Crime is dropping in Jasper.

Late night vandalism is down substantially, assault numbers are plummeting, drunk driving incidents have been cut and drug crime is at a three year low.

Youth crime is also dropping, and virtually non-existent amongst teenage girls.

According to Jasper RCMP, work done to curb many of the criminal issues on Patricia St. appears to be working, and there is an identifiable trend to less criminal activity.

It is important to keep this in mind when shocking crime stories appear in the newspaper. The phenomena isn’t exclusive to Jasper. The City of Toronto has seen crime drop every year since the 1970s, yet that doesn’t make headlines - instead we get calls for stiffer sentences and bigger jails. Studies show putting people in prison - especially young people - only serves to create better criminals.

The hard work to shift social behaviour and reduce recidivism rates must be commended, and there are many in this community who have made massive contributions to making this happen. The local RCMP is also laying charges that stick, which will only serve to enhance their reputation.

Of course there is a caveat with statistics, as they never tell the entire story. In Staff Sergeant Dave Maludzinski’s annual crime report, numbers compare the years from 2006 to 2009. Without a more thorough examination, it’s difficult to tell if the drop is due to less visitors in town, less criminals getting caught or if there has been a genuine shift in attitudes.

The department has lost a great deal of experience over the past few years, and the detachment is now staffed by a very young crew. That means investigations that require more experience (i.e. drug crimes) aren’t getting the same amount of attention. While many of us bemoan speeders on Connaught Dr., getting hard drugs off of the street could have a wider societal benefit.

This is also why it’s important for the community to keep pushing for affordable housing, so the chances of keeping experienced officers (not to mention other public servants) are enhanced. Young blood and fresh ideas are encouraged, but need to be tempered with the proper amount of experience.

It’s encouraging to see the RCMP has identified drug crimes, police checks and crime in the core downtown as areas it will focus upon in 2010, and that the RCMP appears willing to explore its statistics further.

It takes a community effort to truly reduce crime statistics. The recent report offers some cautious optimism, yet now is not the time to sit back on one’s laurels.