Piano in the Bronx - New York City

Recently, I have spoken in two small Central Alberta Communities about Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED).  During these presentations, it’s difficult not to address more than just the “traditional” principles and talk about a more holistic solution – 2nd Generation CPTED. Today, marked the launch of a two-week project in New York, which will feature 60 public pianos in locations throughout their five boroughs. This initiative was started by artist Luke Jerram.

For those of us that practice CPTED, we know that projects such as this create more Activity Support on the street and bring life to our public spaces. It can be powerful and inspiring to see our streets be totally transformed as a result of  music.  However, there is a lot more to this than meets the ear.

Events such as this help break down barriers and musicians can truly interact with local residents and visitors. As people gather in these public spaces, they begin to listen to something that is truly “universal” in nature – MUSIC. Few of us can say that we don’t enjoy some form of music and it’s therapeutic benefits. As people listen, they begin to interact with one another. It might be a familiar melody that everyone recognizes as they sing along or simply a quick comment to the person standing next to them. One thing is certain, when crowds gather around they are enjoying more than just music, they are capturing a moment together in time and space. There is often laughter and people generally feel safe and relaxed in these settings.  It’s projects such as this that engage us and as the Sing for Hope slogan indicates, it’s “Arts Activism in Action”.

CPR Railway Bridge - Red Deer, Alberta

In 2008, I conducted a CPTED Assessment of the CPR Bridge and the surrounding park spaces. During many site visits both day and night, I came to enjoy this public space and still frequently walk this neighbourhood, enjoying it’s diversity. As part of my work, I have the pleasure of studying various environments and making recommendations that are based on good CPTED practices.

When these recommendations are considered and change occurs it’s exciting and they can transform a space. The City of Red Deer has been instrumental in supporting CPTED and continues to do so. Recommendations were made to increase Activity Support by celebrating this beautiful space and using it for art and cultural activities. Now, on July 2nd, Red Deer residents will be able to enjoy a special event called “Blues on the Bridge”.  If weather is not cooperative, the back-up date will be Friday, July 9th.  For more details contact BIG 105.5 FM or 106.7 The Drive.

The question I would pose to every community, to every resident and business owner is this – What are you doing to CREATE – INSPIRE – INTEGRATE & ENLIVEN your community?

The CAQT will be creating art to improve safety and promote community pride in a neighbourhood plagued with crime, gangs, and drug dealing. AOB’s 20 apprentices are working with CAQT residents and a team of experts in art, design, crime prevention, and community development to create temporary and public art projects that will enhance the quality of life for hundreds of families.

Now, if that doesn’t sound like 2nd Generation CPTED at its best, you had better read further. The CAQT Community Centre is a community-based program centre of YMCA Youth and Family Services (YFS). The centre was established over 18 years ago to address the urgent needs of the underserved and ethnically diverse community in eastern Silver Spring, Maryland. The community centre is a safe haven for youth and families, and YFS provides an emergency food pantry, homework assistance for children, and a variety of adult services.

For those of us that are seeking out new ideas and embracing social development alternatives that can have an impact in our communities, the CAQT will be well worth following. On the home front, remember that we have our own success stories.  Find out more by visiting the CAQT Blog where I recently contributed a guest feature. Finally, don’t forget that the Annual Red Deer Artwalk Festival happens the middle of June.  Artwalk showcases local artists working at various venues, offers an evening of gallery hopping, a film event and a whole day festival with live music, extensive Art Market and FUN!

It’s always nice to brag about your own community and what’s great about it.  As a CPTED consultant living and working in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, we are on the right track.  Our municipality clearly understands CPTED and how it can benefit every resident and business owner.  However, this article is also about good leadership and those that support it.  It’s spring finally and this reminds me of a book my wife recently read called Let Your Life Speak, by Parker Palmer.  It’s a great little book that asks it’s readers to “Listen for the Voice of Vocation” in each of us. It reminded me of some of the leaders I have been working with during the past few years.  This list of names would be long but it’s clear that each of them are leaders in their vocations. I consider them more than simply colleagues, they are critical to my success as a CPTED practitioner.  They come from various city departments such as community services, social planning, licensing and inspections, parks, recreation, culture, planning services and the list goes on.  Various businesses, non-profit organizations, residents and certainly our local RCMP also play primary leadership roles in the successful implementation of CPTED.

