Is Rising Violent Crime Being Addressed?
🎧 Podcast Episode 195 with Attorney General Niki Sharma
Across British Columbia, concerns about rising violent crime have become impossible to ignore.
From community Facebook groups to provincial surveys, a common theme has emerged: people feel less safe, and they want action.
But is our justice system — and our government — doing enough to respond?
In a recent conversation with BC’s Attorney General and Deputy Premier, Niki Sharma, we explored the complex and often frustrating landscape of justice reform, public safety, and systemic change.
The answers were layered — and revealed just how difficult real solutions can be.
A Province at a Crossroads
When I asked Minister Sharma how she views the current justice landscape, she didn’t shy away from the tension.
"Every community has to have safety," Sharma said. "We have to know that we can walk our kids on the street, that we can live in safe communities."
At the same time, she expressed concern over the way public discussions about crime have sometimes been framed — focusing too much on punitive measures and too little on root causes like mental health challenges, addiction, and poverty.
Rather than choosing between punishment or compassion, Sharma believes British Columbia must tackle both: tougher responses when necessary, and stronger supports when possible.
Bail Reform: A Key Shift
Public support for tougher bail conditions is overwhelming.
A Research Co. survey recently found that 87% of British Columbians back stronger bail rules for repeat violent offenders.
Minister Sharma took this seriously.
She described BC's leadership role in pushing for national bail reform, telling me:
"We advocated, and actually were able to get every other province to agree with us, to advocate to the federal government to change rules on bail, particularly for repeat violent offenders."
The result?
New federal laws now require judges to apply a "reverse onus" in certain violent crime cases — meaning that, instead of assuming release, the default is caution and protecting public safety first.
It’s a significant policy change. But Sharma also acknowledged there's more work to do, especially as provinces must continue to push Ottawa for even stronger tools.
The Addiction and Treatment Gap
Beyond violent crime itself, one of the biggest challenges we discussed is what happens after someone enters the justice system.
Many offenders are struggling with addiction, homelessness, or mental illness — and British Columbia’s treatment infrastructure has historically failed to meet the demand.
Sharma was candid about these gaps:
"We know there's been a chronic lack of resources in BC when it relates to treatment and recovery," she admitted. "We've been stepping up across the province," pointing to $1 billion invested in mental health and addictions services and the opening of over 800 new treatment beds.
Still, both of us agreed that resource availability remains painfully uneven — especially in smaller communities and rural areas.
Without meaningful intervention, many people caught in the cycle of crime and addiction will simply return to the system again and again.
Indigenous Overrepresentation: A Warning Sign
Another area where violent crime intersects with systemic failure is Indigenous overrepresentation in BC's jails.
Despite decades of programs like Native Courtworkers and Gladue Reports, Indigenous incarceration rates continue to rise — a fact I raised with Minister Sharma, along with my concern that new initiatives like Indigenous Justice Centres, while well-intentioned, may not yet be grounded in hard evidence of success.
Sharma responded with cautious optimism:
"I'm hopeful that with the changes I'm seeing — a greater demand for Gladue Reports, a greater understanding of Indigenous legal orders — we'll start to see outcomes improve."
But she also acknowledged the uncomfortable reality:
"It’s too bad that it takes the system so long to fully adopt or understand its role in this work."
So — Is Rising Violent Crime Being Addressed?
The honest answer? Partially.
British Columbia has taken real steps:
Tougher bail conditions for repeat violent offenders.
More investments in mental health, addictions treatment, and culturally appropriate justice.
Targeted crime reduction strategies in major communities.
But systemic challenges remain — and many of the solutions will take years, not months, to fully take hold.
If we want lasting safety, not just political soundbites, we’ll need to stay focused on both sides of the equation:
accountability for violent behavior, and compassion for the conditions that often create it.
📢 What do you think?
Are we moving fast enough — or do the rising crime headlines tell a different story?
I'd love to hear your thoughts. ⬇️