Statistics Canada — through the Canadian Centre for Justice — has released data ranking Canadian municipalities on the Crime Severity Index (CSI) for 2021, with Moose Jaw placing 37th out of 325 communities with a population greater than 10,000.
In comparison, Moose Jaw ranked 59th in 2020 with a CSI rating of 104.28, which means it jumped 32 places year over year.
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, North Battleford placed first — dethroning Thompson, Man., to reclaim the title of “Crimetown” — with an overall CSI rating of 480.72. That was an increase of 11.89 per cent compared to 2020.
The other Saskatchewan communities on the list included Prince Albert in fourth spot, Yorkton in 28th place, Moose Jaw in 37th with a rating of 127.18, Saskatoon in 42nd place, Regina in 44th place, Swift Current in 64th spot, Estevan in 68th place, Weyburn in 110th spot, Martensville in 283rd spot, and Warman in 302nd place.
In 2019, Moose Jaw was ranked 51st nationally — with a score of 110.35 — and fourth provincially.
The Statistics Canada report for 2021 shows Moose Jaw’s overall CSI ranking of 127.18 is up from 104.28 in 2020, or an increase of 21.97 per cent.
Broken down, the community’s violent CSI rating last year was 81.61 or 128th place in Canada — an increase in rating from 69.81 two years ago — while its non-violent CSI rating was 143.26 or 24th place in Canada, an increase in rating from 116.42 two years ago.
Moose Jaw’s total CSI rating has steadily climbed since 2013, according to data from the Moose Jaw Police Service. From 2013 to 2020, the values have been 98, 91, 99, 116, 107, 121, 110 and 104.
Meanwhile, the community’s violent CSI ranking from 2013 to 2020 has been 45, 57, 69, 84, 73, 101, 86 and 70.