There is no doubt in my mind that social planning plays a tremendous role in designing out crime and improving community safety.  For those that truly think traditional CPTED practices are a panacea for crime, they’re missing one of the key ingredients. Since last year, I have been privileged to participate in several important groups, one for high-risk youth and the other, a social marketing campaign for our homeless and other vulnerable community members. It has been a tremendous learning experience and I realize that the success of CPTED requires feedback and support from these groups and those we are helping.  I’ve been offered a unique opportunity to “see” the environments they work in and those people they are interacting with each and every day. We are not the only city pushing the envelope and challenging ourselves. Teens are taking to rebuilding communities all over the world.  Take for example the Build On Program and the dedicated teens serving their community in Detroit. For them, it’s all about giving back and trying to help create safe streets and neighbourhoods.

Finally, without community support various programs and new initiatives will never be successful, including CPTED. This is required at all levels and from all sectors.  I often say that “it’s not about how well we work alone, it’s about working together.  We are starting to hear a lot more about companies, big and small, stepping up to the plate and being more socially responsible.  For many of these companies, it’s helped create a shift in their way of thinking and how they conduct business.  They are not just considering their ROI, they are seriously embracing Social Return on Investment (SROI). I’m hoping that we all begin hearing more about SROI in the near future.  More importantly, let’s start practicing it.  Find your true vocation and ask yourself – What inspires you?

When Steve asked me to contribute to this blog a line from a famous play came to mind. With apologies to Skakespeare: If our prevention cause is just and our method of achieving it honorable, “methinks I could not die anywhere so contented as in the king’s company”. Steve will no doubt shudder at being prevention king. But I think he’ll agree with my message. It is called SafeGrowth.

It boils down to this:

1. There is a cloud of confusion obstructing clear-headed thinking when it comes to crime. We must deal with facts, not ideology.
2. We cannot arrest, imprison, or target harden our way out of crime.
3. There is no point in creating a safe physical place if people are disengaged from community life.
4. Crime is best tackled in the neighbourhood by harnessing the creativity and energy of neighbourhood dwellers and functional neighbourhood groups.

SafeGrowth relates to an idea rediscovered by writer Jane Jacobs – the success of a city is based in small neighbourhoods. It includes success in reducing crime.

In SafeGrowth neighbours create their own annual, measurable, safety plan. Every SafeGrowth plan uses diagnostic techniques: a crime risk matrix, crime mapping and asset mapping, safety audits, and other methods of crime prevention science.

Putting SafeGrowth into practice is not easy. How do we get neighbourhoods activated? Who wants to go to more meetings? Why can’t the police just do their job? These are the obstacles we must overcome.

One way to do that is to use radical common sense.
http://safe-growth.blogspot.com/2009/08/radical-common-sense.html

This is the idea that we cannot solve our deepest problems through traditional ways. This means accepting the criminal justice system as an adversarial, blunt tool. Instead our future exists in cooperating, sharing best practices, and accepting that our fate is tied to that of others.

Also, we must vote for provincial and federal leaders who will better resource municipalities. In turn, municipalities must refine, or create, a network of geographical neighbourhoods. They must upskill neighbourhood groups to develop annual safety plans in cooperation with service providers.

Embryonic SafeGrowth neighbourhoods are already underway in Toronto’s Jane/Finch,
http://safe-growth.blogspot.com/2009/06/waking-up-to-21st-century-prevention.html

in Saskatoon,
http://safe-growth.blogspot.com/2009/05/doin-it-right-on-wrong-side-of-town.html

and Detroit’s Central Woodward neighbourhood in the U.S.
http://www.detroit-lisc.org/display.aspx?pointer=9122

This is radical common sense in the 21st Century. Join Steve and myself in helping make this happen where you live and work.

This reminds me in many ways of playing hiding-go-seek when I was a child. Often, there are other solutions and various programs that have been successful elsewhere. These gems are always exciting to find. However, implementation is an entirely different matter. This is not as simple as one might think, especially with our current economy and funding challenges. Roadblocks can come in many forms. It’s therefore essential that we find comprehensive, well-balanced and proactive solutions that work. The East Sussex Safer Communities Partnership is one such “gem”.

With a population of about 500,000 people its not surprising that their government is taking crime prevention very seriously. This partnership is not only impressive but it’s achieving great results – a 20% reduction in crime over the past 3 years. Their approach is holistic and supports real collaboration and community engagement. It brings together representatives from all local agencies involved in community safety and substance “Misuse”, as they call it. The partnership includes council, primary care agencies, district councils, police, probation, children’s services, fire and rescue, crime and disorder reduction partnerships, courts and prosecutors.

