Fact Sheets

Crime Prevention and Victim Services

QUICK FACTS • Over 200 programs to assist communities in preventing crime or reducing the fear of crime. • Specific needs of crime victims are addressed through responsive community-based police services • Helps communities through education, public awareness programs, and by promoting inter-agency co-operation and direct communication. • Consults with community members and analyzes crimes to determine the appropriate service objectives and to increase awareness about community violence.

Overview
The RCMP develops and implements responsive community-based police services to address the specific needs of crime victims. The Crime Prevention and Victim Services branch helps communities through education, public awareness programs, and by promoting inter-agency co-operation and direct communication.

Strategic Direction
Crime Prevention and Victim Services provides input into the overall strategic direction of the RCMP. Strategic thinking is necessary to assess where the RCMP is going in the future with regard to proactive policing and problem solving.

The RCMP keeps track of changes in demographics, societal trends, environmental scans, government publications, and the work of consultative groups and federal interdepartmental working groups, to ensure it is prepared to serve Canadian society as a whole.

Programs
The RCMP’s key objective is safe homes and safe communities. Crime Prevention and Victim Services’ programs and services directly contribute to the achievement of this goal.

Crime Prevention and Victim Services consults with community members and analyzes crimes to determine the appropriate service objectives and to increase awareness about community violence.

Current Initiatives
Crime Prevention and Victims Services’ current initiatives include:

Face it! - Dating Violence is Not Love: Lots of useful information is provided in the National Clearinghouse on Family Violence and the RCMP’s Dating Violence Manual. Subjects include: what is dating violence?; how widespread is the problem?; what can you do?; myths about dating violence; warning signs; where to go for help; suggested reading; and tips on conflict resolution.
Victims’ Assistance: The RCMP places a high priority on expanding programs and increasing training for those volunteers who work with detachment personnel. Members of the RCMP also receive training to increase their awareness of how important victims’ assistance volunteers are:

Police Week: National Police Week is dedicated to increasing community awareness and recognition of policing services while strengthening police-community ties. This event occurs every spring during the week of May 15.

Protecting Children on the Internet: The Internet is nearly impossible to control, but various initiatives are helping parents control the kind of content that their children can access, and teaching children about safe Internet use.

Home Security: In Canada, a burglary occurs about every three minutes and it usually happens to those who are least prepared. Although no security system is 100 per cent effective, there are many things you can do to reduce your risk of being burglarized. How to Lock Out Crime is a publication developed and produced in partnership by the RCMP and the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, which includes tips and information about home security. Visit www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca or call 1-800 O Canada for more information.

Societal Violence: The RCMP continues to address societal violence including criminal and anti-social behaviour, spousal abuse, physical and sexual abuse of children, as well as the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of the elderly and the disabled. The organization works in partnership with other federal government departments to promote awareness and prevention of violence.

Sexual Assault Investigation: The RCMP has developed a two-week workshop for police and other social service agencies that teaches increased effectiveness and improved response skills required for more complex and difficult investigations, especially those involving children. The workshops help all participants to identify a child-focused sexual assault, and to improve skills used when interviewing young children to obtain facts. These workshops also help to develop relationships between the RCMP and other participating agencies.

Neighbourhood / Block Watch: Block watch-type programs involve citizens coming together in relatively small groups to share information regarding local crime problems. With the assistance of police, these groups also exchange crime prevention tips and make plans for the surveillance of the neighbourhood and crime reporting activities. The four key elements of these programs are residential security improvements, making a residence appear lived-in, neighbours working together, and Operation Identification, which is a police program that helps people to label their possessions.