Today, Thursday, July 21, 2011, marks the release of the annual Crime Statistics report from the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, or CCJS. While “Police Reported Crime Statistics in Canada, 2010” shows Regina posting decreases in both total crime and the more recently introduced Crime Severity Index, Regina still emerges with the highest overall crime rate and Crime Severity index among Canadian Census Metropolitan Areas, or CMA’s.
The statistics released today show the crime rate in Regina (total Criminal Code Offences excluding traffic) dropped 8% from 2009 to 2010, bringing Regina’s crime rate to the lowest is has been since 1991, when Statistics Canada began its current method of collection and comparison of crime data. Since 1991, the crime rate in Regina has decreased 34.6 percent. Regina’s 8% decrease in overall reported crime from 2009 to 2010 compares favorably to the Canadian average rate of decline which was five-percent. Regina also posted an 8% decrease on the Crime Severity Index, which is a means of tracking changes in the severity (as opposed to volume) of police-reported crime.
In a news conference today, Police Chief Troy Hagen said, “Generally, we are pleased with steady reductions in our crime rate, especially noticeable in the past ten years, but we recognize there is further work to do. Our progress speaks to our approach as a Police Service, but also to our community’s ability to work collaboratively and the results are apparent.”