In order to respond to the demands of their newly emerging Safer Communities Partnership, their County Council’s Community Safety and Drug and Alcohol (DAAT) teams have been combined to create a new Safe Communities Team. The key slogan is “Work to Reduce Crime, Disorder and Anti-social behavior - excerpt from Safer Communities Partnership Website

The reality is that any partnership initiative such as this can be adopted, downsized, embraced, criticized or … carefully considered. Many communities continue to run in circles with everyone seeking out their own solutions for creating safer communities and neighbourhoods. Collaborating and truly embracing a partnership philosophy is the only “real” solution and East Sussex has certainly done a terrific job of this.

Watch the (8) part video series on the East Sussex Safer Communities Partnership

Setting some realistic goals for the upcoming year is important, especially considering the current economic conditions. For example, the City of Red Deer has been taking a very responsible approach to their budget and will be holding the line!  It’s going to be a tough budget, but it’s necessary and it will be for many other communities around the world. Sometimes, taking a hard line approach like this can be a good thing for everyone. It certainly demands creativity and hard work due to financial restraints and capacity issues surrounding staffing.

Tough times require more than just creativity and hard work. We must remain optimistic and a good sense of humor never hurts either.  So, in the spirit of this “New Odyssey”, I encourage everyone to consider this – Strive this year to achieve and not give up! To help you along, I have provided some encouraging words from one of our GREAT MASTERS.

Wishing Everyone a Safe and Productive 2010

Steve Woolrich

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?

Eleanor Roosevelt once said “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.” I believe that if we truly embrace this challenge we will free ourselves and begin to enjoy our surroundings and become more compassionate towards all people. In Dan Gardner’s book titled RISK – Why We Fear the Things We Shouldn’t – and Put Ourselves in Greater Danger he writes “With the media relentlessly misrepresenting the reality of crime, it is not surprising to find that people have some funny ideas about the issue.” Julian Roberts, a criminologist at Oxford University, reviewed many of the studies on public perceptions and found that – in country after country – most people think that “violent crime accounts for approximately half of all crime recorded by the police.” For those of us that work in community policing and crime prevention, we know this is far from the truth. Fact is, as Gardner points out “Crime is way down. War is declining. And that’s far from the end of the good news.”

We must continue to collaborate with others in an effort to better understand the fear of crime and to act as community Myth Busters. It’s all about being honest and restoring harmony in our cities and neighbourhoods. Sharing resources and implementing best practices will lead to a reduction in the fear and incidence of crime. Just look around you, it’s not hard to find success stories.  Case in point – Safe Communities Partnership in East Sussex, England.

The fear of crime does not reflect the reality – we have never lived in safer times. Perhaps some of us need a reality check to reduce our Fear Factor.

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. 

Recent Graffiti in Red Deer, AB

The lingo that “taggers” use is part of a subculture that has been around for years and is still evolving. As Constable Valerie Spicer of the Vancouver Police Department suggested, the more connected a person is to graffiti subculture the more likely they will become involved in violence. There is no doubt that she is considered an expert by her peers.  With many credentials she is also a PhD candidate in the Criminology program at Simon Fraser University and co-initiated the RESTART program which is a restorative justice art program for graffiti offenders. Education and awareness is key and she points out that this problem typically begins in Grades 8 – 10, with 94% of the offenders being male.

During the symposium, I sensed the dedication and passion that many of these speakers possess and it reminded me of how important some crime-related issues really are to the overall health of our communities. Graffiti impacts our quality of life and contributes to the fear of crime. That being said, without the social development element or what we now refer to as 2nd Generation CPTED being utilized, standard CPTED practices will ultimately fail. This problem is far reaching, from risky behavior and the theft of spray paint from retailers to more violent crime.

There is a lot to be said for utilizing best practices, especially when they support more than just CPTED. Often, the writing really is on the wall, we only have to look for a well-balanced approach to find a solution. Is Graffiti art?  Absolutely not, in fact all of the speakers agreed that the difference between art and graffiti has everything to do with one word – PERMISSION!  If there is no permission, it is vandalism.  There is no doubt that murals work well in many cases and add an artistic element to our communities.  So how about a Graffiti Mural Competition?  Brilliant!

