Sudbury bands initiate crime prevention program

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A needs assessment program focusing on community safety will be conducted in the Sudbury area over the next year. The Aboriginal Community/ Police Advisory Committee of Sudbury has received federal funds to launch a crime prevention program.

Nancy Cada, a member of the Sheshegwaning First Nation on Manitoulin Island, will co-ordinate the Aboriginal Community Needs Assessment Project. Her task will be to identify the crime prevention programs needed.

Cada, a graduate of Cambrian and Georgian community colleges, brings a background in paralegal work and business to her new post. She is currently working on a degree in law and justice at Laurentian University in Sudbury.

"I have always been drawn to this kind of work," she said. "I do what needs to be done and I do it with honesty and fairness.

"It (crime prevention) is an issue I care about. In the past two years I have seen an over-representation of our people coming through the system. Crime prevention is the only way to stop it."

The $30,000 project, supported by the Department of Justice Community Mobilization Program, will run from October 2002 to October 2003.

The Aboriginal Community/Police Advisory Committee was formed in January 2000. "The goal is to create better relations between the police department and the Aboriginal community. We also want to promote cross-cultural understanding," Cada said.

The committee, which meets monthly, is made up of representatives from across the greater city of Sudbury, and has representatives from the health, housing, child welfare, education and court sectors.

The committee works closely with an Aboriginal liaison officer hired by the Greater Sudbury Police Services in 1999.

The needs assessment will utilize a variety of research methods, Cada said. Focus groups, surveys and one-on-one interviews will be conducted with Aboriginal stakeholders. Interviews will involve members of the Whitefish Lake and Wahnapitae First Nations.

Cada intends to survey crown attorneys, youth detention centre staff, frontline workers and Elders.

Cada has observed that many community members are concerned about property crime.

"Some people are worried about vandalism and break-and-enters," she said. "Although the survey will look at all ages, we want to talk to a lot of youth. We need to find ways to keep kids from starting such activities. What can we put in place in order for them not to get in trouble?"

Cada expects to complete her preliminary research by the new year. January is the target for conducting community forums, depending on direction received from her advisory committee.