Trevor Hancock: Prevent violence with compassion

This approach — what Waller calls “compassionate community safety” — was epitomized recently by Ted Upshaw, the public safety adviser for Halifax and a former RCMP inspector. In a session on healthy communities at the Canadian Public Health Association conference this year, he discussed the importance of social justice, respect, good-quality housing and neighbourhoods, access to parks and other social and community benefits if we are to create safe and healthy communities. It makes sense to me.