CRIME IN QATHET PART II: Timeline of BC’s de-institutionalizion of mental health care

Crime, Courts & Corrections: Why qathet’s criminals are bouncing out of jail & what’s coming next

As explained in the 'A Rapid Investigation into Repeat Offending and Random Stranger Violence in British Columbia' report.

1913

Riverview / Essondale Hospital opens in Coquitlam. By 1956, 4,300 people lived on the grounds.

1965

BC’s Mental Health Act is passed. Riverview’s population begins to dwindle.

Early 1990s

About 1,000 beds remain open at Riverdale.

2002

BC decides to phase out Riverview, and replace it with community-based psychiatric treatment

2002 to the Present

Several BC studies point out the growing negative relationship between mental health, addictions, policing and the justice system and call for change. They include A Study in Blue & Grey: Police Interventions with People with Mental Illness (2002); Beyond the Revolving Door: A New Response to Chronic Offenders (2004); Criminal Justice Diversions for Persons with Mental Disorders, A review of Best Practices (2007); Lost in Translation (2008) Beyond Lost in Translation (2010); and many more, including this one.

2012

Riverview closes

2022

This report, A Rapid Investigation into Repeat Offending and Random Stranger Violence in British Columbia, notes that “there is general agreement that the deinstitutionalization movement produced significant problems because the reduction of inpatient beds outpaced the expansion of community-based services and supports.” It goes on to say that “while there is very little support for returning to the days of the pre-1960s psychiatric asylums, we also cannot continue business as usual.”

An end to surging crime: Part 2

This article is the second in qathet Living magazine’s three-part series on crime in this region.

Part 1 explored the crimes themselves: what is happening, and what is the impact on this community?

Part 2 dives in to courts and corrections: how changes to our justice system are playing out locally.

Part 3 asks what those who are perpetrating the crimes need to be able to stop harming this community and themselves, and re-join society.

We hope these stories help inform the current conversation about crime, justice, addiction, and solutions. And, we hope to hear from you.

Please send letters (ideally before the 20th of the month) to isabelle@prliving.ca.