Did I leave the best for last … you bet I did.  TAGS 2010 will be held in Calgary, Alberta

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:

Is it true that the general public believes people with mental illness are dangerous? That they are the main cause of crime that happens within our community? Do we seriously believe that they are more dangerous than the average person?

Honestly, from what I’ve seen, this particular population tends to be quite mild, they tend to keep to themselves quite a bit. Many of my friends, family members and even myself – live with mental illness.

Stereotyping is not the key to a safe community. Any population mixed with drugs or alcoholism is ugly. If you’re a person with Schizophrenia or a person who just got laid off work from the rigs – you’re still going to get a little ugly if you chose to cope with a jug of beer every night.

I‘m NOT saying, if we took away alcohol and drugs this community would be crime free! No. There are still people who do stupid things out of anger, frustration or loneliness, jealousy, etc.  There is no one answer to create a perfect peaceful world. BUT I do strongly believe in two key elements: Equality and Inclusion.

So … how do we treat people equally and include them if we are afraid of them? Well … what is the key to overcoming fear?  FACE IT. Does that mean inviting the new guy at work to your house for tea? If you’re a female it may not be a smart idea to invite a “stranger” to your home.  I have found (as a female) it’s not a good idea to invite any man to my house unless I have a family member with me or if they are someone I’ve known and trusted for many years!

If a few of your coworkers are getting together after work at Timmies – this is a good time to invite the new guy – include him and get to know him.

As far as the poor population in our community that may not get a chance to work with you – I find it helps to get to know them by volunteering in the community. Serving at soup kitchens, volunteering a night to help supervise a winter’s inn program, handing out hampers at the food bank, sorting clothes at the clothing bank – there are many ways you can get involved.

In the meantime – “don’t judge a book by it’s cover”. I have stayed at our homeless shelters, I have eaten at our soup kitchens, I have received immense support from the Schizophrenia Society – and I do NOT perceive myself to be a threat to anyone.  I was awarded Volunteer of the Year and have done a lot of guest speaking all over this community on behalf of the United Way. I work when I can and I now know where to go if and when I need help.

I still do NOT feel equal in this community but do feel more included since finding a way to maintain adequate, safe housing and food for myself.  I have been given some GREAT opportunities that most people in my shoes – don’t get.

Please take time to stop and really talk to people – get to know how they are really doing. It’s so easy to quickly say “I’m good … how are you?” When the truth is that life is not “good” at that moment but they know you don’t have time for the truth … or do you? How important is “Community” really to you anyway? Perhaps it’s easier to blame the mentally ill or the severally addicted eh.

Submitted by: Mickey Warkentin

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,

not an obligation. Corporate philanthropy, what a concept!  Even more incredible is his willingness to practice what he preaches and demonstrate how companies might share their wealth and support community initiatives, health, arts and political causes. The slogan for this event was “Rebel with a Cause” and it was certainly fitting for a man that continues to give so much.

Brett Wilson

Giving back, helping to change the world may sound rather difficult – but is it really?  We often measure what we can give in dollars and cents and we’re missing the point.  While many of the Top 100 corporations and other businesses can provide that financial muscle that is needed, every one of us has something to offer. Wilson pointed out that “we can all change the world through small acts of kindness.”  Another refreshing thought was that “giving while living” can be more rewarding than trying to guide from the grave, said Wilson.

Hopefully, the mentality that “Greed is Good” from the 1987 flick Wall Street no longer exists. However, I’d be rather foolish to truly believe that’s the case.  After all, we have certainly seen some corporate leaders fall the last few years suggesting that greed is still alive and kickin’ in many organizations and beyond. Stay tuned for the new sequel which Oliver Stone began filming in New York this week.  I’d rather see a film that focuses around the issue of social responsibility and community spirit but it would not likely be a block buster at the box office. Somehow, I don’t see business leaders and philanthropists like Brett Wilson supporting this idea.

I often refer to Mark Anielski’s book titled “The Economics of Happiness: Building Genuine Wealth. His insight and dedication to the subject of economics is truly inspirational and life changing, if you embrace many of his concepts.  Mark writes that ” businesses today have an important opportunity – indeed a responsibility – to make their actions contribute to the well-being of communities. The future belongs to business leaders who understand, at the heart level, the need for social and environmental responsibility for the common good.”  He also highlights various progressive businesses that are leading the way to a Genuine Wealth economy.  If your asking yourself how this all relates to crime prevention and creating safe communities, you’ve probably missed your first opportunity to become a community builder.