SWEET JESUS, MOTHER MARY AND JOSEPH.... awesome and courageous of Devon Downey 4 stepping up and bringing some peace and closure 2 the families and all of us... this was a beautiful and brilliant son.... Peace of Christ
Halifax police lay manslaughter charge in two-year-old case
Posted by News × February 19, 2015 at 2:16 pm
Halifax police have charged a man in relation to the 2012 killing of Kaylin Diggs.
Police arrested 25-year-old Devon Marteeko Downey of Halifax on Thursday after he turned himself in at police headquarters.
Police say they responded to a disturbance in the area of Argyle and Sackville Streets in the early morning hours of August 11, 2012.
Officers found 26-year-old Kaylin Diggs lying on the ground unconscious.
He was taken to hospital where he died a short time later.
Police say their investigation determined Diggs was walking southbound on Argyle Street when when an altercation took place and he was assaulted and knocked to the ground.
At the time, police said Diggs was injured during an assault that involved several people.
Police say Downey will appear in Halifax provincial court Thursday afternoon to face a charge of manslaughter.
http://talkhalifax.com/halifax-police-lay-manslaughter-charge-in-two-year-old-case-2/
-----------------
AUGUST- 22- SOME HELP 4 OUR YOUNGBLOODS-
Feds fund anti-violence projects
THE CHRONICLE HERALD
newsroom@herald.ca @chronicleherald
A program trying to prevent girls in the Halifax region from acting out and hurting others has received $3.4 million from Ottawa.
The funding covers five years and is earmarked for an antibullying, anti-violence project run by a division of Bryony House, a local shelter serving abused women and children. The program is aimed at girls ages six to 11, an event in Dartmouth heard Thursday.
Another $1.3 million in federal money, over five years, is going to a Halifax city hall project addressing the problem of gangs in North Preston. The municipality is contributing $70,000 annually in “in-kind" assistance to the program, deputy mayor Darren Fisher told a group attending the funding announcements in an area community centre.
The Bryony House project, Alternative Pathways, is being administered by its BRAVE (Building Resilience through Anti-Violence Education) centre. Participation in the life skills program is voluntary; services are offered at no cost to families.
Halifax’s anti-gang program, Souls Strong, attempts to prevent at-risk young black men from taking part in criminal activity. It targets local residents ages 15 to 20, and was born out of crime data and intelligence from Halifax Regional Police and the RCMP.
Federal Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney attends a news conference at the Dar tmouth Nor th Community Centre on Thursday to announce funding for two community programs. The money is ear marked for an anti-violence, anti-bullying project for girls as well as a program aimed at helping boys and young men in Nor th Preston. RYAN TAPLIN • Staff
-----------
Halifax police ask for help in Kaylin Diggs
death
Halifax
police are asking for the public’s help in solving the death of Kaylin Diggs,
who died a year ago Sunday, after being attacked in downtown Halifax.
(CONTRIBUTED)
His unexpected death from
an attack on a Halifax street prompted friends to organize an anti-violence
march last fall.
But in the year since
Kaylin Diggs was killed, no one has been charged in his death.
The province announced
Friday that his case is now on the Nova Scotia Rewards for Unsolved Homicides
Program list, in hopes that a cash award of up to $150,000 will prompt someone
to come forward.
Diggs was out clubbing in
Halifax with friends in the early morning hours of Aug. 11 when he was
attacked. He tried to help a friend being assaulted by a group of men, but
ended up unconscious and unresponsive in a crosswalk at the corner of Argyle
and Sackville streets.
The 26-year-old Halifax
man, who was engaged to be married, died later in hospital.
Police arrested a man in
the days after Diggs’s death, but released him without charges.
His fiancee, cousin and
friend helped organize a march against violence held in September and attended
by more than 200 people, including friends and families of others lost to violence
in the Halifax Regional Municipality.
“Kaylin’s loved ones have
suffered so much grief and deserve the closure that would come with charges
being laid against his attacker,” Chief Jean-Michel Blais of Halifax Regional
Police said in a news release Friday.
“We believe there are
people who have information regarding Kaylin’s homicide who have not come
forward. We encourage these people to do the right thing and report what they
saw or heard to police so that we can move forward with the investigation.”
Under the rewards program
established in 2006, information leading to the conviction of the person or
people responsible for Diggs’ death can qualify the tipster for a cash award of
up to $150,000.
