Big Idea 2012: Making Edmonton Safer

Our annual Big Idea issue won’t hit the shelves until October, but we want to do things a little differently in the past. We want to engage our readers, hear their opinions and ideas, and work with them on this issue.

We want to use our best resource — you, the reader.

So, in a break from tradition, we are going to let you know what our next Big Idea topic is right now and, over the next few months, create online discussions that will help us form our story ideas for the big issue.

The Big Idea for 2012 is Making Edmonton Safer.

What can we do to reduce crime in our city, and also make it more livable? How much of an image problem was 2011's record-breaking murder rate? Do you think last year's crime stats were just a blip, or do you fear that they are the beginning of a scary trend.

Do you feel safe? If not, what could you do to make your community safer?

It’s not so much one issue as it is a series of issues that add up to one Big Idea. But, remember, what we want to hear are ideas, not just gripes. The Big Idea is supposed to be about coming up with solutions to one problem — the biggest problem — that the city is facing today. We don’t simply identify a crisis and then walk away, and that’s what makes this a different kind of journalism. 

Please check the Big Idea blog for regular stories and ideas about reducing crime,  post comments on any articles that inspire or provoke you, or leave them on our Facebook page. We can’t wait to hear what you have to say.