incidents of crime. Often fear of crime can have more of an impact on a community that the actual crimes themselves. A typical reaction to the fear of crime is that members of a community will avoid certain locations that they perceive as unsafe. The unfortunate by-product of this is actually creating more of an unsafe area because there is a lack of public surveillance. Perception can become reality unless steps are taken to create a safer environment for members of the public to visit, walk through, or observe as they move from one area to another.I applaud the efforts of the Downtown Vernon Association and their security auditor for looking at removing dumpsters from some of the alley ways, to increase quality lighting, and to examine methods of deterring graffiti and expedite its removal. These are all positive steps towards creating the perception that areas are safer and thus promote their use by our community. These are also things that the Safe Communities Unit has been advocating for many years and it is refreshing to see others are now starting to take up the cause. One thing we cannot afford to do is believe that these steps are going to resolve many of the problems that this community faces today. Until we begin to start understanding those issues that cause crime and develop long term strategic methods of dealing with them we will continue to move problems from area to area and community to community without any resolution. Communities have to take ownership of issues of poverty, homelessness, lack of affordable housing, substance use and abuse, violence against women, mental illness and a significant lack of alternatives that many people find themselves faced with. We often get into the “blame game” assuming that certain groups that have been tasked with creating a safe place are not doing their jobs. We fail to realize that this must be a shared responsibility with each one of us, who has a vested interest in our community, becoming involved in the solutions. These are complex issues that require complex solutions and it is for this very reason that it is easier to discuss the crime itself than understand and address those factors which caused it. To simply wish a problem to go away or move it to another location accomplishes very little. If you have any particular concerns or questions you feel would make an interesting article please make contact with me, Terry Pakenham, at my fax line 260-5866, or my direct office line at 260-5276.
Monday, November 20, 2006
MY TOWN
As I have mentioned in previous articles there is a significant difference between the fear of crime and actual 
incidents of crime. Often fear of crime can have more of an impact on a community that the actual crimes themselves. A typical reaction to the fear of crime is that members of a community will avoid certain locations that they perceive as unsafe. The unfortunate by-product of this is actually creating more of an unsafe area because there is a lack of public surveillance. Perception can become reality unless steps are taken to create a safer environment for members of the public to visit, walk through, or observe as they move from one area to another.I applaud the efforts of the Downtown Vernon Association and their security auditor for looking at removing dumpsters from some of the alley ways, to increase quality lighting, and to examine methods of deterring graffiti and expedite its removal. These are all positive steps towards creating the perception that areas are safer and thus promote their use by our community. These are also things that the Safe Communities Unit has been advocating for many years and it is refreshing to see others are now starting to take up the cause. One thing we cannot afford to do is believe that these steps are going to resolve many of the problems that this community faces today. Until we begin to start understanding those issues that cause crime and develop long term strategic methods of dealing with them we will continue to move problems from area to area and community to community without any resolution. Communities have to take ownership of issues of poverty, homelessness, lack of affordable housing, substance use and abuse, violence against women, mental illness and a significant lack of alternatives that many people find themselves faced with. We often get into the “blame game” assuming that certain groups that have been tasked with creating a safe place are not doing their jobs. We fail to realize that this must be a shared responsibility with each one of us, who has a vested interest in our community, becoming involved in the solutions. These are complex issues that require complex solutions and it is for this very reason that it is easier to discuss the crime itself than understand and address those factors which caused it. To simply wish a problem to go away or move it to another location accomplishes very little. If you have any particular concerns or questions you feel would make an interesting article please make contact with me, Terry Pakenham, at my fax line 260-5866, or my direct office line at 260-5276.
incidents of crime. Often fear of crime can have more of an impact on a community that the actual crimes themselves. A typical reaction to the fear of crime is that members of a community will avoid certain locations that they perceive as unsafe. The unfortunate by-product of this is actually creating more of an unsafe area because there is a lack of public surveillance. Perception can become reality unless steps are taken to create a safer environment for members of the public to visit, walk through, or observe as they move from one area to another.I applaud the efforts of the Downtown Vernon Association and their security auditor for looking at removing dumpsters from some of the alley ways, to increase quality lighting, and to examine methods of deterring graffiti and expedite its removal. These are all positive steps towards creating the perception that areas are safer and thus promote their use by our community. These are also things that the Safe Communities Unit has been advocating for many years and it is refreshing to see others are now starting to take up the cause. One thing we cannot afford to do is believe that these steps are going to resolve many of the problems that this community faces today. Until we begin to start understanding those issues that cause crime and develop long term strategic methods of dealing with them we will continue to move problems from area to area and community to community without any resolution. Communities have to take ownership of issues of poverty, homelessness, lack of affordable housing, substance use and abuse, violence against women, mental illness and a significant lack of alternatives that many people find themselves faced with. We often get into the “blame game” assuming that certain groups that have been tasked with creating a safe place are not doing their jobs. We fail to realize that this must be a shared responsibility with each one of us, who has a vested interest in our community, becoming involved in the solutions. These are complex issues that require complex solutions and it is for this very reason that it is easier to discuss the crime itself than understand and address those factors which caused it. To simply wish a problem to go away or move it to another location accomplishes very little. If you have any particular concerns or questions you feel would make an interesting article please make contact with me, Terry Pakenham, at my fax line 260-5866, or my direct office line at 260-5276.
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