Today, Tuesday, July 24, 2012, marks the release of the annual crime statistics report from the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, or CCJS. This report is a comparison of Total Crime Rate and Crime Severity Index, as well as specific crime categories, across Canada’s 33 Census Metropolitan Areas, or CMA’s. As in previous years, Regina shows another decrease in both total crime and Crime Severity Index; however the report: “Police Reported Crime Statistics in Canada, 2011” also shows Regina emerging, once again, as having the highest total crime rate and highest Crime Severity Index (CSI) when compared to other CMA’s.
The statistics released today show the Total Crime Rate in Regina (total Criminal Code offences, excluding traffic) dropped 3% from 2010 to 2011. This brings Regina’s crime rate to the lowest it’s been since 1991, when Statistics Canada began its current method of collection and comparison of crime data. In the past 21 years, Regina’s crime rate has fallen by 35%. The 3% 2010 to 2011 decrease is just slightly less than the Canadian average decrease in Total Crime Rate which was 6%.
Regina also posted a 6% decrease in its Crime Severity Index, which is a means of tracking changes in the severity (as opposed to volume) of police reported crime. (Like Crime Rate, CSI is split into Violent and Non-Violent Crime.) Although Regina still has the highest total CSI and Non-Violent CSI, it is worth noting that, for the first time since 2009 (when the CSI was introduced), Regina is fourth overall in the comparison of Violent Crime Severity Index. Regina’s Violent CSI dropped 18% from 2010 to 2011, due in part to a 25% reduction in Robberies in 2011. This represents the second highest reduction of Violent Crime Severity in Canada.
Over the last decade, the Crime Severity Index in the Regina CMA has reported a reduction of 40% compared to 18% in Saskatchewan and 25% in Canada.
In a news scrum today, Police Chief Troy Hagen said, “It is encouraging to see another year-over-year reduction in crime in Regina, but we don’t lose sight of our responsibility to do more. The fact that we have seen steady reductions, especially in the past decade, speaks to our community’s collaborative approach to building a safer city. We all have a role to play in crime prevention: from early interventions with at-risk youth, to being watchful and caring neighbors. As Regina grows, our success as a community will depend on our ability to help all Regina residents share hope for the future, opportunity and safety.”
The linked document below highlights the decreases in crime in Regina, expressed as overall Total Crime Rate and Crime Severity Index. It also draws comparisons to Western Canadian Census Metropolitan Areas, the cities to which Regina is most-often compared. There are also graphs illustrating the ten-year statistical picture in Regina, showing Regina-to-Regina comparisons in overall crime rate and selected crime categories.
