Saskatchewan’s crime rate is bad but it is getting better.
The latest numbers released by the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics indicate Saskatchewan has the highest crime rate amoung Canadian provinces.
Despite this the province also posted the biggest drop in the overall crime rate.
The numbers measure all crime but weight violent crimes higher when determining a crime severity index.
In Saskatchewan, that index is nearly twice the national average and it is the highest of all the provinces, followed by Manitoba.
On a city by city breakdown, Regina ranks number one on the crime severity index, followed by Saskatoon.
Regina police chief Troy Hagen, sees encouraging news in the numbers.
“On the crime severity index side we have a ten year reduction of just under 48% and when you look at the level of reduction against the national and provincial perspective we are outpacing the national and provincial reduction over a ten year period by one and a half times, so we are making tremendous inroads.”
Mayor Michael Fougere says Regina is still a safe city, even though it’s crime rate indicates otherwise.
He says ongoing efforts by police, the city, and the community are making a difference.
“We have work to do but we have a safe community, a caring community I have no doubt about that whatsoever but we do have work to do.”
Nationally, the crime severity index was down by 3 per cent last year, continuing a decline that started in 1991.
The nation’s crime rate is now at its lowest level since 1972.