EDMONTON - Premier Ed Stelmach announced a wide-ranging crime strategy Tuesday that will hire more police and prosecutors, add new treatment beds for drug and alcohol addictions, and try to deter judges from granting bail to chronic offenders.

The premier offered an emotionally charged response when asked about statistics that show Alberta's crime rate dropping in most categories.

"All the statistics didn't mean anything, not at all, to the mother or father that has lost a young person to violence," Stelmach told reporters.

"One life, two, three -- if we can prevent senseless beatings, addiction to drugs, ( it ) makes this program very important."

Alberta's overall crime rate dropped by five per cent from 2005 to 2006, the second-largest drop among provinces, Statistics Canada reported in July.

The violent crime rate dropped by one per cent, and is still above the national average.

While the murder rate is among the country's worst, Alberta has the lowest rates of assault, sexual assault, robbery, break-ins and overall violent crime in Western Canada.

But Justice Minister Ron Stevens noted there's a difference between crime that's statistically reported and what is unreported. Sixteen per cent of Albertans in 2004 told Statistics Canada they were victims of violent crimes, a sharp rise and the highest rate in Canada.

"( Improving ) that perception is very important to attracting people to our province," said Stelmach, who doesn't want perceptions of crime-ridden streets to deter newcomers to Alberta.

The anti-crime program will cost Alberta $470 million over three years, Stelmach said, though that figure depends on approval in the 2008 budget. The plan will allow the province to hire six new prosecutors, offer 40 new residential addiction treatment beds and 50 youth detox beds, though there were no details about how many new police officers communities can expect.

"Any additional resources will be appreciated," said Edmonton Deputy Police Chief David Korol. He applauded the province's overall strategy.

"I'm very pleased around what I've seen, especially around repeat offenders ...who go out and victimize our community over and over again."

The province is limited in cracking down on chronic criminals, since the federal government controls sentencing and the Criminal Code. However, the Stelmach government promised that Crown prosecutors will present arguments at bail hearings, rather than police officers, with the expectation that lawyers will be better at persuading judges not to release potentially dangerous people.

"A catch-and-release system works for fish, but it certainly does not deter crime," said Stelmach.

Minutes later, Stevens distanced himself from the "catch-and-release" phrase.

"That happens to be a term that has gained some favour as a result of a lot of media coverage," he said. "That is not how I describe it."

Stevens said later in an interview that he's heard anecdotally that a pilot project in Wetaskiwin has been successful at persuading judges against bail releases.

The province was responding to a report issued Tuesday by its Safe Communities task force, which made 31 recommendations on crime prevention and enforcement, and warned that crime "causes Albertans to worry about safety in their homes, neighbourhoods and communities." The government will enact or partially enact 29 of the recommendations.

Stelmach has called the crime strategy a top priority before he calls a provincial election, likely in the spring of 2008.

NDP Leader Brian Mason said the event smacked of grandstanding.

"As we approach an election, the government wants to look like it's tough on crime, wants to look like it's going to do something. But what we've seen, time and again is the government failing to come up to meet the real needs with the resources necessary."

Mason noted that the Conservatives have done little with proposals from a crystal-meth task force report issued last year. He also attacked the Tories for addressing alcohol and drug abuse, but not poverty, as root causes of crime.

Liberal MLA Mo Elsalhy said he likes the government's proposals, but questions whether it will follow through with a vague funding pledge that wasn't explained anywhere in the government literature on its strategy.

Putting more police officers on the streets is a necessity, but the province also needs to put more emphasis on the root causes of crime, such as poverty and lack of community attachment, said Brian Hurley of the Criminal Trial Lawyers' Association.

While the task force's report recommends encouraging municipalities to develop "safe communities" strategies, it is short on details and does not mention some simple measures Hurley believes would help. Those include enforcing littering laws, removing graffiti, funding lunch programs, building recreation centres and keeping inner-city schools open -- things the government has failed to do, Hurley said.

"It's interesting that they speak the language of safe communities and yet this government has done everything in its power to destroy communities," he said. "You don't have to look at punishment or deterrents or extra police on streets if you take care of some of those things."

Noel Farion of the Victims of Homicide support group applauded the task force's proposal to get tougher with repeat criminals through strict prosecution, enhanced supervision and bail reforms. But he also wants the province to lobby the federal government to impose harsher sentences on violent young offenders and to enact legislation that holds parents accountable when their children commit serious crimes.

Farion's 17-year-old son, Scott, was gunned down in 1994 by a young offender who was facing charges for other violent crimes.

Another fan of the task force's focus on repeat offenders is Murray Billett of the Edmonton Police Commission.

"The level of frustration expressed by front-line police officers is enormous with regard to that revolving door," he said, repeating a government statistic that 60 per cent of crime is committed by 15 per cent of criminals.

"I'm really looking forward to seeing the system have more teeth, with lengthier sentences and a process to keep these men and women behind bars."

HIGHLIGHTS

Identify repeat offenders upon arrest, and have Crown prosecutors rather than police officers argue at their bail hearings, in hopes they will better convince judges not to grant bail to chronic criminals.

Add 40 residential addiction-treatment beds in the next budget, then an additional 41 at hospitals and group homes to treat mental-health and other disorders.

Add 50 detox beds for youth, but not until 2010.

Hire six new Crown prosecutors.

Hire more police officers next year for front-line work and to target illegal drug operations.

Adopt Safe Neighbourhoods Act to give municipalities more power to draft anti-crime bylaws ( i.e. to shut down drug houses or fine brawlers ).

Identify Alberta's crime "hot spots" and launch projects to target criminals in those areas.

Pass legislation to seize property and money gained from criminal activity, and give funds to victim compensation and crime prevention programs.