Information received
through the program led to charges last year in the homicides of Melissa Dawn
Peacock and Narico Danfue Downey, but there are more than 70 other cases still
on the list, the Justice Department said.
Anyone with information
about the Diggs case or any other on the list is asked to call 1-888-710-9090.
Callers will need to provide their name and contact information and calls will
be recorded.
http://thechronicleherald.ca/metro/1146798-halifax-police-ask-for-help-in-kaylin-diggs-death
-----
Q&A with Quentrel Provo, organizer of Stop
the Violence marches
Quentrel Provo wants people to give him a hand in taking a stand against violence after Monday’s 2014 Pepsi Natal Day Parade.
After
losing his best friend, Kaylin Diggs, two summers ago in a downtown assault
that has never seen anyone charged, Provo started helping organize peace
marches.
Now,
the 27-year-old North Preston man wants to see young and old people of all
races hold hands in one link across the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge.
The
first-ever Holding Hands Against Violence event had been approved by Natal Day
organizers and should happen around noon, once the parade is over.
Provo,
a singer-songwriter who released his second album earlier this year, expects it
will be a mostly silent, communal gesture against violence.
He
will continue to organize the Stop the Violence marches.
Explain to me your choice of this name, Holding Hands Against
Violence?
I
find that sometimes we do things so separately... I never heard of anyone
having an event where it stretches from the city to Dartmouth and people
holding hands of all different ages and races and backgrounds against one
cause. Violence has been a big thing here in the city so it will be so powerful
and symbolic at the same time.
Will anybody be doing any speeches?
No.
I gotta get a megaphone... I’ll probably say a few words, you know, and go from
there (to) stretch everyone out across the bridge.
When you do an event like this, how close to your heart are the
people you lost?
Man,
I’ve lost so many cousins over the years and good friends like Martaze Provo,
Brandon Beals, Kaylin obviously, Narico Downey. I grew up playing against Maury
(Jaumar) Carvery in basketball. There’s so many people that I’ve known ... and
they’re not here. They’re the motivation behind my passion to do things like
this.
Do you feel that the (anti-violence) process you’re starting is
getting stronger?
Yeah,
I find that it’s starting to pick up now — and hopefully we’ll go from here.
I’m hoping to get, on Stop the Violence Day this year, to do the march and I
want to have a softball game with the Stop the Violence team and the police
department ... on the Commons.
What position do you play?
I
can pitch a softball, I can catch. I love the outfield, though.
http://thechronicleherald.ca/metro/1226768-qa-with-quentrel-provo-organizer-of-stop-the-violence-marches
----
CeaseFire Halifax continues
fight to stop street violence
MICHAEL LIGHTSTONE Staff
Reporter
Published August 16, 2014 - 5:30pm
Published August 16, 2014 - 5:30pm
BBQ a way to thank community for support, keep communication lines open
A get-together in Halifax on Saturday was hosted by a local
crime-reduction group trying to stop gun violence in an era marked by the drug
culture, a proliferation of firearms and other weapons and street justice.
The community barbecue at the George Dixon Centre was a “thank-you”
event put on by staff and volunteers at CeaseFire Halifax, project manager Viki
Samuels-Stewart said.
She said those working on the government-funded project, which began in
the spring, have been meeting with many individuals, agencies and
organizations. The program focuses on black teens and men, aged 16 to 24.
With the assistance of outreach workers and five or six “violence
interrupters,” its purpose is to try to help the target group’s members change
their behaviour, prevent shootings in the Halifax region and strengthen public
safety.
Samuels-Stewart, a social worker by training who’s been involved in the
areas of human rights and diversity, said the afternoon cookout was a way to
keep the lines of communication open and re-emphasize “the fact the program is
up and running.”
It was “also to thank the community for the support and the welcome
they’ve given us,” she said, as people of all ages lined up for barbecued
hamburgers and children played nearby.
Though the incidents of gun violence are down this year compared to
last, according to Halifax Regional Police, CeaseFire Halifax has lots of work
to do, said Samuels-Stewart. She said project personnel work in such “hot spots” as North Preston, north-end Dartmouth and the Halifax
neighbourhoods of Mulgrave Park and Uniacke Square.
In April, Ottawa announced more than $2 million in funding for the
four-year program. The project is “based on the premise that violence is a
behaviour which is acquired or learned,” a government release says.
“It aims to detect and interrupt violence related to gang activity by
providing … services in the form of individualized therapy, academic and
employability supports and recreational activities to participants and their
families.”
