PREMIER OPENS CANADA’S FIRST COMMUNITY COURT

VANCOUVER – Premier Gordon Campbell opened Canada’s first community court, in downtown Vancouver, bringing together a host of integrated services aimed at helping offenders break free from the cycle of crime, homelessness, addictions and mental illness.

“The opening of this innovative justice facility, the first of its kind in Canada, represents a new approach to tackling some of the most difficult issues facing downtown Vancouver,” said Premier Campbell. “The community court brings a range of services and agencies together to find innovative solutions to the problem of crime in Vancouver’s downtown.”

Health, income assistance and housing staff, as well as victim services and a native court worker, are located together in the new community courthouse, along with Crown counsel, defence counsel, a police officer and probation officers. Integrated teams will work together to identify offenders’ needs and circumstances and to develop case management plans.

Premier Campbell was joined at the opening by Chief Judge Hugh Stansfield, Attorney General Wally Oppal, and Solicitor General John van Dongen.

“This requires an integrated approach to case management, with many different services – the community court puts these services under the same roof,” said Stansfield. “It’s a sophisticated and integrated response to a complicated set of problems.”

The community court will take a problem-solving approach to crime by addressing the underlying health and social problems that often lead to criminal behaviour. Drug and/or alcohol abuse, mental illness, poverty and poor job or social skills can make it difficult for an offender to break the cycle of criminal activity.

“The community court will address crime in a timely way so that offenders see the consequences of their behaviour,” said Oppal. “The court will connect with businesses and service agencies in downtown Vancouver to find community service opportunities that will be of most benefit to them and allow offenders to make reparation to the community.”

“Dealing with crime effectively means getting at the root causes of why crime happens in the first place,” said van Dongen. “This approach will ensure that chronic offenders are dealt with effectively to prevent them from reoffending. That will increase public safety for everyone.”

The community court judge will hear cases involving most offences committed in downtown Vancouver. Typical cases will include, theft from auto, mischief, assault and drug possession. It is estimated that the community courthouse will see 1,500 offenders annually.

The downtown community court is located at 211 Gore Ave., in the former Vancouver pre-trial centre. The catchment or geographic area of the court is downtown Vancouver from Clark Drive on the east to Stanley Park on the west, with Great Northern Way as the southern boundary and the Inner Harbour and Coal Harbour of Burrard Inlet as the northern boundary.

The pilot was developed jointly by the B.C. Provincial Court and the Ministry of Attorney General. Information on the downtown community court is available at: www.communitycourt.bc.ca

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1 backgrounder(s) attached.
Media contact:	Doug Brown Office of the Premier 250 387-1398	Shawn Robins Communications Director Ministry of Attorney General 250 812-3259

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