Statistics Canada has released data ranking Canadian municipalities on the Crime Severity Index (CSI) for 2019, with Moose Jaw placing 51st out of 324 communities with a population greater than 10,000.
The index refers to a measure of police-reported crime that reflects the seriousness — violent or non-violent — of individual offences, tracks changes in crime severity, and gives a weighted rating to each incident. For example, a minor theft could be rated a one and a murder could be rated 1,000.
Nationally, Thompson, Man., placed first with an overall CSI ranking of 501.89. The first Saskatchewan community on the list was Prince Albert in sixth with a CSI score of 279.58, while Regina was 36th, Saskatoon was 37th, and Moose Jaw was 51st with a score of 110.35.
Provincially, that means Moose Jaw was fourth in the CSI ranking.
“We have started diving into (the numbers). We noticed that the crime severity index has decreased to some degree in 2019, which we’re pleased about,” said Deputy Chief Rick Johns, adding it’s encouraging to see the numbers decrease from 2018 to 2019, especially since the community was ranked 32nd two years ago.
The Statistics Canada report for 2019 shows Moose Jaw’s overall CSI ranking of 110.35 is a decrease from 121.40 two years ago or a drop of 9.1 per cent. Broken down, the community’s violent CSI ranking was 89.18 — a decrease from 100.64, or 11.39 per cent — and its non-violent CSI ranking was 117.71, a decrease from 128.58, or 8.45 per cent.
Johns could only speculate about why the municipality’s CSI data had decreased, but suggested the positive efforts of the Moose Jaw Police Service’s Police and Crisis Team (PACT) are one reason. He pointed out that, in certain situations, there is value to have a mental health worker operating with a police officer. These interventions sometimes help reduce violent situations.
Anecdotally, Johns knows that residents who have had contact with PACT members have had positive interactions and outcomes.
“There may have been a correlation there. We’ve also had some ongoing enforcement with illicit drug trafficking and had some success in (addressing) that,” he continued. “That may have something to do with it. We’re going to continue to monitor the trends and see if that continues over the coming years.”
While Moose Jaw’s overall CSI value decreased in 2019, it has increased since 2013, according to data from the police service. From 2013 to 2018, the values were 98, 91, 99, 116, 107, and 121.
The community’s violent CSI ranking has also been on the rise. From 2013 to 2018, the values were 45, 57, 69, 84, 73, and 100.
It’s too soon to tell how Moose Jaw’s CSI for 2020 looks, especially since this year is somewhat of an anomaly due to the pandemic, added Johns. There have also been effects on residents’ finances and mental health, so he thought it would be interesting to see how the data looked next year.
