North Battleford is still number one on the Crime Severity Index, but the score has increased by the lowest amount in three years.
The most recent Crime Severity Index information was released on July 22. The index compiles information for 2018. Next year’s crime severity index will feature 2019’s numbers.
The Crime Severity Index measures changes in the level of severity of crime in Canada from year to year. Crimes are assigned weights according to their “level of seriousness,” which is based on the severity of sentences for crimes.
According to a Statistics Canada footnote on North Battleford’s index figures, “more serious crimes are assigned higher weights, less serious offences lower weights.”
The index includes all Criminal Code violations, including traffic and drug violations and all federal statutes.
North Battleford’s municipal Crime Severity Index score was 384.57, up from last year’s 371.71.
The second highest crime severity index score in 2018 belonged to Thompson, Man., while Quesnel, B.C. had the third highest.
North Battleford’s three-and-a-half per cent increase is the lowest per cent increase in three years.
Year-to-year fluctuation has been more dynamic in the past. 2013 to 2014 saw a 16 per cent decrease in crime severity index, while the next year saw an 18 per cent increase.
Statistics Canada also tracks a violent crime severity index.
While 2016 to 2017 saw a 16 per cent increase in this amount, 2017 to 2018 saw a decrease of 10 per cent.
North Battleford was nonetheless second in the violent crime category for 2018, behind, Thompson, Man.
The index value of non-violent crime in North Battleford increased by over nine per cent from 2017 to 2018.
The rural area around North Battleford is also an index category. Its score is nearly half that of municipal North Battleford. The per cent change in CSI was nearly eight per cent from 2016 to 2017, and was nearly seven per cent from 2017 to 2018.
However, data for detachment areas with relatively low populations “should be used with caution,” according to Stats Canada.
Low populations can explain, to some degree, why index scores can be high.
Statistics Canada also provided the News-Optimist with Crime Severity Index weights. First and second murder are assigned far and away the highest values, each at 7656.16.
Different forms of inflicted death, while having a relatively high weight, are significantly less than murder. Manslaughter has a weight of 1837.57, while criminal negligence causing death has a weight of 843.93.
The importation and exportation of heroin has a weight of 1592.54, while the importation and exportation of cocaine has a weight of 1064.94. Meanwhile, the importation and exportation of crystal meth has a score of 223.47.
Yet, possessing crystal meth has a higher score than possessing cocaine.
The unauthorized recording of a movie, with a weight of 55.72, is higher than weights for uttering threats, breaching probation, trespassing at night, theft under $5,000, and the weight of a prisoner unlawfully at large.
Maclean’s magazine popularly made the connection of an area being number one on the crime severity index score to “the most dangerous place in Canada.” Such a was narrative reinforced by W5’s documentary “Crimetown.”
The designation of North Battleford as the “most dangerous place in Canada” is locally disputed.
