Archive for 2009
Fear of Crime and Risk
This subject is nothing new and for crime prevention practitioners it’s always being discussed in various circles. It can quickly spread like a virus and is often what prompts the call for more police officers, CPTED assessments, target hardening measures, cameras, alarm systems and the list goes on. You can’t discuss the fear of crime without considering perception, something we wrote about last month.
The reality is that fear can get the best of us if we are not careful. It has the potential to “blur” reality and often does! However, the subject requires careful understanding, especially as it relates to victims of crime. For those of us that have been victimized, the fear of crime is very real and we need to appreciate that not everyone feels safe as a result. In many cities across North America, crime rates are down and the fear of crime is disproportionately high. Police services and crime prevention groups around the world are certainly exploring this issue carefully. Is your community suffering from fear of crime? Read more »
2 commentsThe Writing is on the Wall
Ogden Point - Victoria, BC
Recently, I attended The Anti Graffiti Symposium (TAGS) in beautiful Victoria, British Columbia. Hosted by the Victoria Police Department and the Township of Esquimalt it proved to be an interesting couple of days with a variety of exceptional speakers, both local and International. The objective of the 2009 TAGS event was to educate law enforcement agencies, government, crime prevention professionals and the general public about issues of graffiti crime in their communities and to clarify some of the following questions about this type of vandalism: Who is doing it, what does it mean, how do we investigate it, how do we prevent and control it?
Speakers from as far away as Sweden and Australia joined other experts from various US cities and Canadian authorities from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba to offer their insights on the subject. As a Crime Prevention practitioner specializing in Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED), it provided me with an abundance of information that can now be shared with my own community and others throughout Central Alberta. Read more »
1 commentPerception not Always Reality
Conducting various projects throughout the City of Red Deer I often find myself downtown. It’s an area of our city that I spend a lot of time in. It’s safe, vibrant and changing for the better! This is thanks to great people that make up our community.
Case in point, Mickey Warkentin, this month’s guest contributor for our blog. I first met Mickey earlier this summer while downtown having a bowl of soup at Potter’s Hands. No, I’m not homeless but I like to be inclusive and get to know other members of my community. This is something I highly recommend for anyone that doubts the potential we all have to change and become more accepting of ALL our neighbours … every single one of us.
Mickey is one of the Schizophrenia Society of Alberta, Red Deer Chapter’s most giving and reliable volunteers. She has impacted our community in many ways and continues to shine bright, volunteering for organizations such as United Way of Central Alberta, Potter’s Hands Ministries, Canadian Mental Health Association, Crisis Pregnancy Care Centre, Women’s Emergency Shelter and more. Recently, I asked Mickey to share some of her insight as it relates to safety and crime prevention. Mickey writes:
4 commentsDon’t Stop Believing
Arnel Pineda of Journey
This is an inspiring story indeed and one that should be shared, especially among those who could use a little good news now and then. All too often, in communities throughout the world we hear about our homeless and those living in poverty. Many stories are negative but as we give thanks today for all that we have, we should celebrate, for there are those that refuse to give up and serve as beacons of hope. Here is a success story that will inspire all of us and demonstrates the strength in those who “Don’t Stop Believing“.
Many communities, including Red Deer, Alberta have identified Homelessness as a priority. City council recently endorsed “Everyone’s Home” – a 5 year community initiative towards ending homelessness from 2010 – 2015 Many people and various organizations have taken the lead in getting people off the street and into necessary shelter. A social marketing campaign is also well underway in an effort to reduce discrimination and hopefully change the way we treat some of our most vulnerable community members.
1 commentAre You a Community Builder?
Being a real Community Builder is not a difficult task for anyone to achieve and there are numerous ways of going about it. Whether you operate a small business such as I do or your a corporate giant, there are many ways of giving back to your community. Anyone can provide for their community – simply volunteer your time. It’s not always about money, it’s about community spirit.
Alberta Venture magazine is a resource I often refer to and glean information for my business. Their September issue provided a definitive report card on corporate Alberta. You know, the best of the best, the biggest deals, the largest employers and so on. It’s always interesting as well as informative. However, last weeks breakfast talk by Brett Wilson provided me with a new perspective on corporate wealth in our country and throughout the world. The event was hosted by the Rotary Clubs of Red Deer, another bright light in our own community.
