Manitoba prosecutors to have more oversight of release, bail opportunities for repeat offenders, premier says

February 29, 2024 Canuck

The provincial government is hoping to better tackle the root causes of crime and address public safety risks associated with repeat offenders out on bail through a series of new commitments with police, prosecutors and other agencies.

Serious offenders out on bail are more likely to reoffend when they don’t have the right supports in place, Premier Wab Kinew said Thursday.

Kinew and Justice Minister Matt Wiebe announced a new five-point plan they say will help address community safety issues associated with repeat offenders.

“We’ve heard time and time again that we need to take action on bail reform,” Kinew said.

“The concern is if somebody does get picked up off the street, often the next day, maybe even later the same day, those same people cause problems in our communities, are back at it again, and that causes Manitobans to lose confidence in their government’s ability to keep them safe.”

The new policies will give Crown attorneys more tools for considering the potential impact on victims and the community if someone accused of a crime is let out on bail while awaiting judgment, a government news release said, particularly in cases of intimate partner violence or chronic offenders.

Another part of the plan will send $3 million to the Winnipeg Police Service in 2024-25 to hire a dozen officers devoted to tracking down offenders who violate bail conditions and may post a public safety risk. Those 12 officers will collaborate with the Manitoba Integrated Violent Offender Apprehension Unit.

Manitoba is also spending $514,000 to bolster the ability of law enforcement agencies within the province and beyond to share data and intelligence at the provincial and federal levels, the news release says.

The fourth prong of the plan is to use $500,000 to create a community monitoring and supervision program focused on providing better mental health and substance use supports for chronic offenders.

The province will also hold a “public safety summit” this spring with community members, police and representatives from other agencies to identify their different priorities related to the root causes of certain crimes.

NDP MLA Logan Oxenham (Kirkfield Park) previously worked as a juvenile corrections officer and said he is confident the plan will improve public safety.

“Under the previous government, we saw a rise in crime, and now our NDP government is taking action by being tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime,” he said.

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