Are You Sick and Tired of Politicians Playing Games with Public Safety?

Since Stats Can released figures on crime rates and violence for the last year politicians of all stripes have been making the case for their own ideological position on crime and gun control.

Justice Minister Vic Toews points to the stats and says this is more evidence of why we need to get serious about dealing with criminals.

Of course Liberals and Dippers think that everything is just fine because we had higher rates 30 years ago.

National Homicide Rate for 2005 - 2.04 per 100,000 ( up approx 5%)
National Homicide Rate for 2004 - 1.95 per 100k
National Homicide Rate for 1978 - 3.3 per 100k

For 2005 there were 658 reported homicides
For 2004 there were 624........

For 2005 222 gun use homicides ( Up approx. 28%)
For 2004 173...............

Most of the increase in deaths was driven by a jump in gang-related homicides.

Ontario and Alberta led the provinces in gang related gun deaths.

Gang related homicides that were gang related for 2005 - 107 ( 70 gun use)

Gang related homicides for 2004 - 72 ( 47 gun use)

Percentage of recovered firearms used in homicides that were registered 17.

Percentage of recovered firearms used in homicides that were NOT registered 83.

So why would anyone in their right mind oppose stiffening penalties for crimes involving the use of firearms?

And why would anyone continue to argue that the shotguns and rifles owned by honest and law abiding Canadians are the cause of crime?

At the same time, why are Canadian judges weakening the very laws that were intended to allow our police forces and prosecutors to break up gang activity?

Could it be because certain groups of academics and researchers like to promote the idea that historical crime and violence rates are trending lower?

Could it be because the bleeding heart and nurse nanny bunch continue to promote the idea that criminals are just misunderstood and unfortunate souls who can be redirected with the right amount of love and care?

Could it be because certain types think that social programs and lots of financial support will keep criminals from developing by making the lives of life's losers more pallatable?

Could it be that a bunch of socialists are still beating the drum to the chant of 'Economic disparity is the great evil and the cause of all injustice!'?

***Here's a quote from McMaster U's Martin Daly ( Prof. Psych):

"The way you bring the homicide rate down is by having more social services and more redistributive policies. We know that within Canada, we know that over time, we know it in cross-national studies." ***

National statistics show changes in the use of firearms in recent years.

Before to 1991, rifles or shotguns were used far more frequently than handguns, but the proportions have since reversed themselves. The number of homicides committed with a handgun has increased in six of the last seven years.

In 2005, handguns accounted for almost six in 10 firearm homicides, compared to one in four that involved rifles and shotguns.

The StatsCan numbers show that murderers rarely get away with it. In the first detailed analysis of homicide clearance rates among the nation's largest police services, the Statistics Canada report found that 85 per cent of the 24,000 homicides committed since 1961 were solved.

How many of the convicted murderers end up back on the streets to repeat their behaviour?

Regardless of how you interpret the numbers there is one thing glaringly obvious and that is that weak laws and compassionate sentencing are NOT helping.
Criminals and especially murderers have committed crimes against society! Their immediate victims are the greatest sufferers but we as a society deserve that a price be paid by the perpetrators. The price needs to be commensurate with the damage done and that means the criminals need to be made to feel the pain!
Stop trying to make society bear the blame because it's the individual who commits the Crime that has to be held responsible. Having a 'Tough Life' is no damned excuse for resorting to crime.

Criminals that are in jail are not on the streets committing crimes and that suits me just fine.

Our Leaders owe it to Us.... the Law Abiding and Tax Paying Citizens....to make criminals PAY for their crimes.

OMMAG