Samuels-Stewart said the project’s workers attempt to gain the trust of
“people we know who are involved in criminal activity involving guns.” She said
the local African-Nova Scotian community has been affected by many shootings
over the years.
“We want to stop the shooting and killing of our young black males,”
Samuels-Stewart told The Chronicle Herald.
http://thechronicleherald.ca/metro/1229994-ceasefire-halifax-continues-fight-to-stop-street-violence
--------------
North Preston's
Finest (abbreviated NPF, also called the North Preston gang, and the ... is a gang of
pimps based in the community of North Preston, Nova Scotia, ... because of the town's
conversion from a sanctuary for Black Loyalists (former .... The PRP suggests that men
in the gang often groom three or four girls at the ...
-----------------
‘I’m asking for help now! Why won’t you help me?’
Mental health system unresponsive to patients in crisis
CANDICE CREESE
Editor’s Note
Candice Creese is a young mother from Dar tmouth who lives with a mental illness.
One in four p eople will b e affected by s ome form o f mental illness in their lives. You hear about all of these statistics. I could list a hundred more, but honestly, would that change anything about the system or how you feel right now?
Would it change all of the articles you’ve read or heard about, with p eople unnecessarily taking their lives, or exp eriencing a mental-health crisis?
I am one of these statistics, but I am also a person, a human being. I am a 28-year-old married mother o f two who has had a diagnosis o f a mental illness since I was 17. I have gone to hell and back a few times in my life with my illness, but have never given up. I am not depression or anxiety. I have a diagnosis of these illnesses. My illness does not define me, who I am, or what I am capable of.
I work in what is considered the “helping field." I have worked in shelters with men, women, children and youth for around five years and have seen firsthand how our health-care system fails people who are experiencing mental illness and crisis on a regular basis.
I have seen people who never receive a proper diagnosis, who are unable to access the medication they need, who need care in a crisis situation that requires hospitalization — and I have watched them be turned away.
If you are appalled reading this, try to imagine witnessing it . It does not matter if someone makes a five-figure income or if they have nothing. These are people — with rights. All of these people are someone’s mother, father, sister, brother or child. Heartbreaking doesn’t even begin to define it. Stigma, as much as we fight it, is alive and well.
I recently gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. She is my rainbow. Ab out a month after she was born, I was diagnosed with postpartum depression. Since I had a prior-existing mental illness, I was four times more likely to experience PPD. I fell under that bracket.
I could tell I was getting sick. I reached out to my doctor; we started medication. The first one didn’t work; the second one ended up putting me in crisis, making me sicker.
During a three-week span in July, I contacted the mobile crisis unit several times, accessing urgent care from them. I made three trips to the emergency room — scared, sick, wanting to run away from my family and my life.
I thought that my family would be better off without me if I could just get on a plane or a bus; it would take all the burden away from them. I even had thoughts about ending my life because the suffering was b ecoming to o painfu l.I was reaching out to every resource that I could think of (that I knew professionally) and even scoured the Internet. The one place where it was recommended I could be cared for was closed for summer vacation. When you called their telephone numb er, they referred you to the emergency room if it was a crisis.
Every time I went to the emergency room, I was turned away. I was told to come back when I actually was going to go through with killing myself. The logical part of me was baffled by this. So, after I decide on how I am going to die, you think that I am going to stop by the hospital and let you know?
During my last emergency room visit, I left after they told me there was nothing they cou ld do. But my husband stayed behind and b egged them to do something. He asked them, “What happens if my wife follows through with killing herself ?" Their response was, “That would be very unfortunate, sir."
I’m asking for help now! Why won’t you help me?
Then the circle would begin again. You have to wait until the unit you need reopens and your app ointment comes up. There is nothing we can do for you in the meantime.
Nothing you can do?
And people wonder why there are so many unnecessary tragedies happening.
It’s because there is nothing they can do; there are not enough beds, not enough doctors, not enough funding . Waiting times are months long .
I see a lot of excuses and not enough accountability for the severe lack of care for mental health patients in our system.
Where is the hope?
I was told to come back when I actually was going to go through with killing myself. The logical part of me was baffled by this. So, after I decide on how I am going to die, you think that I am going to stop by the hospital and let you know?
STEPHANIE YOUNG • Photo Illustration
Mental health system unresponsive to patients in crisis
CANDICE CREESE
Editor’s Note
Candice Creese is a young mother from Dar tmouth who lives with a mental illness.
