Criminal defence lawyer says jail is not the solution for repeat offenders, complex care is
Saanich's Shelbourne corridor has seen a spike in crime over the last three months. According to police, it started when the former Mount Tolmie Hospital was taken over by BC Housing.
"We're hearing more about break-ins, we're hearing more about just threats,” said Ryon Bateman, acting president of the Mount Tolmie Community Association.
The Saanich Police Department is pointing to a 39 per cent rise in calls for service to the area.
"What is important to keep in mind is that those are not all criminal calls,” said Const. Markus Anastasiades, spokesperson for Saanich police.
“They are mainly calls to check the welfare of individuals and/or investigate suspicious activities."
Anastasiades says there has been an increase in break-ins in the area, resulting in two arrests.
Back in August, Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps sent a letter to B.C. Attorney General David Eby saying this policy of “catch and release” is not working.
Eby says in many cases jail is not the answer, complex care is the way to go. Offering people housing and mental health care can be more successful.
Criminal lawyer Michael Mulligan agrees.
"We need to deal with those complex issues,” Mulligan says. “They are complex and dealing with them is not easy or it is not inexpensive.”
He says putting someone suffering from addiction issues and mental illness in jail for a few months is only pushing the problem down the road.
"You haven't cured their mental illness, you haven't sorted out their drug addiction,” said Mulligan. “When they get back out, they are still going to be mentally ill and drug addicted."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Courteney Cox says her partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in therapy
Courteney Cox's longtime partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in a therapy session.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.