Andrew Raven
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 14/04) - Yellowknife is becoming an increasingly violent place to live, according to statistics provided by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Complaints of assault and assault with a weapon jumped 33 per cent between 2001 and 2003, while break and enters rose 44 per cent during the same time period.

The trend is likely due to a combination of factors, including rising problems of homelessness, poverty and drug and alcohol abuse, said RCMP Const. Kerri Riehl.

"There are underlying social factors behind many of these crimes."

Chief among them is what some involved in the justice system have described as an "explosion" in the local drug trade, with crack-cocaine at the forefront of the problem.

"A lot of addicts are looking to make a quick buck so they can get their next hoot (of crack)," said defence lawyer James Brydon.

"That's why you see so many break and enters. Addicts aren't interested in counterbalancing the likelihood of getting caught with the potential return. All they think about is getting high."

Despite the increasing crime rates, Riehl said she was optimistic the situation would improve with the help of groups like the Yellowknife Wellness Coalition and the newly-operational Citizens on Patrol program.

"In order to address a lot of these issues, we need the help of the entire community," said Riehl. "Enforcement doesn't get to the root of the problem."

Riehl said it would likely be some time before initiatives like the Wellness Coalition and the COPS program start making a dent in crime rates.

"It's something that needs to be looked at long term," said Riehl.