A province-wide survey commissioned by the Save Our Streets Coalition shows British Columbians want more action and new approaches when it comes to addressing public safety, addiction and retail crime.
The online survey was conducted by Research Co. from September 9th to 12th, surveying 1,200 British Columbians.
According to the survey, 55 per cent of respondents said the level of criminal activity in their community has increased in the past four years, while 74 per cent said crime and violence are impacting the quality of life in their community.
Additionally, 88 per cent said they believe crimes go unreported for a number of reasons, including:
- lack of confidence in the justice system (68 per cent)
- reporting crime being too much of a hassle for victims (50)
- lack of confidence in the police (47)
- fear of retribution (38)
When it comes to approaching crime and safety:
- 87 per cent of respondents support modifying the bail system to ensure repeat offenders remain in custody while awaiting trial,
- 87 per cent support establishing harsher penalties, including incarceration for individuals convicted of multiple offenses,
- 86 per cent supported increased police presence in their community where drugs are being sold illegally,
- 85 per cent support the federal government re-deploying police forces to Canada’s ports to tackle transnational organized crime,
- 83 per cent support new legislation to allow for confiscating assets of people convicted of drug trafficking offences,
- 70 per cent support the provincial government providing financial support to businesses.
On the topic of addiction, 67 per cent of respondents described the use of prescription and non-prescription opioid drugs in the community as a major problem, while 82 per cent said they consider addiction to opioids to be a health issue.
75 per cent agreed with the Ministry of Mental Health and Addiction’s proposed guidelines for involuntary treatment.
When it comes to approaching prescription and non-prescription opioid drugs:
- 83 per cent of respondents supported investing in new and enhanced facilities for people experiencing mental health problems,
- 83 per cent support launching more education and awareness campaigns about drug use,
- 81 per cent support creating more spaces for drug rehabilitation,
- 79 per cent support providing available housing units to individuals who are committed to entering and concluding a detoxification and recovery program,
- 77 per cent support reducing the prescription of opioids by medical professionals,
- 73 per cent support allowing people addicted to opioids who have been charged with relatively minor crimes to avoid fines and incarceration if they voluntarily enter and conclude a detoxification and recovery program,
- 73 per cent support establishing a publicly available “data dashboard” showing real-time statistics related to individuals in treatment, as well as the number and location of available beds,
- 63 per cent support establishing “safe supply” programs, where alternatives to opioids can be prescribed by health professionals,
- 53 per cent support setting up more “harm reduction” strategies, such as legal supervised injection sites.
“As we get ready to head for the polls. we thought it was important to reach out to British Columbians to hear directly from them about how they’re being impacted by these issues,” said Save Our Streets Co-Founder Jess Ketchum.
“As disheartening as these results may appear at first glance, the good news is residents across the province have clearly stated that they are open to new ideas and willing to support new and expanded approaches to tackle crime, reform our justice system and provide effective treatment and recovery options for people suffering from addiction and mental illnesses.”
The full results of the survey can be found here.
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