The B.C. government is highlighting a 50 per cent drop in police encounters with repeat violent offenders.
They credit the success to its Repeat Violent Offending Intervention Initiative launched in May 2023 to help break cycles of crime.
The Ministry of Public Safety says the decrease was seen over 18 months after offenders were designated under the program.
Public Safety Minister Nina Krieger called it a real boost to community safety, with offenders better monitored and kept off the streets longer. Crown counsel have been approving charges faster in appropriate cases and opposing bail more often, resulting in longer custody times.
The program also uses community integration specialists to connect chronic offenders with supports like substance abuse or mental health services, offering enhanced case management and closer monitoring.
Those who engage with the program stay charge-free longer, while persistent reoffenders face swift enforcement and extended incarceration.
Over 500 individuals have been offered support so far, with program hubs in 12 communities across the province, including several in the Lower Mainland and on Vancouver Island.
-with files from Andrew Weichel CTV
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