One in four p eople will b e affected by s ome form o f mental illness in their lives. You hear about all of these statistics. I could list a hundred more, but honestly, would that change anything about the system or how you feel right now?
Would it change all of the articles you’ve read or heard about, with p eople unnecessarily taking their lives, or exp eriencing a mental-health crisis?
I am one of these statistics, but I am also a person, a human being. I am a 28-year-old married mother o f two who has had a diagnosis o f a mental illness since I was 17. I have gone to hell and back a few times in my life with my illness, but have never given up. I am not depression or anxiety. I have a diagnosis of these illnesses. My illness does not define me, who I am, or what I am capable of.
I work in what is considered the “helping field." I have worked in shelters with men, women, children and youth for around five years and have seen firsthand how our health-care system fails people who are experiencing mental illness and crisis on a regular basis.
I have seen people who never receive a proper diagnosis, who are unable to access the medication they need, who need care in a crisis situation that requires hospitalization — and I have watched them be turned away.
If you are appalled reading this, try to imagine witnessing it . It does not matter if someone makes a five-figure income or if they have nothing. These are people — with rights. All of these people are someone’s mother, father, sister, brother or child. Heartbreaking doesn’t even begin to define it. Stigma, as much as we fight it, is alive and well.
I recently gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. She is my rainbow. Ab out a month after she was born, I was diagnosed with postpartum depression. Since I had a prior-existing mental illness, I was four times more likely to experience PPD. I fell under that bracket.
I could tell I was getting sick. I reached out to my doctor; we started medication. The first one didn’t work; the second one ended up putting me in crisis, making me sicker.
During a three-week span in July, I contacted the mobile crisis unit several times, accessing urgent care from them. I made three trips to the emergency room — scared, sick, wanting to run away from my family and my life.
I thought that my family would be better off without me if I could just get on a plane or a bus; it would take all the burden away from them. I even had thoughts about ending my life because the suffering was b ecoming to o painfu l.I was reaching out to every resource that I could think of (that I knew professionally) and even scoured the Internet. The one place where it was recommended I could be cared for was closed for summer vacation. When you called their telephone numb er, they referred you to the emergency room if it was a crisis.
Every time I went to the emergency room, I was turned away. I was told to come back when I actually was going to go through with killing myself. The logical part of me was baffled by this. So, after I decide on how I am going to die, you think that I am going to stop by the hospital and let you know?
During my last emergency room visit, I left after they told me there was nothing they cou ld do. But my husband stayed behind and b egged them to do something. He asked them, “What happens if my wife follows through with killing herself ?" Their response was, “That would be very unfortunate, sir."
I’m asking for help now! Why won’t you help me?
Then the circle would begin again. You have to wait until the unit you need reopens and your app ointment comes up. There is nothing we can do for you in the meantime.
Nothing you can do?
And people wonder why there are so many unnecessary tragedies happening.
It’s because there is nothing they can do; there are not enough beds, not enough doctors, not enough funding . Waiting times are months long .
I see a lot of excuses and not enough accountability for the severe lack of care for mental health patients in our system.
Where is the hope?
I was told to come back when I actually was going to go through with killing myself. The logical part of me was baffled by this. So, after I decide on how I am going to die, you think that I am going to stop by the hospital and let you know?
STEPHANIE YOUNG • Photo Illustration
AND..
VOICE OF THE
PEOPLE | AUG. 22, 2014
Published August 21, 2014 - 4:54pm
Social fabric fraying
Re: “Why won’t you help
me?,” (Aug. 20 opinion piece on the failures of the mental health system). I
read your reader’s plea, as reflected above, with a combination of shame and
horror. In the vernacular of our youth, “Are you kidding me?”
What in Heaven’s name is
wrong with us? What has happened to our “just society”? Why are we so unwilling
to give, to help, to care? As the late former premier, Dr. John Savage, once
remarked during a keynote address to a Canadian Red Cross Nova Scotia Branch
Humanitarian Award Dinner: “What has happened to our moral compass?”
There was time when we
spoke not only of our just society, but of our “social contract” with all of
its inhabitants. That social contract has been broken. The result is feelings
of hopelessness and helplessness amongst many — young people, the elderly,
visible minorities, those with certain illnesses, the mentally ill, the
intellectually and physically challenged, indigenous peoples, etc.
