b'Proactively Detected Harm Proactiveharmconsistsofoffences NOT ALL CRIMINAL EVENTS REQUIRE THE SAMEtypicallyidentifiedthroughpro-activepoliceinitiatives,including LEVEL OF RESOURCE ALLOCATION, AND GROUPINGdrugpossession,traffickingand weapon-relatedcharges.These HARMFUL INCIDENTS INTO A SINGLE CATEGORY CANcrimesareoftennotvisibletothe OVERSIMPLIFY THE ISSUE AND DIMINISH THE GOODcommunityandarelessfrequently reported by individuals. This type of WORK DONE BY RESOURCES. harm is sensitive and can be skewed bypoliceresourceallocation.When law enforcement increases resources dedicated to targeting these offences, detection rates typically rise.2016). For example, the harm score fora reflection of societal values. TheseCommercial Harm assault causing bodily harm is 501.06,weights are updated every five yearsCommercialharmreferstocrimes meaningthatonaverage,thosetoaccountforchangesinjudicialidentifiedandinfluencedbypri-convicted serve 501.06 days in jail. Forsentencingpatternsandensureavateresources,withshoplifting theft,theharmscoreis29.34,indi- sufficientlylargesampleofsenten- beingtheprimaryexample.The catingthatthoseconvictedtypicallycesiscollected,producingamoreuseofadvancedtechnologyand serve29.34days.Themoreseriousaccuratenationalaverage.TheCSIresourcesfordetectingcommercial the crime, the higher its weight. focuses solely on custodial sentences,crimecanleadtoanincreasein TheBarriePoliceServiceusesexcluding non-custodial penalties likereportedincidents.However,this theCrimeSeverityIndex(CSI)assuspended sentences (Wallace et al.,risedoesnotnecessarilyreflecta the source for the weights. As noted2009; Babyak et al., 2009). true increase in crime rates; rather, it above,thisislimitedtopolice-re- Types of Harm highlights the extent of investment in portedcrime,leadingtothePolicedetection efforts.ReportedCrimeSeverityIndexlan- Harmisnotaone-size-fits-allA Note on Harmguage (PRCSI) (Babyak et al., 2009).approach. Based on research and lit-The PRCSI measures the seriousnesserature, harm should be broken downThroughleveragingthismethod ofcrimesreportedtopolice,givingfurther. Not all criminal events requireofharmmeasurement,werealize more weight to serious offences, likethe same level of resource allocation,thecontextofcertainoffencescan violent crimes, compared to less ser- andgroupingharmfulincidentsintodetermine where it is placed between asinglecategorycanoversimplifythethreecategories.Forexample, ious ones, like minor thefts (Wallace,theissueanddiminishthegoodweapons offences. Offences involving 2009). TheCSI wascreatedin2009workdonebyresources.Researchweapons can be parsed out between with personnel from Statistics Canada,suggests further breaking down harmcommunity-reportedharmand the Canadian Association of Chiefs ofindicesintoproactive,commercialproactiveharm.Theclassification Police(CACP),federalparliamentar- andcommunity-reportedharmof the specific offencewhether as ians and academics. Statistics Canada(Sherman, 2020). community-reportedorproactively updatesthe valueseveryfive yearsdetecteddepends on whether the basedonactualcustodialsentencesCommunity-Reported Harm weapon was used in the commission handeddownacrossthecountry,Community-reportedharmincludesoftheoffenceorsimplyfoundin calculatingtheaveragenumberofoffencesagainstindividualsorsomeonespossession.Inthefirst days served in incarceration for eachpropertyreportedtothepolicebyexample, the police responded react-offence. This is then multiplied by thethecommunity,independentoflawively after the weapon was used in incarceration rate for that offence.enforcementorprivateinfluence.anoffence.Incontrast,thesecond ThekeyforpoliceservicesisExamplesencompassserious violentexampledemonstratesproactive thatwecannotinfluencetheCrimecrimes like murder, sexual assault andpolicing,whereofficersdetecteda SeverityIndex(CSI).Thisobjectivityrobbery, along with impaired drivingweaponinsomeonespossession addscredibilityandlegitimacytocausing death, fraud, theft and break- before any offence occurred.its use. Harm weights in the CSI areand-enterincidents.TheseoffencesPartofbetterunderstandingthe determinedbythejudiciary,whosepromptreactivepoliceresponsescomplexity of crime in our commun-roles are assigned by democraticallyandindicategenuinecommunityities is seeking to be more accurate in elected governments, making the CSIsafety concerns. our recording of crime. It is important 20 H.Q. Winter 2024/2025'