Resources
Publications
Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) for Emergency Management and Public Safety
RPAS for Emergency Management and Public Safety
A ground-breaking document produced following a conference in summer 2015, detailing the proceedings and areas for future work.
RPAS (drone) technology is advancing rapidly, and members of the Public Safety community have been some of the early adopters. This technology has potential for many uses in the fields of Public Safety and Emergency Management. In summer 2015, the CCJS hosted a two-day conference for interested stakeholders to discuss current use, possible future uses, barriers to full use, and pathways to achieve desired uses. The conference brought together people from across the country involved in the areas of policing, fire, and emergency management. Current users discussed their successes and challenges, and those not currently able to use the technology learned from those who have already navigated their way through regulations. All those in attendance wished to continue to collaborate, coordinate efforts and continue to explore uses for the technology.
A recent article in Frontline Safety & Security deals with the issue of RPAS technology in the Public Safety sector. Please click here to view that article.
The Economics of Community Safety
Austerity Policing: Responding to Crime During Economic Downturns
Published fall 2013 by University of Regina professors Rick Ruddell, Ph.D. and Nicholas Jones, Ph.D., Austerity Policing: Responding to Crime During Economic Downturns documents the difficulties and challenges faced by police forces operating with less funding and resources.
The Economics of Canadian Policing Five Years Into the Great Recession
Published summer 2014 by University of Regina professors Rick Ruddell, Ph.D. and Nicholas Jones, Ph.D., The Economics of Policing Five Years Into the Great Recession aims to identify current trends in relationships between economics and policing as part of a proactive strategy to enable Canadian police agencies to plan well for the future.
The Phase 1 report published summer 2014 by University of Regina professors Stuart Wilson Ph.D.and Ken Sagynbekov Ph.D. provides an overview of recent demographic, economic, crime and policing trends in Saskatchewan. This report is the first preliminary report of a larger research project. This larger research project aims to examine the socio-economic determinants of crime, identify how economic and demographic changes in Saskatchewan and its cities have influenced changes in crime rates, and to speculate how crime rates might evolve with continued resource development and the expansion of the Saskatchewan economy. This project will also attempt to identify reactive and proactive responses of police forces in the province to the changing economic, demographic, and crime patterns they face.
The Phase II Report published summer 2015 by Stuart Wilson, Ken Sagynbekov, Taylor Pardy, and Jason Penner is the second preliminary report of a larger research project focusing on the changing economy and demography of Saskatchewan and its impact on crime and policing. The report presents a review of the literature on the theoretical and empirical determinants of criminal behaviour and crime.
Aboriginal Policing
First Nations Policing: A Review of the Literature
In March 2013, the federal government announced that federal funding for the First Nations Policing Program would be extended for the next five years, and provide the funding stability for First Nations, Aboriginal stakeholder groups, federal and provincial policymakers and police leaders to chart the course for the future. Addressing the policy-related questions raised in this review of the literature provides will provide stakeholders a framework for the evidence-based information needed to inform that undertaking.
Policing First Nations: Community Perspectives
This study represents the second stage of a multi-stage research project seeking to understand the issues and challenges faced when policing in Aboriginal communities. It responds to a gap in the research literature about perceptions of Aboriginal policing. Specifically, it addresses the lack of research examining the perspectives of First Nations Peoples. It provides the results of interviews undertaken in four Saskatchewan First Nations regarding policing in their communities.
Justice System
The Duty to Disclose (Full Report)
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in applying business models and cost-benefit analyses to the criminal justice system, especially in terms of holding these core public services more accountable for their performance as publically funded agencies . As a result, there has been a determined focus and increase in the search for efficiencies within the criminal justice system. One area where, as a result of court decisions, there has been an increase in workload and costs is that of the requirements associated with pre-trial disclosure.
Also available is the Executive Summary
Interoperability
Enabling Interoperable Public Safety Communications
A Primer for Development of a National, Secure Mission-Critical Network
Dr. Yasser Morgan contributed to this Fall 2013 publication in Collaboration with the EDGE Innovation Network.
To be effective in the future, Canadian public safety and security personnel need completely interoperable communications networks, which leverage current and emerging hardware, software, analytical tools and end user applications to enable continuous, real-time, in-field access to critical information. A truly Canadian interoperable public safety network can be created by leveraging current governance frameworks, technology interoperability and analytical tools, and the best practices of all agencies. Implementation should complement existing governance, processes and technologies and capitalize on new technologies as they emerge. This will enable individual agencies to deploy and use more advanced tools for their geography and establish the processes that will enable interoperability as needed with other agencies including those in the United States.
Building a National Interoperable Public Safety Communications Network
The University of Regina Bridging Research & Interoperability Collaboration (BRIC) to increase usability and reduce time-to-deploy through proactive, collaborative research and development
Dr. Yasser Morgan contributed to this Fall 2013 publication in collaboration with the EDGE Innovation Network.
On their own, public safety agencies cannot create the innovation platform that will enable development, analysis and evaluation of all the technologies that can enable truly integrated, national, technological interoperability. A broadband innovation platform developed by the University of Regina Bridging Research & Interoperability Collaboration (BRIC) offers an opportunity to move immediately into innovation and development. This platform offers all stakeholders an un-affiliated, neutral innovation environment that public safety agencies can use to examine and evaluate any application, device, and network element on their own terms. With BRIC, all stakeholders can determine which technologies, products and solutions provide the functionality they need and the economic and social benefits required to create the ideal, interoperable Canadian public safety network.
Community Safety and InterProfessional Collaboration
Hitting Crime Where it Hurts: Holistic Victimization Reduction
This paper, prepared by Andrea J Scheske while interning at the Centre, seeks to develop a new paradigm in justice to address victimization, crime and the numerous societal ills that follow in their wake in order to inform future policy initiatives and ultimately result in the improvement of the quality of life for many Canadians, particularly groups such as the Canadian Aboriginal peoples. This paper reframes justice to focus on victimization, explore the numerous associated factors involved with victimization and crime, many of which are often overlooked, and discuss the potential for the implementation of Inter-Professional Collaborative Practice (IPCP). IPCP recognizes the interconnectedness of a mutuality of complex factors involved with the provision of healthcare (World Health Organization (WHO) 2010), and has great potential for reducing victimization by targeting these factors. The framework employed will be the social-ecological model of public health. This model allows for an easier understanding and compartmentalization of the factors contributing to victimization and crime and thus presents a great opportunity for its implementation in a justice context.
Evaluations
Community Perceptions of the Regina Police Service
University of Regina professors Dr. Nicholas Jones and Dr. Rick Ruddell have conducted multiple surveys of Regina residents regarding their perceptions of the Regina Police Service. Two of their reports are available here, from 2013 and 2015.
Community Perceptions of the Regina Police Service, 2013
Community Perceptions of the Regina Police Service, 2015
Click here to see the RPS website on this topic.
Presentations
A presentation by Steve Palmer, Executive Director of the Collaborative Centre for Justice and Safety, and Chair of the CATA Public Safety Advisory Board. The presentation outlines many of the challenges and priorities facing Public Safety and Community Safety stakeholders in Canada.
The full webinar is available from CATA's website