Arviat (May 12/04) - The Arviat hamlet council has seen a problem in its community and they are trying to do something about it.

At the March 10 council meeting the council members passed a motion to write a letter to the Justice Minister about the problem with sentencing convicted offenders.

Mayor Peter Kritaqliluk said the problem started when the community experienced a rash of break and enters earlier this year.

"When there is a problem in our community we as community leaders have to do something," he said. "We have to bring our concerns to the appropriate people."

Kritaqliluk said council thinks the sentencing of offenders is too lenient and would like to see some changes in the court system. That's why he wrote a letter to the minister to address the council's concerns.

The mayor said many of the offenders have been youth in the community. He would like to see more programs available to resolve the problems.

"I guess we would like to see better sentencing," he said.

Cpl. Bill Mooney, of the Arviat RCMP detachment, said break and enters aren't usually a big problem in the community.

"I think it was a little discouraging earlier this year with the number of break and enters," he said. "We can go months without having a break and enter in the community."

Kritaqliluk agreed that the problem isn't rampant in Arviat. He said it's something that the entire territory has to deal with and they are just trying to raise the issue.

One solution Mooney would like to see is more alternative sentencing and using the community justice committee.

"The people who are dealt with in the community by the justice committee are less likely to re-offend," he said.

Nora Sanders, deputy minister of justice, said her department is trying to work with the community to resolve the problems the council has addressed.

"I think the letter provides good communication between the department of justice and the community," she said.

Sanders said the biggest hurdle is getting to the underlining issues of crime in Nunavut.

She said communities and the government have to be able to address of the social problems.