Calgary Still Safe, Despite Reported Rise in Gang-Related Crimes
A recent survey conducted by the Calgary Police Service confirms what most in Calgary were already thinking: our city is a safe place to live, free from most threats of crime and home to a population that is pretty happy with the way things are going.
Among the major findings of this survey that 95% of Calgarians feel safe in their city, and that 95% of people approve of the job the Calgary Police Service is doing. With their increased emphasis on public outreach and community building as a means of preventing crime by turning potential offenders towards other lifestyles and behaviors, it is little wonder that the stats fell where they did. Crime prevention and intervention programs such as the Youth At-Risk Development (YARD) Program help steer at-risk youth away from gang affiliation, which has had a notable effect on gang-related crimes over the past several years.
Allegedly gang-related violence has seen a recent spike in Calgary in the past few months, however, which was also noted by survey respondents. It is important to note that this perceived increase in gang violence is relative only to the past year; compared to the first decade of the new millennium, gang violence in Calgary remains quite low. The fact that Calgary's citizens feel safe even though many have noted the increased reports of gang-related crime and gang-related violence as a serious problem is also a sign that outreach programs are working.
Gangs thrive when they are kept on the fringes of Calgary society. When gang members are welcomed into larger communities rather than feared, and are given opportunities instead of being kept at a disadvantaged distance, the vast majority elect to leave behind any potential criminality and forge happier and more productive futures. The recent spike in violence is tragic, but is not an indicator that the average Calgary citizen has anything to fear or even that gangs are becoming the problem in our city that they once were.
There have also been separate reports from the Calgary Police that the type of "gangs" seen in the city today are much smaller and looser affiliations of people that are truly only temporary. Compared to the long-running and large-scale gangs of Calgary's recent past, today's gangs are a different element altogether.
Your Defence for Gang-Related Charges in Calgary
Though gang-related crimes and violence have generally declined in the Greater Calgary Area over the past several years, many Calgary citizens still find themselves charged with gang-related activities. Families can seek help through various diversion and intervention programs by talking with their school's resources and/or with the Calgary Police Service.
Help is also available for those who have been charged with gang-related crime sin Calgary. If you or a family member is facing a criminal charge got gang affiliation or any gang-related crime in the Calgary area, you are entitled to consult with a lawyer to help plan and carry out your defence. Contact Calgary criminal defence lawyer Susan Karpa today for a free consultation, and get the help you deserve.