U of T Mississauga co-hosts crime prevention conference

A study linking socio-economic factors, community health and criminal activities, and a program that empowers bystanders to take positive action when faced with violent situations are two of the presentations at the upcoming 2011 Crime Prevention Conference at U of T Mississauga this Friday.

The day-long event will feature representatives from the police, social service agencies, business sector, the justice system and U of T Mississauga addressing topics such as the culture of poverty, homicide trends in Canada and the prevalence of counterfeit money. Human trafficking survivor Timea Nagy and Gemini nominee and inspirational speaker Andrée Cazabon will also make presentations.The conference, co-hosted by the University of Toronto Mississauga and Safe City Mississauga, examines common risk factors and ways to reduce crime and prevent victimization, says Professor Dana Wilson of the Department of Geography, vice-chair of Safe City’s board of directors and one of the conference organizers. “Crime and violence threaten the safety, security and well-being of individuals and communities. Our conference will look at national and international best practices and knowledge as well as strategies to encourage government, schools, social services, police and families to work together to tackle these problems.” The goal of the conference is to develop an action plan to reduce crime in the city of Mississauga. 

Wilson, a co-presenter with Peel crown attorney Mark Saltmarsh, will discuss an ongoing Peel Region study that examines connections between a neighbourhood’s socio-economic climate, violent and gun-related offences, and health and wellbeing at the community level. Senior lecturer Alison Weir of the Department of Mathematical and Computational Sciences will discuss time and geographic trends in different types of crime rates across Canada, and the impact of socio-economic variables and multiculturalism.

Len Paris, manager of campus police services and a member of the conference’s steering committee, will present a bystander intervention program called Green Dot. “We want people faced with an act of violence – a red dot – to make positive choices, to intervene, show empathy and take action – essentially turning a ‘red dot’ into a ‘green dot’ that promotes safety and prevents crime,” Paris said. The green dot program is being introduced to the U of T community this fall.

The Crime Prevention Conference will be held Friday, Nov. 4, in U of T Mississauga’s Instructional Centre. For more information and ticket prices, visit 
http://www.safecitymississauga.on.ca/conference.html

U of T Mississauga and Sheridan students can obtain complimentary passes by contacting Wilson at dana.wilson@utoronto.ca

Safe City Mississauga is a charitable organization providing programs, services and information to reduce crime in Mississauga.