When you look at Alberta Venture’s ranking of the Top 100 companies for 2009 and the revenues these corporations have generated, it’s nothing short of staggering. Yet, with all this wealth we still face big community issues such as crime, homelessness, addiction and poverty. The good news, as Brett pointed out, is that we all have choices and one of these is charitable giving. He described this as an opportunity,
No commentsCommunity Information Referral Society (CiRS)
Every once in while, we find a great resource that is well worth sharing with everyone. Although CiRS operates in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, it’s well worth a look. CiRS is a non-profit source of information for Central Albertans. It seems to me that any community would benefit by using their model and creating a similar organization. After all, their Mission Statement and Vision is powerful stuff!
The synergies that can be created as a result of this type of organization is what every community needs!
Mission Statement: To engage and empower citizens and strengthen our community through efficient and effective information, development, and support.
Their Vision: A strong thriving volunteer sector (Community Services) through leadership and partnership.
CiRS works with individuals and agencies to find the help they need. They offer leadership for conference management, promotion of educational opportunities, volunteer management and program development. This type of organization brings information alive and so can you!
Recently, CiRS produced a great video about “Community”. Various leaders and residents from our community shared their thoughts and I’m sure you will find it as inspiring as I did. Please visit our Community Information Referral Society (CiRS)
No commentsSmall Communities BIG Challenges
Small rural communities throughout Central Alberta are certainly making the news this summer. Headlines like “Rocky Tops Crime Rate” and “Let’s Put a Stop to all the Trouble in Stettler.” According to Statistics Canada, Rocky Mountain House reported the highest crime rate among eight Central Alberta communities last year. The community of Stettler followed, with 16,863 criminal code incidents per 100,000 population. A Stettler resident submitted a letter to a local newspaper stating that the community has lost too many loved ones and that Stettlerites need to band together and help the RCMP do their jobs more efficiently. ”I plead for your help to make Stettler a safer place“, the resident writes.
SAFEGROWTH
Creating safe growth in communities throughout the world is no small task and certainly requires a guiding light to ensure success. Greg Saville, a professional colleague has been leading the way and hosts a great blog on creating safe neighborhoods. We are certainly “Like Minded” and share a passion for this type of work, often commenting on each others blogs and providing feedback for our readers.
A former Police Officer himself, Greg’s expertise is quite diverse. He is a criminologist as well as an urban planner and was one of the Co-founders of the International CPTED Association. His wealth of knowledge and his commitment to creating safe communities is evident and I encourage you to visit his SafeGrowth Blog and share your comments.
“Only in growth, reform, and change, paradoxically enough, is true security to be found.” Anne Morrow Lindbergh
No commentsColor your World
City Hall Park, Red Deer, Alberta
An old 1972 classic titled “Concrete Sea” by songwriter/musician Terry Jacks got me thinking about how important color really is in our communities. In the main verse of his song, Jack’s sings “No one is meant to be living here in a concrete sea”. If you look around many cities you will understand where his thoughts came from. This is especially true in many urban downtown areas of our cities, but this is starting to change and that’s encouraging.
City Hall Park in Red Deer, Alberta is a prime example and a popular gathering place throughout the summer months. Think about how you feel and act when you see color and you will appreciate how important it can be in various settings. As crime prevention practitioners, urban designers, architects and anyone dealing with the built environment, learn to utilize more color. Colorful landscaping arrangements in our green spaces, textured pathways that incorporate color, and murals are only a few great examples of how we can use color to brighten up our lives. Read more »
4 commentsBuilding Strong Communities
No simple task, not in the insect world or in our own communities. It takes a lot work and on-going commitment from everyone involved. The key word is being “involved”! Just as honeybees work collectively so should we, building strong communities that will sustain us on a long-term basis. We want to feel safe and secure in our neighborhoods and the good news is … it’s achievable. Remember the film titled “Field of Dreams”? I’m reminded of the one liner – if you build it he will come. As a Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) practitioner, I’ve adapted this statement a bit – if you build it properly they will stay!
Webster’s dictionary defines “Community” as an interacting population of various kinds of individuals in a common location. Interacting with our neighbors and striving for more cohesion among residents helps build strong communities. Today, we are more isolated, working more and more and socializing less and less. How many of us know our surrounding neighbors, especially if we reside in condos or apartments. It often seems like we are more interested in keeping up with the Jones’s rather than socializing with them. This brings us to another important question, our quality of life. The CPTED concept, coined by criminologist C. Ray Jeffery supports the idea that the proper design and effective use of the built environment can lead to a reduction in the fear and incidence of crime and to an improvement in the quality of life. Read more »
5 comments