Strategic Context

Many factors impact the Ministry's ability to achieve its goals and objectives. Some place the Ministry in an advantageous position to build on past successes while others present new challenges and opportunities to develop innovative approaches to public safety.

Research to identify and develop further measures to enhance public safety continues to be a key Ministry strength. In partnership with the University College of Fraser Valley, Simon Fraser University and the RCMP, the Ministry is promoting research of innovative ways to combat marijuana grow operations, crystal methamphetamine (crystal meth), auto theft and impaired driving. The Ministry is also promoting evidence-based research opportunities through its partnership with the B.C. Centre for Social Responsibility, the Centre for Safe Schools and Communities and the Centre for Criminal Justice Research, including a longitudinal social responsibility survey in partnership with school districts, and studies on underage drinking, alcohol misuse, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and problem gambling prevention. The Ministry has also undertaken research on mentally disordered offenders in the justice system. Conducted by the Centre for Applied Research on Mental Health and Addictions, in partnership with the Ministries of Health and Employment and Income Assistance, the research will advance understanding of this population's needs and inform future programs and practices.

Innovative technology also continues to be employed to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of all areas of the Ministry. For example, British Columbia is the first province in Canada to use Automatic Licence Plate Recognition, a new crime-fighting technology to target traffic violators, prohibited drivers and car thieves.² A dedicated traffic helicopter has also been launched to assist police in the Lower Mainland in spotting and tracking dangerous drivers and to reduce the occurrence of high-speed chases that put the public at risk.

The Police Records Information Management Environment (PRIME), an online data-sharing system providing up-to-the minute information about criminals and crimes, is improving law enforcement and enhancing officer and public safety across the province. Additionally, the Ministry is implementing a new electronic reporting system for coroners, putting technology in the hands of coroners in the field.

Advanced technology is also enhancing the Ministry's service responsiveness. For example, partnering with the OneStop Business Registry, managed by the B.C. Ministry of Finance, the Ministry has implemented online access to service options to liquor licensees that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Integration is also a key strength of the Ministry and continues to provide new opportunities for program enhancement. The Ministry is currently working with the Ministry of Attorney General on a number of integrated justice initiatives, including integrated information systems, to further address the root causes of criminal behaviour and to provide coordinated responses to crime.

The integration of police services continues, along with the creation of specialized police units to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of policing. The Ministry has also partnered with ICBC to introduce an enhanced road safety enforcement initiative through which the RCMP and independent police departments have come together to form Integrated Road Safety Units, using proactive policing methods and innovative technology to enhance road safety throughout the province. Additionally, the Ministry has teamed up with municipal police, firefighters and electrical inspectors to discourage marijuana grow operations in residential neighbourhoods.

An important element of the Illegal Gambling Enforcement Strategy is the Integrated Illegal Gambling Enforcement Team, with Ministry investigators working with RCMP officers to address illegal gambling issues throughout the province.

Cooperation at all levels of government has resulted in high levels of satisfaction with emergency services in British Columbia, and the Ministry continues to strengthen partnerships with municipalities and First Nations to enhance fire protection, hazard mitigation and emergency preparedness. Opportunities exist for further enhancement through strengthened partnerships among local government emergency programs, local police, fire and ambulance services, and public safety volunteer programs.

Highly-skilled and dedicated staff continue to be a key asset in the Ministry. The Learning and Leading Program encourages teamwork, innovation, communication and opportunities to learn new skills. The program was launched to strengthen the organization and to support the people who work within it.

Crime trends impact the work of the Ministry and are affected by numerous factors, including demographics, technological change, influences on police enforcement practices, victim response to crime, societal response to crime, reporting structures of police services, economic fluctuations and alcohol/drug consumption patterns.

During the years 1991 to 2000, the crime rate in British Columbia declined by 24 per cent to a low of 114 Criminal Code offences per 1,000 population. From 2000 to 2003, the provincial crime rate then rose by nine per cent, the first substantial increase in over a decade. The crime rate remained relatively stable from 2003 to 2004 and then decreased by five per cent to 120 crimes per 1,000 population in 2005.

With the exception of Saskatchewan, British Columbia's 2005 crime rate was higher than that of any other province. As noted above, crime rates are affected by demographic, societal, economic and other factors. Historically in Canada, crime rates tend to increase as you move westward across the country. While there have been a number of attempts to account for this phenomenon, there has been no definitive answer to explain why this is so.

The nature of crime is changing. Organized crime is increasingly crossing community, provincial and national boundaries and expanding into all forms of criminal activity, including human trafficking, theft, fraud and illegal gambling. Crime profiles are also changing with technological advances, and police are seeing new types of crimes, such as Internet luring, identity theft and Internet fraud. Gang violence is also increasing, particularly in the Lower Mainland, where gun violence is a growing concern and an increased number of home invasions have been reported.

The number of large-scale investigations in the province has grown and is consuming increasing proportions of available resources. While crime rates are indicative of police workloads, they cannot reflect the time and resources dedicated to investigating complex criminal activities, such as serial offenders or organized crime groups. Recent high-profile investigations, such as the Missing Women's Task Force investigation, illustrate the scale and intricacy of many violent crime investigations.

Human trafficking has become a global business that generates substantial profits for traffickers and for organized crime, rivaling those of drugs and weapons smuggling. The main targets of human trafficking are women and children in developing countries who are sold into the sex trade abroad against their will. British Columbia is particularly vulnerable to human trafficking given that the location and size of Vancouver provides mobility and anonymity for human trafficking networks to enter Canada and establish their operations.

Mental health issues are of concern, with a disproportionate number of individuals in the criminal justice system affected by serious mental illness, developmental disability, brain injury or Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

Substance abuse and addiction are also of concern, with alcohol and both legal and illegal drugs linked to preventable health and social problems, including criminality. Crystal meth use and production is a serious issue in British Columbia and elsewhere. It is highly addictive, inexpensive and easy to obtain. Severe physical and mental health problems are associated with its use and there are serious environmental and public safety risks related to its production.

Managing multi-needs offenders has become more challenging, with increases in the proportion of violent, high-risk, and multi-needs offenders under Corrections supervision. The changing profile of offenders has contributed to greater use of remand and bail supervision. These trends have resource implications and affect staff training, security, program development and delivery, and offender management. Most notably, consolidation of adult custody facilities has resulted in housing offenders with different risk classifications and multiple needs in the same institutions, presenting challenges for effective custodial supervision. Managing multi-needs offenders also requires close collaboration with justice and social service partners, such as police, addictions services, and forensic psychiatric services.

Growth in illegal gambling has been stimulated by the growing popularity and availability of games in the media, on the Internet and in the community. New technology and the ability to operate from anywhere in the world over the Internet makes online gambling very difficult to regulate. Programs and services are increasingly required to promote awareness of responsible gambling practices as well as to address illegal gambling.

Natural hazards continue to require strong, coordinated mitigation and response efforts. Unprecedented fires impacting population centres (interface fires), landslides, severe weather, floods, ice jams and drought challenge communities and the province with regard to hazard mitigation and response and recovery capabilities and costs.

Human resource challenges are increasing within the Ministry. Faced with the pressures of an aging workforce, the Ministry is in competition with other agencies for staff with demonstrated strong performance. Time and resources are required to expand existing competencies and to recruit and train new staff.