Overview
The indicators and measures included in this Toolkit were selected based on decades of international and Canadian research on community safety, CCFSC’s practical experience working with local partners, and the advice of project advisors and pilot site representatives. A high‑level summary of this rationale is shared on the Toolkit homepage.
This page provides a curated list of key resources that illustrate the evidence base behind the Toolkit’s indicators and measures. These reports, frameworks, and knowledge products reflect what research, communities, Indigenous scholars, governments, and international bodies have shown about what contributes to safety and well‑being and how communities can influence those outcomes.
This is not an exhaustive list. Evidence related to community safety and well‑being is vast, and continues to grow across Canada, within Indigenous communities, and internationally. Instead, the resources below highlight foundational knowledge that has shaped CCFSC’s approach and informed the development of this Toolkit.
This list will be treated as a living resource. As our team continues to learn from partners, new research, and community‑led practices, we will update the list.
If you notice key resources we should add (or if you believe something has been misrepresented), please feel free to reach out.
Resources of Reference for Toolkit’s Indicators and Measures
- Abello Colak, A. (2024). A new framework for measuring human security. Security for Peace. https://security4peace.org/publications
- Canadian Centre for Safer Communities (2016). Why Invest in Crime Prevention in Municipalities?
- Canadian Centre for Safer Communities (2016). Major Resources that Provide Evidence on Effective Crime Prevention
- Institute for the Prevention of Crime. (2008). Canadian Strategies and Practices (Making cities safer; no. 2). University of Ottawa, Ont: Institute for the Prevention of Crime.
- Institute for the Prevention of Crime. (2007). International Strategies and Practices (Making cities safer; no. 1). University of Ottawa, Ont: Institute for the Prevention of Crime.
- Institute for the Prevention of Crime. (2007). Building a Safer Canada (National Working Group, no. 1). University of Ottawa, Ont: Institute for the Prevention of Crime.
- Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services. (2015). Community Safety and Well-Being in Ontario. Click here to access the document
- Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services. (2012). Crime Prevention in Ontario: A Framework for Action. Click here to access the document
- Public Safety Canada (2026). Tyler’s Story.
Aussi disponible en français sous le titre : L’histoire de Tyler - Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. (2015). Calls to Action. Click here to access the document
- Waller, I. (2006). Less Law, More Order: The Truth about Reducing Crime. Westport, Conn: Praeger
- Waller, I. (2014). Smarter crime control: A guide to safer futures for citizens, communities, and politicians. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield.
- Website Compendium: Canadian Centre for Safer Communities (2022). Community Safety Evidence.
- World Health Organization (WHO, 2025). Violence Prevention Information System (Violence Info).