Literacy Equals Crime Prevention: Chiefs of Police

Police officers from across Northwestern Ontario will be participating in an innovative project about literacy and policing. The focus groups are being hosted by Nishnawbe-Aski Police Acting Chief John Domm and will be held at the Nishnawbe-Aski Police Headquarters in Thunder Bay Tuesday and will be followed by a workshop Wednesday on targeting crime with literacy.

Raising literacy in the community contributes to reducing crime and lowering re-offending. The focus groups and workshop are part of a literacy project of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police. Acting Chief Domm is a member of the CACP and its Crime Prevention Committee.The CACP’s Crime Prevention Committee launched their “Literacy and the Police in Canada” project in March 2007. The project aims to increase police awareness of literacy challenges faced by members of the community and encourages police involvement in community literacy activities. The CACP is developing learning materials to increase police effectiveness in communicating with those who come into contact with the law: witnesses, victims, complainants, suspects and the general public.

Since the spring, a CACP Project Team has been working closely with advisors including police, literacy organizations, governments and plain-language experts. “The focus groups with police are important for a number of reasons,” stated Acting Chief Domm, who is one of those advisors. “Our officers need to know how to deal with individuals whose literacy challenges may affect their ability to understand the justice processes, and their rights and responsibilities within the justice system. Police can link people up with community-based organizations that offer literacy tutoring.”

According to Statistics Canada, literacy is defined as the ability to understand and use printed information in daily activities. Research in North America tells us that criminal offenders have lower average literacy levels than the general population. Neighbourhoods with lower literacy levels have higher crime rates. Witnesses with low literacy need help to communicate effectively in giving a report or testifying. Literacy programs in prisons have resulted in positive outcomes, such as maintaining employment, and reduced rates of re-offending.

Contact:

Dorothy Ahlgren-Franklin, CACP
frankly@magma.ca
DAFranklin@rogers.blackberry.net
Posted on 17 Mar 2008