From my notes whem RCMP crime prevention officer, Sgt Scott Wilson, spoke to the Kamloops Rotary Club on Feb 2nd 2009:
Local
RCMP has taken proactive approach to crime with the prolific offender
strategy. The RCMP employs a criminal intelligence coordinator who
identifies the people responsible for the most crime in our community -
like the old saying, 20% of criminals commit 80% of the crime.
The detachment identified 32 people on their "A" list. These people shared the following characteristics:
- entrenched in crime, highest number of offences
- no viable way of supporting themselves
- all their friends are also entrenched in crime
The detachment set up a dedicated team of 4 officers - the Kamloops
Action Response Team (KART) whose function is to closely monitor
prolific offenders.
After two years, all but one of the prolific offenders are in jail. Crime rates have fallen 40% overall in those two years.
2007
was the year of enforcement for the prolific offender program. 2008
introduced an added element of wrap around services, connecting
offenders to programs if they were willing to try to change their lives
for the better. The detachment was not trying to be sympathetic, but
there are other factors that lead people to lives of crime. There is
also dedicated civilian member in the detachment who works with the
prolific offenders on a regular basis. 9 prolific offenders have chosen
to go to rehab, and 6 have had no police contact within the past 4 - 12
months.
As success started being evident, more and more buy-in
from RCMP members to this program. Also, one crown prosecutor handles
all prolific offender files. Convictions of offences were resulting in
an 80% increase in jail time.
Other muncipalities who don't have
such programs are "getting hammered". Kamloops has become a place where
it is not pleasant for career criminals to operate.
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