By paNOW

RCMP targeting repeat breaches with offender management program

Nov 30, 2018 | 3:27 PM

RCMP members across the north are targeting those who routinely breach court orders as part of an offender management program in several communities.

Cpl. Ryan Rempel with the Big River RCMP said local-area detachments are partnering on the initiative with those working in the justice system to monitor people on court-ordered conditions in an effort to reduce crime.

Rempel said the offender management program works with prosecutors and probation officers to identify and monitor people who are most likely to breach court orders.

“It was created to increase public and victim safety, it aims to reduce rural crime and address domestic violence in repeat offenders,” Rempel told paNOW. “The condition, to the offender, is esstentially just a piece of paper at the end of the day, and if they choose not to follow that they can, unless we monitor.”

Rempel said officers are especially focused on those deemed at high risk of breaching court conditions.

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“It’s our goal to be on top of these people and ensure they are abiding by those conditions, and if they’re not, they’ll be back in custody,” he added. “It’s a very small percentage of people that do commit crime in communities, and normally those people are already on a court-ordered condition, so if we can monitor those people closely, we should be able to reduce crime.”

The program has been initiated in other northern Saskatchewan communities with positive results, Rempel said. Early numbers show both crime and calls to police are down significantly in areas where the program is in place.

“We can see where the program’s working,” he said. “We’re getting a positive response from the community … they’re happy to see that we’re taking on this initiative.”

A 2017 federal government report found that most offenders are successful in following court-ordered conditions without breaches. In an emailed statement to paNOW, the Correctional Service of Canada said most federal offenders work with a parole officer when they are released to ensure they are complying with court conditions.

The CSC says parole officers work with many different community agencies to help offenders find stable housing, work and position contacts in the community.

Charlene.tebbutt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @CharleneTebbutt