By Cheryl Jahn

StatsCan releases Crime Severity Index

Nov 3, 2020 | 3:11 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – Statistics Canada has released the annual Crime Severity Index and, at first blush, it would appear crime has spiked in Prince George.

The index shows overall crime has increased by 47%, while violent crime has increased by 43% and non-violent crime has risen by 50%. But there’s a reason for that.

“Up until 2018, incidents that were reported to us, unless we prove they occurred, they didn’t get counted by StatsCanada. As of 2019, anything that IS reported to police is considered to be founded unless it’s disproven.

He says the largest driver on the CSI is mischief.

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“We responded to, I think, about 4,400 calls in 2019 of that kind of activity. So traditionally, we would go there, most times those people have moved on. In 2018, that wouldn’t have been founded. And now, as of 2019, that is considered a founded event. I think in small cities when those incidents are reported much more than the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, let’s say, has artificially inflated our stats.”

BC has the highest crime associated with the opioid crisis. Not surprising to Superintendent Wright.

“British Columbia traditionally has held an open view in regards to drug use. And, in fact, statistically, about five percent of our weighted CSI index was related to opioid trafficking.”

The StatsCan report also makes note, in Prince George’s particular case., “a high crime rate or Crime Severity Index (CSI) may indicate that a municipality is a geographical area that provides commercial business, human or public services, or entertainment for many people who reside outside, as well as inside, the municipality. As a result, these municipalities may have large part-time or temporary populations which are excluded from both their population bases and their crime rate and CSI calculations.”

It is something Mayor Lyn Hall has been talking about for a while.

“The services that we provide are not just health care, but there are social service agencies that provide assistance to folks. And, being a hub city, brings some concern given the fact we’re seeing incidents that the RCMP are having to deal with.”

Another one of those services is done out of the courthouse.

Superintendent Wright adds the policies held by the provincial and federal governments around the detention of prisoners and bail conditions is keeping the detachment hopping.

“A large amount of crime is committed by a very small number of people. And that is particularly noticeable in a small like this. You really see the effects of that.”

He says he puts more weight on his own numbers than the Crime Severity Index.