The facts underpinning this
story are evidence of a social tragedy of epic proportions. What happened to
your reader when her cry for help was ignored is a shameful indictment of us
all.
Gavin Giles, Q.C., Halifax
-----------------
.png)
--------------------------
Walk A Mile In My Shoes
and Man up- respect women- proving u respect yourselves...
BREAK THE CHAIN
-----------------
2012
CeasefireThe Nova Scotia Department of Justice, the Community Justice Society and the HRM Public Safety Officer, in conjunction with other public safety key stakeholders, began exploring the possibility of implementing a violence interruption initiative modelled on Cure Violence (formerly CeaseFire Chicago), an innovative program which employs an interdisciplinary, public health approach to violence prevention. The program is now being used across the United States and in 11 countries around the world.
Don’t be that guy/Be more than a bystander campaign –
May
This video/poster campaign, which was launched to coincide with Sexual Assault Awareness Month, strived to empower each of us to be more than a bystander and help create a culture that stands up against abusive attitudes and behaviours directed towards women early on, before they’ve had the chance to escalate to violence. Halifax Regional Police partnered with Avalon Centre, Bryony House, Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women, and Transition House Association of Nova Scotia on the ‘Don’t be that guy poster’ campaign, and worked with influential men in our community on the video campaign to encourage men to ‘Be more than a bystander.’
This video/poster campaign, which was launched to coincide with Sexual Assault Awareness Month, strived to empower each of us to be more than a bystander and help create a culture that stands up against abusive attitudes and behaviours directed towards women early on, before they’ve had the chance to escalate to violence. Halifax Regional Police partnered with Avalon Centre, Bryony House, Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women, and Transition House Association of Nova Scotia on the ‘Don’t be that guy poster’ campaign, and worked with influential men in our community on the video campaign to encourage men to ‘Be more than a bystander.’
Dalhousie Restorative Justice Pilot Project
– launched September
This partnership between police, NS Department of Justice and Dalhousie University provides an opportunity for students involved in Liquor Control Act and minor criminal offences to be diverted from the court system and take part in a restorative justice model that seeks to repair the harms to community and modify the behaviour of the offender.
This partnership between police, NS Department of Justice and Dalhousie University provides an opportunity for students involved in Liquor Control Act and minor criminal offences to be diverted from the court system and take part in a restorative justice model that seeks to repair the harms to community and modify the behaviour of the offender.
2013
This is an interactive online site that provides citizens with contextual and timely information about crime in HRM. The site, accessible at www.halifax.ca/Police/PublicSafety/HRMCrimeMapping.php, is updated daily at 12:15 a.m. and plots incidents of five specific crime types – robberies, assaults, break and enters, thefts of vehicles and thefts from vehicles – on a map of HRM.
National Prescription Drug Drop-Off Day – May
The HRM Public Safety Office, in conjunction with Capital Health and the Nova Scotia Chiefs of Police Association, hosted a free prescription drug drop-off day at Mic Mac Mall. The drop-off day provided a quick and convenient opportunity for citizens to dispose of expired and unused medication in a safe and environmentally friendly way. At the end of the day, four 20-litre buckets filled with expired and unused prescriptions drugs including 1,200 narcotics were handed over to Capital Health for proper disposal.
The Youth Advocate Program is a neighborhood-based intervention program targeting youth between the ages of 9 to 14 years who are at risk of, or involved in, criminal activity and/or gangs. On May 13, the HRM Board of Police Commissioners approved a request from Halifax Regional Council to transfer the full YAP budget to HRM Public Safety Office under the jurisdiction of the HRM Board of Police Commissioners. Community and Recreation Services staff will continue to operate the program as an internal HRM service provider to Halifax Regional Police. The current staff team is comprised of a project manager, program assistant, 6 youth advocate workers, and one part time community worker. As of March 2013, 30 youths from six communities were enrolled in YAP.
Girls United Project – May
The Girls United project is an innovative and life-changing program for girls ages 12-14 that face a number of risks factors, including a lack of positive role models, personal conflict or friends involved in crime or gang activities. These challenges lead them to be more vulnerable to sexual abuse, prostitution and drug use. The program involves a series of experiential learning modules designed to address gender-based risk factors for girls and help girls develop the resiliency and self-reliance they need to succeed. The Girls United Project is coordinated by HRM’s Youth Advocate Program and delivered by a wide range of partners including Heartwood Centre for Community Youth Development, the Elizabeth Fry Society of Nova Scotia, Atlantic Youth, East Dartmouth Boys and Girls Club, the Empathy Factory, the Halifax Youth Attendance Centre, Kachina Health Associates, HRM’s Adventure Earth Centre and Banana Republic.
