A key mandate of the Department of Justice and Correctional Services is to ensure safe and healthy communities through the prevention of crime and victimization. According to experts, every dollar spent in crime prevention activities saves seven dollars in downstream criminal justice system costs such as policing, legal aid, courts, corrections and probations. Since the cost-benefit of crime prevention is so attractive, it therefore makes sense for every nation, including ours, to invest in evidence-based crime prevention/reduction initiatives.

There are three concepts, which together, ensure a robust approach to crime prevention.

1. Crime Prevention through Social Development (or CPSD) involves long-term, integrated actions that deal with the root causes of crime and mainly focuses the reduction of risk factors associated with criminal activity and the enhancement of protective factors that may mitigate those risks. The goal of the CPSD approach is to develop healthy and responsible citizens, something parents, educators, and Cree institutions can get involved in.
2. Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (or CPTED) is about the "built environment" such as housing communities and public spaces which, if not designed and maintained properly, can become locations where crime takes place. CPTED is premised on the idea that many crimes are both opportunistic and contextual, and with proper CPTED design approaches (such as proper lighting at youth centres, video surveillance at retail shops), they can be “designed” away.
3. Situational Crime Prevention (or SCP) looks at particular circumstances in which people interact with one another and with the built environment, identifies particularly risky combinations, and looks for solutions specific to those situations. Within the community context, SCP may include such strategies as crisis phone lines or justice committees (e.g., to help deal with conflicts before they escalate), community outreach teams, enhanced police presence, etc.

All three forms of crime prevention work together to ensure safe and harmonious communities, and therefore take the time and investment of all community stakeholders. Crime prevention is not a “program”, but a way of life.

Crime Prevention Fund

Each year, the DOJCS provides funding to help community members implement initiatives aimed at creating safer, engaged communities across Eeyou Istchee. Among the four funds available is the Crime Prevention Fund.