2003/04 – 2005/06 SERVICE PLAN Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General

Strategic Context

Ministry Overview

The Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General has the overall responsibility for law enforcement, public safety, crime prevention and a range of related regulatory controls as well as consumer protection in British Columbia.

Five main areas within the ministry work together to fulfill the public safety mandate:

• Corrections protects communities through the safe management and control of adult offenders serving provincial terms of custody, community sentences, or on conditional release and those remanded into custody or released on bail supervision;
• Policing and Community Safety superintends law enforcement in the province, provides victims of crime with services and benefits, assists communities with crime prevention, and provides coroner services, provincewide emergency preparedness, response and recovery, private security industry regulation and other protective programs;
• Compliance and Consumer Services provides consumer protection, residential tenancy services, film classification, administration of programs related to driver fitness and dangerous drivers, and monitoring of commercial vehicle industry carriers and professional drivers;
• Gaming Policy and Enforcement regulates all gaming in British Columbia, ensures the integrity of people and equipment involved in the gaming industry, and investigates allegations of wrongdoing; and,
• Liquor Control and Licensing regulates the manufacture and resale of liquor in licensed establishments in the province in order to improve the safety of B.C. communities by reducing harm caused by alcohol misuse.

Highlights of Changes from the Previous Plan

There have been no significant shifts in Service Plan priorities since the 2002/2003 – 2004/2005 Plan was tabled in the Legislative Assembly in February 2002. The focus for the 2003/2004 – 2005/2006 Service Plan continues to be on ensuring the security and economic vitality of communities in a time of fiscal challenge, resource consolidation and expenditure reduction.

New Era commitments and other ministry projects that were accomplished in 2002/2003 no longer appear in the new Service Plan, and several projects have been added.

There are some structural changes in the new Service Plan. These are summarized below.

• Three core business areas have undergone structural changes since the previous plan was tabled.
  The core business area Policing and Community Safety combines two business areas – Police Services and Protective Programs — from last year’s Service Plan. The ministry reconfigured this core business area in order to enhance public understanding of ministry expenditures and activities.
  The core business Compliance and Consumer Services, formerly called Regulatory Programs, now includes two additional major programs that have been transferred from other government organizations: the Office of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles, which was previously an operation within the Ministry of Transportation, and Compliance Operations, which was a division within the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia.
  The core business area Gaming Policy and Enforcement now includes the province’s Problem Gambling Program, which was transferred from the Ministry of Health Services during fiscal year 2002/2003.
• The order in which the core business areas are presented in the new Service Plan is now consistent with the Estimates and the Public Accounts.
• The numbers of objectives and strategies included in the Service Plan have been reduced, and there is increased focus on only the most relevant performance measures that are within the ministry’s control.
• The Planning Context has been updated to reflect changing external factors affecting the ministry’s ability to carry out its mandate.
• A section on Key Performance Measures has been added. These measures correspond to those found in the Government Strategic Plan and establish a link between government priorities and ministry goals.
• The Human Resource Management Plan has been updated to reflect progress and future directions.
• The Information Resource Management Plan has also been updated to reflect progress and future direction, as well as to link Service Plan priorities to key information management projects.

Planning Context

The ministry’s 2003/2004 – 2005/2006 Service Plan takes into account a number of environmental factors that affect the ministry’s ability to realize its vision of secure, economically viable communities. The most significant of these are:

Crime Rates

Canada’s crime rate increased slightly (by 1%) in 2001 after several years of decline, but it is not yet clear if the increase represents an actual trend. Similarly, B.C.’s overall crime rate rose by 1% in 2001, largely as a result of a sharp increase in auto thefts. B.C.’s violent crime rate has decreased over the last several years, but it is still 10% higher than 20 years ago.

British Columbia continues to have a high crime rate relative to the national average. Our rate is second highest among provinces, after Saskatchewan. Crime rates are affected by a number of environmental factors, including changes to the economy and demographic shifts.

Changing Characteristics of Crime

The nature of crime is changing. It increasingly crosses community, provincial and national boundaries, and it has become more organized and technologically sophisticated.

In addition, the number of large scale investigations in British Columbia is growing and consuming increasingly larger proportions of available resources.

World-wide Focus on Security

A growing awareness and concern over terrorist activities and threats is producing more pressure on the security industry and calls for stronger policing.

Demographic Context

British Columbia’s population is growing and is increasingly diverse. It includes a rising number of international immigrants who frequently require language services and who may be unfamiliar with the principles and processes of the Canadian justice system.

Victims

Victims continue to seek more acknowledgment from the criminal justice system and greater protection for the vulnerable. Public demands for better victim services are increasing.

Drugs and Alcohol

Alcohol and drugs continue to be major factors contributing to various kinds of crime. A recent national study conducted by the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse concluded that between 40 per cent and 50 per cent of the crimes included in the study could be attributed to alcohol and/or drugs.¹

Linking of Justice Data Systems

There is a continuing need to link information systems across separate components of the justice system, to reduce duplicate data entry and to enhance public safety. British Columbia has made significant progress in this area, and continues to improve existing data systems and create new links between police, Crown, courts and corrections.

Ministry Vision, Mission and Values

Vision

People feel safe at home and in their communities and have confidence in the efficiency, effectiveness, responsiveness and integrity of corrections programs and policing. Victims of crime and those who are vulnerable receive support and protection. Businesses and individuals prosper in a fair and effective regulatory environment.

Mission

To ensure the security and economic vitality of communities through effective policing, corrections, liquor and gaming control and other protective and regulatory programs.

Values

The Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General shares with all government organizations a commitment to affordability, efficiency, accountability, innovation and reform, and a healthy, supportive workplace.

In addition, the ministry strives to deliver its unique services in accordance with these values:

• Integration of services
• Community participation
• Risk management
• Self-regulation
• Balance of consumer protection with economic vitality