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Locking up ‘prolific offenders’ will do nothing

Editor: In response to many claims that this city council has anything to do with crime reduction.

Editor:

In response to many claims that this city council has anything to do with crime reduction.

“However, the City says the majority of crime committed within City limits is perpetrated by non-residents. Most violent crime is committed by criminals on other criminals.” (Tribune, Aug. 3).

It’s OK. Don’t be frightened. It’s somebody else’s kids, someone else’s backyard.

“As I’ve said, we have made great strides in reducing crime overall, especially property crime,” (Mayor Kerry Cook, quoted in the Tribune, Aug. 3).

“(Tom) Wong’s problems were greatly reduced after he installed roll-down shutters at a cost of $20,000 …. A security firm still checks on the doors several times each night, and 32 video-surveillance cameras have been installed on his properties.” (The Province, Jan. 24)

The community thanks Mr. Wong for spending his business revenues on security, so our property crime stats have gone down, making our politicians look better.

“One of the turning points came in 2008 when Williams Lake became one of six B.C. cities to take part in a pilot project targeting prolific offenders. Repeat offenders are held to the conditions of their probation orders. If the order says a person is supposed to be at home asleep at 3 a.m., it is enforced. …

“‘We visit prolific offenders, knock on their doors and let them know we’re out there,’ (Staff Sgt. Warren Brown) says.” (The Province, Jan. 24).

So the prolific offenders program was lobbied prior to 2008. Thank you to the previous council.

“We have a social issue in this town. There are a lot of prolific offenders who don’t want to change … It’s very troubling to see a segment of your community that cannot be healed,” she (Sheila Mortensen) says. (Province, Jan. 24 2011).

Thank you for caring enough to point this out. However, my research shows that most of William Lake’s “prolific offenders” have FASD, which means, in a nut shell, that they have no cause and effect, brain function. Locking them up will do nothing, hence all downtown windows being smashed again.

Speaking for my children,

Tru and Liv;

Jessica Boate (Lively)

Williams Lake