Don’t be that guy – May
This poster campaign, which was launched to coincide with Sexual Assault Awareness Month, strived to empower each of us to help create a culture that stands up against abusive attitudes and behaviours directed towards women early on, before they’ve had the chance to escalate to violence. Halifax Regional Police partnered with Avalon Centre, Bryony House, Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women, and Transition House Association of Nova Scotia on the campaign.
2014
Souls
Strong - launched in JanuaryWith the participation of community residents, community leaders and service providers, the Souls Strong Project will prevent young men between the ages of 15 to 20 years from engaging in anti-social and criminal behaviours while enhancing community safety. The Souls Strong project will operate in the African Nova Scotian community of North Preston. It will target young men between the ages of 15 to 20 years who are at risk of involvement or who are involved in criminal activity.
Be more than a bystander campaign - April
This video campaign was re-launched to mark Sexual Assault Awareness Month and new messages were added from Halifax Regional Municipality Mayor Mike Savage, Sgt. Mark Hobeck from the HRP/RCMP Integrated Sexual Assault Investigation Team and Cst. Isabelle Jacques of Halifax RCMP. The campaign encourages each of us to be more than a bystander and take action when we witness abusive attitudes and behaviours toward women.
Ceasefire HRM - launched April 11
The Ceasefire HRM project will be operating for the next several years under the coordination of the Community Justice Society. It is based on a proven violence reduction model known as Cure Violence that is run out of the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health. The model, first developed by Dr. Gary Slutkin, treats violence in the same manner a contagious disease would be treated; by interrupting direct transmission, focusing on those most likely to be infected, and encouraging a community-wide adaption of behaviour. The HRM Public Safety Office supported the Department of Justice and the Community Justice Society throughout the process to bring the CeaseFire program to HRM.
----------------
PROVINCE
OF NOVA SCOTIA-
Nova
Scotia’s Approach to Crime Prevention: 2012-
13 Actions
PARTNERSHIPS:
Crime Prevention Advisory Circle:
Working together toward a common purpose
The
Province’s actions to reduce and prevent crime will be supported through a new
Crime Prevention Advisory Circle
.
The
Advisory Circle will consider how government can combine resources to
deliver
crime prevention efforts. The Advisory Circle will identify actions that can
make a positive impact in communities in Nova Scotia highlight best practices
us
ed in
other areas of the country and abroad and identify ways to support communities.
BUILDING
OUR CAPACITY TO RESPOND THROUGH RESTORATIVE APPROACHES:
Restorative Practices in Schools:
Keeping students in school and out of crime
Restorative
approaches put the emphasis on the wrong done to a person as well as the wrong done
to the community. Individuals must accept responsibility for their actions and
be actively involved in improving the situation. The restorative approach has
broad application beyond the criminal justice system.
The use of restorative approaches in schools
in North America and Europe has revealed the critical link between
restorative
responses and school attachment. This is vital –staying attached and completing
school greatly improves students’ odds of future success and greatly reduces
their odds of participating in crime in the future. We will develop a
restorative approaches initiative for our school system. We will begin by
developing the tools and resources that Nova Scotia’s school administrators
need to implement a restorative approach in schools.
Dalhousie Restorative Responses
Project: An alternative for student conduct issues
Dalhousie
University, the province and Halifax Regional Police are partnering to pilot
the nation’s first comprehensive restorative program for university students.
The program will give students an opportunity to accept
responsibility for and understand the effect of their actions. Referrals can be
made by police under the Adult Restorative Justice Pilot guidelines as well as
through the
residence
life program.
Adult Pilots for the Nova Scotia
Restorative Justice Program: New accountability for adults
Building
on the proven success of the Nova Scotia Restorative Justice Program for 12–to-17-year-olds,
we will continue to test Nova Scotia’s first adult pilot programs. Restorative
Justice agencies and correctional services officers will continue to work
together at the two pilot sites in Colchester/East Hants and the Cape Breton
Regional Municipality. The pilots will be evaluated this year.
Restorative Practices for
Incarcerated Youth: Promoting accountability and interpersonal
skills
The Nova
Scotia Youth Facility will pilot a restorative practices project for youth in
the facility. Partnerships will be established with a range of community and
expert partners and an evaluation framework will be developed.
