Aldergrove Star

“The time for talk is over. The time for action is now!” says the Concerned Citizens for Criminal Justice Reform (CCCJR).

This community group formed at the beginning of 2008 to address the issue of property crime being committed in their neighbourhoods by prolific offenders. The need for change within the criminal justice system became apparent at that time and has been reinforced and magnified with the increase in violent gang activity in recent months.

Arising out of an initiative between the CCCJR and the federal Conservative Member of Parliament Mark Warawa, a meeting of a broad group of community stakeholders was convened in January 2009.

This group’s intent was to identify specific actions that could be taken at the community, provincial and federal levels to initiate tangible reforms within the criminal justice system.

The stakeholders represented were MP Mark Warawa, the offices of Langley MLAs Rich Coleman and Mary Polak, the Mayors and Councils from the Langleys, Langley RCMP, Surrey RCMP, Abbotsford Police Department, Fire and Rescue Services from Langley and Surrey, Dr. Daryl Plecas of the University of the Fraser Valley, retired Judge Wallace Craig, and other community and business leaders.

The group has now met on three separate occasions and identified specific action items including those brought forward at the meeting of the Lower Mainland Mayors that was held in Surrey in February 2009. Out of this Mayor’s Meeting, there were 12 recommendations that the CCCJR has endorsed as fundamental to any justice reform initiatives.

The spokesperson for CCCJR, Carole Mills, stated that she was “thrilled to see this group focused on action, rather than just more talk.”

She went on to add that she was delighted to see representation from all levels of government willing to step forward and push for long overdue changes to the criminal justice system.

Mayor Peter Fassbender from the City of Langley said, “Both Mayors of the Langleys see this as a very positive example of how many of us in the community need to work together to apply pressure for needed reform and new legislation. We support CCCJR wholeheartedly and are committed to working within the community for change.”

The group plans to meet again in the near future to receive updates from the upcoming April 4 Lower Mainland Regional Mayor’s Meeting on justice reform.

Following is the list of recommendations from Lower Mainland Municipal Response to Gang Violence meeting, February 19, 2009, Surrey City Hall, and endorsed by the CCCJR board:
• Clarify that firearms charges should not be plea-bargained, offenders should not be granted bail, and the courts must implement minimum mandatory sentences;
• Simplify disclosure requirements as they are currently too onerous and taxing on police resources;
• Remove remand credit for time spent in jail prior to sentencing;
• Enhance our border integrity with respect to firearms;
• Co-ordinate our approaches to gang prevention/education strategies and include parents as a first line of contact;
• Streamline court processes and prosecution for gang and gun related offences;
• Initiate a Regional Courtwatch Program
• Establish a dedicated Crown Counsel for gang related crime;
• Allocate new police resources to deal with weapons/gang activities;
• Fund additional capacity for courts, including longer hours for court sittings and request that the provincial government review its planned cuts to court services and corrections;
• Support provincial initiatives regarding body armour/armoured vehicles; and
• Increase the usage of Proceeds of Crime legislation.