Backgrounder - Crime Prevention

Building Stronger, Safer Communities through Canada’s National Crime Prevention Strategy

Through the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS), the Government of Canada is investing in multi-year, community-based projects that focus on helping those who are most at risk of offending. It is a part of the Government’s plan to tackle crime in order to build stronger, safer communities. The NCPS provides leadership in developing the Canadian knowledge base of what is effective in reducing and preventing crime. It is administered by Public Safety Canada's National Crime Prevention Centre. 

The Centre’s priorities are to:

• address early risk factors among vulnerable children and youth at risk;
• respond to priority crime issues (e.g. youth gangs, youth violence, and school-based bullying);
• prevent recidivism among high risk groups; and
• foster prevention in Aboriginal communities.

The Government invests $43.1 million annually through the following four funds under the NCPS:

The Crime Prevention Action Fund (CPAF) provides time-limited funding to assist communities and organizations in the areas of: developing and implementing crime prevention initiatives that address known risk and protective factors associated with offending behaviour; and developing and implementing knowledge transfer initiatives that focus on the application of research-based evidence to inform crime prevention practice.

The Northern and Aboriginal Crime Prevention Fund (NACPF) provides funding support to culturally sensitive crime prevention initiatives to reduce offending among youth-at-risk and high-risk offenders in communities; helps to disseminate knowledge and to develop  tools and resources for Aboriginal and Northern populations; and builds capacity for the development of culturally-sensitive crime prevention practices for Aboriginal and Northern populations.

The Youth Gang Prevention Fund (YGPF) provides funding to invest in communities where youth gangs are an existing or emerging threat and supports initiatives that clearly target youth in gangs or at greatest risk of joining gangs.

The Security Infrastructure Program (SIP) provides funding for security enhancements for not-for-profit community centres, provincially recognized educational institutions, and places of worship linked to a community with a history of being victimized by hate-motivated crime. 

For more information about the National Crime Prevention Centre and to find out how to apply for funding, please visit: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/prg/cp/index-eng.aspx.

Additional crimeprevention initiatives from the Department of Justice Canada

The Youth Justice Fund (YJF) provides grants and contributions to projects that assist youth in conflict with the law in making smarter choices and preventing them from re-engaging in criminal behaviour and activities. It encourages a more effective youth justice system, responds to emerging youth justice issues and enables greater citizen and community participation in the youth justice system. The fund has three components: the Youth Justice Main Fund, which targets youth involved in the justice system, generally; Drug Treatment, which supports innovative and effective approaches to treating youth who are in trouble with the law and have illicit drug addictions; and Guns, Gangs and Drugs, which responds to youth involved in the justice system and involved in, or vulnerable to, gang involvement. Each year the fund makes available $4.5 million to support projects that provide programming and services for youth in conflict with the law.

The National Anti-Drug Strategy was launched in October 2007. The Strategy focuses on prevention and access to treatment for those with drug dependencies, while at the same time getting tough on drug dealers and producers who threaten the safety of our youth and communities. The National Anti-Drug Strategy is an ongoing strategy carried out under three action plans: the Prevention Action Plan, which aims to prevent illicit drug use; the Treatment Action Plan, which aims to treat those with drug dependencies; and the Enforcement Action Plan, which aims to combat the production and distribution of illicit drugs. Overall, the Government of Canada has committed more than $525 million for the years 2012 to 2017 for the National Anti-Drug Strategy.

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Department of Justice Canada
March 2013