A New Restorative Approach to
Senior Abuse: Creating early intervention options
The
issues related to emotional, physical, financial abuse or negle
ct of
vulnerable seniors are complex. Often the abuser is a caregiver or family
member. Early intervention with restorative approaches can assist in holding
the abuser accountable while repairing family relationships. A network of
committed organizations and individuals –including elder-law specialists, legal
professionals, academic researchers, restorative practitioners and seniors –are
partnering with us to develop this model.
SMART
TARGETED ENFORCEMENT STRATEGIES:
Regional Police Crime Analysts: Supporting
strategic policing efforts
A small
proportion of offenders are responsible for most criminal activity. Research
suggests that 15 percent of alleged offenders are responsible for 58 percent of
all alleged crime in Canada. For this reason, it makes sense to focus efforts
on active offenders. The Province will support this through the
development
of regional police crime analysts to ensure police actions are informed by monitoring
crime trends and patterns.
Working Together to Respond to
Gun Violence: Sharing knowledge and planning a path
In May 2012, the province and key community partners
are hosting a knowledge exchange event to explore responses to
gun violence and will begin work on implementing the internationally respected Cease
Fire Chicago program, which has had success in reducing gun-related violence in
Chicago communities by as much as 67 percent.
Strengthening road safety
efforts: We all share a responsibility to be safe
We all
share a responsibility to be safe. Nova Scotia’s Road Safety priorities include
speeding, driver distraction, seatbelts and impaired driving. Road safety is a
big part of community safety and is a key focus that we will be maintaining,
with the support of our police partners.
TACKLING
ROOT CAUSES:
Continued Commitment to the
Lighthouses Program: Helping youth connect to their
Communities
The
Lighthouses Program partners connect at-risk youth to positive adult mentors
and positive social activity. In 2011-12, Nova Scotia funded 20 programs and
connected with over 1,200 at-risk youth. Nova Scotia will continue to fund the
program, engage more partners and develop a stable four-year funding model for
the program.
Creating a Crime Prevention
Planning Guide: Supporting communities with planning tools
A
Community Crime Prevention Planning Guide will be developed to begin community discussion
on crime prevention and to assist communities in leading a crime prevention response.
Each community is different, and one size does not fit all. The guide will
allow for tailoring to local issues and help define specific needs in crime
prevention, to reflect the reality that every community is different.
Crime Prevention Planning for
Distinct Groups: Reducing victimization and over representation
We will
collaborate through the Offices of African Nova Scotian Affairs and Aboriginal
Affairs and the Mi’kmaw-Nova Scotia-Canada Tripartite Forum to establish
mechanisms to support communities experiencing high crime and victimization
rates. We are collaborating with community partners
to
develop new informational materials in a range of languages for immigrants and
new Canadians.
Better Reintegration of Inmates:
Preventing the cycle of reoffending
The
research is clear: if we lower the chance of reoffending, we enhance community safety.
That
requires a planned, coordinated and supportive integration of offenders into
the community. Healthy reintegration also involves healthy family life. We will
collaborate with community partners to pilot a new parenting program targeting
vulnerable and high-risk populations, in both institutions and community
settings.
A pilot
of a “Housing First” approach will also be developed, to support reintegration
through safe, affordable housing and social supports.
ADDRESSING
VICITMIZATION:
Nova Scotia’s Domestic Violence
Action Plan: Working across government and with the
community to ensure the safety of
women and children
Speedy, effective support reduces the lasting impact
of crime on victims, particularly in domestic violence situations. Nova Scotia
has recently increased efforts in this area, launching our Domestic Violence
Action Plan
with 48
distinct actions designed to ensure we begin to work differently in responding
to and preventing domestic violence. Key actions this year are
initiatives
focused on victims, perpetrators, at-risk families, youth, community and
workers; creating awareness building opportunities to bring together
neighbours, friends and families to learn about how they can help; and piloting
the Domestic Violence Court Program to help the justice system respond more
effectively to domestic violence. The successful implementation of the action
plan is a key crime prevention outcome. For more information, please visit the
Province’s
Domestic Violence Resource Centre at
---------------------
Federal
Government helps Nova Scotia in fight against crime
Federally-funded crime prevention program to help at-risk male
youth and ensure safer communities for all.
