More Alberta police, prosecutors in $470M crime-fighting plan

Responding to a safe communities task force that travelled the province for input, the Alberta government announced it's hiring more police officers and increasing addiction treatment beds.

Thejustice minister said Tuesday the initiatives forming the province's new crime prevention strategyaim to balance enforcement with prevention and treatment.

It's estimated theplanwill cost $470 million over three years.

The province accepted the majority of the 31 recommendations made by a government-appointed task force that met with more than 1,700 Albertans this spring to discuss ways to reduce crime.

"During each task force visit, Albertans were very vocal that drug and alcohol triggers much of the crime in their communities," said Calgary-Fish Creek MLA Heather Forsyth, chair of the task force.

To address those concerns, the government committed to increase the number of treatment beds for alcoholism and drug addiction by 100 starting in 2010. It will also lengthen the time addicted youth spend in forced treatment, from three months to six months.

The task force recommended expanding access to specialized courtsthat deal with mental illness and domestic violence, and emphasize treatment over incarceration, an idea accepted by the province.

On the enforcement front, the government said chronic offenders will be denied bail under new conditions, and pledged to hire more police officers and six new Crown prosecutors.

Legislation will be brought in allowing the province to seize money and property gained through crime, and using that to fund victim compensation and crime prevention programs.