Police-Reported Crime Continues To Decline in Canada

Statistics Canada reports today that police-reported crime continued to decline in Canada for the 5th straight year:

"Both the traditional crime rate and the new Crime Severity Index fell 5%, meaning that both the volume of police-reported crime and its severity decreased. Violent crime also dropped, but to a lesser extent."

"This was the fifth consecutive annual decline in police-reported crime. There were about 77,000 fewer reported crimes in 2008, including 28,000 fewer thefts of $5,000 and under, 22,000 fewer break-ins and 20,000 fewer motor vehicle thefts."

The Crime Severity Index was introduced in the spring of 2009. The Index assigns weight to different crimes. The more serious the crime, the greater the assigned value.