Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen said at a news conference on Monday that the program was created to address public safety concerns and to make sure offenders follow bail conditions.
“We know that people are frustrated when they’re victimized by crime, but that victimization when somebody has been out on bail causes an even a greater degree of frustration,” he said.
The province is adding a full-time psychologist and more probation officers and community corrections workers to its intensive probation program. This will allow the province to offer services to as many as 200 offenders or double its current capacity, Goertzen said.
Individuals out on probation for domestic violence, sex and gang-related offences may be supervised as part of the program.
Recent statistics from Winnipeg police suggest nearly 20 percent of people charged with violent offences last year were out on bail at the time of the offences. About 16 percent of those charged with homicides were either out on bail or probation.
“These are staggering numbers for us. It’s an indication to me that we need to make some changes to our bail systems and our probation systems,” Winnipeg police Chief Danny Smyth said at the news conference.
Federal Justice Minister David Lametti has committed to moving forward on reforms that would update the bail system.
He has not settled on a specific timeline for introducing reforms but has expressed hope that he can do so before the end of the spring session, which is scheduled to wrap up in late June.
