BC Policing and Community Safety Plan - Ministry of Justice ...

supports, they also talked about the need to eliminate overlap between agencies and utilize integratedcase management in order to operate more effectively. Participants also discussed the need to develop newprogram areas when required (e.g., more programming for men).•¡Prostitution and human traffickingProstitution and human trafficking were often raised in discussions around drug and alcohol addiction, gangactivity and violence against women. Participants noted the prevalence of prostitution in areas where drug useand trafficking is high. The problem was seen to be more acute in areas where the financial means to pay forboth drugs and prostitution are high. Human trafficking was raised by many participants as an emerging issue,but little known criminal activity in communities.•¡Sexual abuse and sexual assaultIn addition to violence in relationships, sexual abuse and sexual assault were frequently raised as issues. Manyparticipants noted that often rural areas and small communities do not have access to the same resources andfacilities for victims of sexual abuse as urban centres and larger communities.•¡Seniors’ safety and potential elder abuseIn addition to elder abuse, participants raised the vulnerability of seniors as targets of crimes such as theft,fraud and home invasion. Participants also noted that seniors are the most likely residents to feel unsafe in theircommunities, especially where there are drugs, alcohol, unsupervised youth and seasonal population changesthat affect public perception of safety.•¡Prolific offendersRoundtable participants discussed the significant impact that prolific offenders have on communities (i.e., asmall number of offenders can commit a large number of offences, usually to support an addiction). Someparticipants noted that while increased police supervision of prolific offenders is beneficial, it is not a substitutefor programs that help offenders deal with the root causes of why they are involved in criminal activity.•¡Public disorder and personal safetyMany participants noted that communities are challenged to ensure public spaces are shared and respectedrather than dominated and damaged. The behaviour of both individuals and large crowds were viewed byparticipants as affecting feelings of public safety. The most commonly noted negative behaviour includedpublic intoxication, open drug use and prostitution. Participants noted that these activities can take overproperties, neighbourhoods, or areas of the back country. Bush parties and seasonal recreational tourism wereoften identified as sources of potential public disorder and safety concerns.¡ • Property crimeProperty crime was commonly referenced by participants, particularly vandalism, graffiti, vehicle theft andtheft from vehicles. Police and non-police participants alike agreed that these crimes affect a great numberof people on a more personal and direct level than more serious and/or violent crimes. Timely response frompolice is expected; however, participants recognized that police response to property crimes takes away fromother policing priorities, while at the same time, little police response impacts negatively on public confidenceand satisfaction with policing.APPENDIX A 51