who conjured up 421 police files and has 64 charges against him since 2016, including assaults, robbery, theft, mischief, and indecent acts..READ MORE: Prolific offender with hundreds of police files released in Kelowna, again.Vancouver police highlighted in May violent crime in Vancouver increased more than 7% in 2021, compared to pre-pandemic levels. The department also said about four random attacks were happening per day.The new report does acknowledge COVID-19 — specifically noting “public health measures to control it" — had a “devastatingly negative” impact on the province."Research shows that the pandemic has worsened mental health and contributed to loneliness, substance use, suicide, disruptions in care, and financial difficulties," reads the report.
