Irvin Waller

Siding with crime victims requires successful prevention

irvin — Fri, 18 May 2012 09:21:04 +0000

Being on the side of crime victims requires successful implementation of violence prevention that works. For the harm done by the offender, he is responsible. For the harm done because we do not use the best knowledge when that is available to us, we are responsible. If governments and so taxpayers are to pay on the basis of results in reducing crime, we would see a massive shift from traditional policing strategies and mass incarceration to smart problem oriented policing and targeted social crime prevention. Successful implementation requires key actions that are too often ignored. The education, social service and police agencies that can tackle the causes of violence must become part of the solution. A new cadre of professional preventionists must be developed. We will only get results if we can measure them. The public is more supportive than many politicians but both must be engaged.

New Optimism for Urban Violence Prevention

irvin — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 10:53:13 +0000

A new study confirms sustainable ways for violence prevention to succeed against one of the most intransigent challenges for urban violence. It organised the empirical knowledge to demonstrate that the cycle of violence affecting urban Aboriginal peoples in Canada is amenable to ¨risk focused¨ prevention. Stakeholders in positions to implement prevention agree with the science but lack the political and financial support to sustain the actions that would save lives and avoid wasted taxes. However, a growing number of ¨super-cops¨ in Canada, UK and USA are calling for actions that continue smart enforcement but embrace and fund effective prevention.

Shoutout – States to Reinvest in Violence Prevention, Not More Costs

irvin — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:04:06 +0000

States have easy access to a plethora of proven ways to prevent violence. Unfortunately there is a penury of investment in effective violence prevention. The Pew Center has started partnerships with some States to assist them to invest in prevention and other ways of reducing crime and so avoid cost over-runs due to excessive use of incarceration. They are shifting the conversation from how much punishment to how much prevention will reduce harm to victims and at what cost to taxpayers.

Where is the evidence that prevention reduces crime?

irvin — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 14:32:03 +0000

Government agencies now provide searchable data banks of promising best practices which have been proven to prevent crime. Leading experts point to the successful ways to reduce violence by focusing on early childhood, youth programs and actions on violence against women. Pioneering practitioners, experts and jurisdictions are balancing smart enforcement with greater investment in proven and logical prevention strategies. They call for braiding policing, schools, housing, social services and so on. This blog provides selected sources for seven topics that recur in the pragmatic discussions about how to invest and make the successful shift to much greater reduction of crime and prevention of victimization.

Rights for Victims of Crime: A Seven Point Check List for Legislators

irvin — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 12:38:22 +0000

There are too many victims. Many still do not get the services and rights that different jurisdictions show are possible. My book Rights for Victims of Crime highlights many best practices as well as the tools and resources that are needed to advance law enforcement, service agencies and the legal profession. The book includes a model law that provides a comprehensive draft text for legislators. Here is a check list of seven core rights that legislators must respect, and use, to reform laws and programs so that there are fewer crime victims and the survivors get the respect, services and rights that are practically and financially possible in 2012 and beyond.

Crime Reduction Board for Canada

irvin — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 14:17:45 +0000

In his introduction to the Safe Streets and Communities Act, the Canadian Minister of Justice noted crime must be reduced in Canada, given the 440,000 crimes of violence and 1.3 million crimes of property recorded by police last year. He stressed that $83 billion in harm to victims of crime in Canada justifies additional expenditures. Smart enforcement and treatment must be balanced with smart prevention - fewer victims, less harm to victims, fewer cases for criminal justice, less deficit. This Act must include a short amendment to create a permanent and high level Crime Reduction Board to sustain efforts to prevent crime and enhance services and rights for victims of crime. The Board would achieve its purpose, inter alia, by braiding federal government efforts to tackle the causes of violence, developing national standards and training, and sharing information with the public.

US AG Endorses Winning Strategy to Prevent Youth Violence – Smart Enforcement and Prevention

irvin — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:21:44 +0000

The Attorney General wants to save lives and invest in youth by ¨braiding¨ the support from multiple federal agencies for local partnerships. His winning framework, made public last week, is a logical and evidence based strategy. It wants to shift crime policy from the expensive ¨only criminal justice¨ reaction to crime. It calls for a wise balance between smart enforcement, risk focused prevention, and rehabilitation. It is critical because it addresses causes and uses data. Potentially it will reduce harm to crime victims while reinvesting over-expenditures on law enforcement and incarceration. For sustained success, it must invest in making the shift and retool to make prevention as important as reaction.

Legislating More Prison Time Does Not Deter Violence but Smart Policing and Pre-crime Prevention Do

irvin — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 12:52:55 +0000

Numerous studies by economists and others show that attempts to increase the deterrent effect of incarceration by adding minimum penalties to criminal codes and lengthening already long sentences have failed to demonstrate success in reducing the number of persons who are victims of violence or the extent of harm to crime victims. In contrast, smart policing can reduce the number of, and harm to, victims significantly. In addition, there are many proven pre-crime prevention strategies that are cost effective in reducing crime and harm to victims of crime.

Making Canadians Less Likely to be Harmed by Crime – Salvaging an Expensive Crime Bill

irvin — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 22:58:36 +0000

Tough on criminals without tough on causes is tough on potential victims and taxpayers. Pre-crime prevention is not only proven to make Canadians less likely to be harmed by crime but does it faster and more cost effectively than adding prison time to lengthy prison sentences. There are many examples of effective crime-prevention programs and respect for victims’ rights programs already in operation in Canada and elsewhere. The federal government must upgrade and strengthen its efforts to prevent crime by ensuring these success stories are used comprehensively. More laws will not protect Canadians from the costly harm of crime without smart enforcement and reinvestment in effective prevention. An ounce of violence prevention will save a pound in harm and taxes. Where is the ounce?

Making Streets and Families Safer – the Prevention Solution

irvin — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 22:27:18 +0000

If legislators are serious about reducing harm to crime victims then they need to include pre-crime prevention as a significant tool. In Canada, Parliament is faced by a bill C-10 that will only add prison time. The bill needs to create a permanent crime reduction board to spearhead the federal role in the implementation of effective crime prevention, enhanced community safety, and fair services and rights for victims of crime. This amendment would reduce the number of, and harm to, victims of crime and so reduce the number of prisoners in Canada and the costs to taxpayers.