April 11, 2014
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia Public Safety Canada
The Honourable Peter
MacKay, Regional Minister for Nova Scotia, Minister of Justice and Attorney
General of Canada, on behalf of the Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of
Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, today announced $2,088,176 in federal
funding for the crime prevention project CeaseFire that will help 120 male youth,
aged 16 to 25, who are involved in, or at high risk of involvement with
criminal activity in the Halifax Regional Municipality. The Honourable Lena
Diab, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Nova Scotia also participated
in today's announcement.
The project, run by
Nova Scotia's Community Justice Society, is based on the premise that violence
is a behavior which is acquired or learned. It aims to detect and interrupt
violence related to gang activity by providing violence reduction services in
the form of individualized therapy, academic and employability supports, and
recreational activities to participants and their families. This project will
help youth avoid gang crime related activities, disengage from gangs, and increase
community connections, as well as learn skills to better contribute and grow.
Quick
Facts
- From
April 2012 to March 2013, our Government funded 105 active, multi-year
community-based crime prevention projects through the National Crime
Prevention Centre, in which more than 16,000 at-risk youth participated.
- Since
the creation of the Youth Gang Prevention Fund in 2007, $27.9 million in
funding has been approved for a total of 19 projects in cities across
Canada.
- Our
Government has committed ongoing funding to support the Youth Gang
Prevention Fund. This fund invests in communities where youth gangs are an
existing or emerging threat, and supports initiatives that clearly target
youth in gangs or at greatest risk of joining gangs.
Quotes
“The safety of our communities is an effort that includes the
participation of all members of our society, including youth vulnerable to
crime. Our Government is working closely with our partners here in Halifax, and
across the country, to enhance public safety and give youth tools by which to
grow and contribute positively to their communities. By supporting projects
such as this one, we are delivering on our promise to Nova Scotians, by helping
youth stay away from crime and ensuring our families and communities are better
protected. Together, we can build a stronger, safer country for generations to
come.”
- The Honourable Peter MacKay, Regional Minister for Nova Scotia, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
- The Honourable Peter MacKay, Regional Minister for Nova Scotia, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
“We are tackling crime and building safer communities for
Canadians. Reducing crime requires a sustained and joint effort – from
Government, from law enforcement, and from individuals and organizations in our
communities. Projects like CeaseFire keep our streets and communities safe
while providing youth with the tools to help them make smart choices.”
- The Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
- The Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
“All Nova Scotians want to live in safe communities free from
violence. To help achieve this, we need to learn how to move youth away from
violence. By working with partners like the Community Justice Society and our
federal colleagues we're hopeful the successful Ceasefire program will reduce
gun violence and save young lives in our province.”
- The Honourable Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Nova Scotia
- The Honourable Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Nova Scotia
“The Community Justice Society is delighted and excited to have
the opportunity to be part of this unique project CeaseFire/Cure Violence
where a public health model to stop shootings and killings is used. The
model combines Science and Street Outreach to track where violence is heating
up and then cool the situation down. The ultimate goal is to save lives- we
believe that this project will have a positive impact on our communities.”
- Yvonne Atwell, Executive Director of the Community Justice Society.
- Yvonne Atwell, Executive Director of the Community Justice Society.
Associated
Links
Contacts
Paloma Aguilar
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Justice
613-992-4621
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Justice
613-992-4621
Media Relations
Public Safety Canada
613-991-0657
Public Safety Canada
613-991-0657
Follow Public Safety
Canada (@Safety_Canada)
on Twitter.
For more information,
please visit the website www.publicsafety.gc.ca.
-----------------------------
BLOGGED:
CANADA MILITARY NEWS: Nova Scotia Domestic Violence Shelters/BULLYCIDE-BULLY HELP SITES/Homeless Shelters/UK /Australia/Canada- u matter- MARCH 8- INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY.... One Billion rising- breaking the chains- no more excuses- Nova Scotia honours Warrior Woman Rita MacNeil March 8th concert of remembrance
http://nova0000scotia.blogspot.ca/2013/12/canada-military-news-nova-scotia.html
CANADA MILITARY NEWS: Nova Scotia Domestic Violence Shelters/BULLYCIDE-BULLY HELP SITES/Homeless Shelters/UK /Australia/Canada- u matter- MARCH 8- INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY.... One Billion rising- breaking the chains- no more excuses- Nova Scotia honours Warrior Woman Rita MacNeil March 8th concert of remembrance
http://nova0000scotia.blogspot.ca/2013/12/canada-military-news-nova-scotia.html
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.