Debate rages over federal parties' crime plans
Manitobans got a chance Tuesday night to see very clear differences in how federal political parties would tackle crime if they gain power in the upcoming federal election.
People heard during the televised leader’s debate that the Conservatives would offer more jail time for violent offenders, and the Liberals and NDP support more crime prevention.
Liz Wolff, a Winnipeg social worker who manages programs dealing with at-risk youth, knows what she thinks.
"I believe that the Conservative government's position of tough on crime is dangerous economically, and for communities, because we know that time in jail teaches young people to be further criminalized," she said.
Wolff is a manager with New Directions — a program in downtown Winnipeg aimed at getting at-risk aboriginal, African refugee, and other youth away from car theft, violence, and other criminal activity. She says incarceration costs about $100,000 per year per offender, whereas crime prevention costs about $15,000 per year.
But an ex-gang member — one that that Wolff once worked with — prefers Harper's plan for stiffer sentences for criminals.
"I think it's good — I think they should add on more time to the people who actually do these kind of crimes," said 24-year-old Jamie Lee Cameron. CBC News interviewed him outside the downtown YMCA, where another young man — Abdul Rahim Mah Jemei, 22 — was recently stabbed to death.
Cameron says he left a street gang two years ago, and now wants to return to school. He says he was beat up badly when he signaled he wanted out of gang life.
"Some of them make threats on your life, some people try to send other gangsters after you."
But Wolff said crime prevention programs help at-risk youth make the transition away from gangs by improving their literacy and job skills, and dealing with mental health issues stemming from traumatic childhood circumstances they could not control.
She also says one of her programs, aimed at youth aged 16-24, is under threat.
A key program was about to be shut down at the end of March until she finally received word from Federal Minister Vic Toews that New Directions would receive an extra 3 months of bridge funding from Ottawa.
She worries the funding will stop if the Conservatives get reelected, and the spotlight of the election is over.
"I guess the cynical part of me worries that the funding for our program will unfold by whatever political events unfold in Ottawa," said Wolff.
During leader’s debate, Harper was attacked for cutting funding to such programs. He rejected the accusations, and reinforced his get-tough-on-crime message.
"But none of that relieves us of our responsibility to make sure that punishment fits the crime," said Harper.
By contrast, Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff favoured more funding for crime prevention.
"I met a young boy in Winnipeg ... who is poised between falling back into a gang, or finishing high school, that's the critical pivot moment in crime prevention strategy."
NDP leader Jack Layton favours attacking the underlying causes of crime - such as poverty on reserves - that many aboriginal people face.
"And where do they find themselves? Drifting into the temptations of crime, and then ultimately ending up in jail in far too high a percentage."
A recent University of Manitoba report stated more than 70 per cent of Manitoba prisoners are aboriginal people.
