One in four Canadians is a victim of a theft, assault or other crime each year. That means, half a million Canadians are victims of sexual assault and, despite declining rates, half a million households were victims of a break-in. The US reaction to crime has been to spend more each year on police, prisons and judges--a record $200 billion at last count - incarcerating one in four of all prisoners on the planet. Prestigious commissions in the US and internationally show not only that this way of fighting crime is expensive but that there is scientific proof that tackling risk factors that cause crime prevent more crime at less cost.
This timely book illustrates in convincing detail what needs to be done to prevent crime and keep people out of prison. Here, Waller shows that hiring public health nurses and investing in helping youth at risk to complete school and get job training is better than hiring more police; preventing family violence, banning hand guns and dealing with drugs through public health saves more lives than incarceration; getting close neighbours to watch out for us and better industrial design are more effective than criminal courts; smarter policing is better than more police; paying for services to support victims and guaranteeing them rights is better than more rhetoric.
Less Law, More Order is written for politicians, mayors, police chiefs and concerned average citizens. Its pithy style and actionable recommendations lead to a proposal for legislation that would reduce rates of crime by 50%, reduce the tax burden for police, prisoners and judges, and invest in youth, women, and neighbourhoods that are at risk. It is recommended for all public and academic libraries.
Author Information:
IRVIN WALLER is Director, Institute for Prevention of Crime at University of Ottawa. He was the founding CEO of the International Centre for Prevention of Crime affiliated with the United Nations. He is recognized internationally for his pioneering work on victim rights. He is the author of Men Released from Prison and Burglary: The Victim and the Public. His most recent work has been in writing research based policy pamphlets for organizations such as the U.S. Department of Justice, the Canadian Council for Social Development, the Open Society Foundation (Soros), UN Office on Drugs and Crime, and the UN European Institute on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. (see also Meet Irvin on www.lesslawmoreorder.com)
ISBN: 978-1-897453-03-2 …152 pages
Paperback from author direct $20.00 plus handling:
Canadian Addresses Order Here in Canadian dollars
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Speeches and Book Launchings can be organized.
Less Law, More Order in the news
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Canadian Homicide Rate
Statistics Canada's numbers are generally good news, though more can be done to reduce crime. We need a national action plan to reduce violence… Cities like Boston have managed to reduce the rate of youth committing homicide dramatically by having police focus on young people involved in violence, while at the same time offering programs that provide incentives for young people, and particularly young men, to complete school and find jobs. The all-encompassing crime bill proposed by the Conservative government in Tuesday's throne speech will not solve Canada's crime problems on its own.
Quotes from Irvin Waller on CBC News, Canada - 18 Oct 2007
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An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure (Waller) insists, and I'm with him, that the evidence is in and it's time for politicians to recognize the facts -- you can reduce crime, help victims and create stronger more vital communities by adopting more prevention and restorative justice strategies than aiming to make the offender hurt. "We have been improving the legal and penal systems for centuries," he said …"The result is U.S. taxpayers spend more each year on police, prisons and judges -- $200 billion at last count -- and it isn't working."
Ian Mulgrew, Vancouver Sun, Wednesday, December 26, 2007
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