Don’t be misled by superficial looks at Canada’s crime statistics

By LORRIE GOLDSTEIN, Toronto Sun:

In reality, Statistics Canada’s 2009 crime stats show the same thing they’ve shown for years — our crime rate remains stubbornly, alarmingly high.

Indeed, Canada’s crime rate in 2009 was 131% higher than in 1962, when comparable stats first started being kept. Yes, you read that right.

In 1962, there were 2,771 reported crimes per 100,000 population. In 2009, 6,406 per 100,000.

As for the sub-category of violent crime, the one that most concerns people, Statistics Canada this year didn’t provide the 2009 rate in a way we can compare to 1962. (It’s now compiling all the statistics differently.)

I’ve asked Statistics Canada for that figure, and, obligingly, they’re working on it.

But I can tell you Canada’s violent crime rate in 2008 was 321% higher than in 1962 — 932 reported crimes per 100,000 population, compared to 221 per 100,000.

While the 2009 violent crime rate will be slightly lower, it will still, essentially, be triple the 1962 rate.

Clearly, we have an ongoing, serious, crime problem.

But there’s more.

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