Overall Crime Index Down In 2022 While Violent Crime Index Takes Double Digit Percentage Jump

By Robert Thomas

It’s a mixed bag when it comes to crime in Moose Jaw in 2022.

Reported crimes in general is down while at the same time violent crime in Moose Jaw has once again percentage wise taken a double digit leap.

That’s the findings from Statistics Canada as they have released the Crime Severity Index (CSI) numbers for 2022.

The CSI’s are indexes where crimes are given weighted numbers based upon their severity. It works on the premise that not all crimes are equal in their severity.

The CSI takes into account both of volume and the severity of crimes.

For instance a person who steals your shovel under a system simply counting the number of crimes would be equal to the criminal then using the shovel to beat a neighbour with it.

Under the CSI reporting system both crimes are not equal and are given different weights.

In 2022 the overall CSI for Moose Jaw was 120.98 which is a 3.66 percentage drop from 2021 when does CSI was 125.57.

According to the CSI from 2017 to 2022 the level of crime last year was the third hiatus over the six year period.

OVERALL CRIME SEVERITY INDEX NUMBERS FOR MOOSE JAW FROM 2017 TO 2022 - COURTESY STATISTICS CANADA

For Moose Jaw last year, 2022, saw the Violent Crime Severity Index (VCSI) jump by 15.41 percent compared to 2021.

The VCSI in 2022 what is 101.94 verses the 88.33 that was recorded in 2021. The highest VCSI over the six year period of 2017 to 2022.

In 2021 the VCS I took a 26.42 percent jump versus 2020.

VIOLENT CRIME SEVERITY INDEX NUMBERS FOR MOOSE JAW FROM 2017 TO 2022 - COURTESY STATISTICS CANADA

The Indexes do not list individual crimes but 2022 saw a number of violent crimes happen - many still before the courts.

With the VCSI up in 2022 the positive news was the decrease in the Non-Violent Crime Severity Index (NVCSI).

The NVCSI in 2022 dropped by 8.42 percent compared to the same index for 2021 when nonviolent crimes took a major 21.57 percent jump versus 2020.

Despite the drop in the NVCSI in 2022. The crime severity for the year is still the second highest over the 2017 - 2022 year period.

NON-VIOLENT CRIME SEVERITY INDEX NUMBERS FOR MOOSE JAW FROM 2017 TO 2022 - COURTESY STATISTICS CANADA

In 2022 the NVCSI what is 129.61 versus 141.52 in 2021.

In 2021 the NVCSI took the only double digit percentage increase versus the year prior in the six year.

It needs to be noted that the NVCSI only includes offences reported to the Moose Jaw Police Service and then entered into the system.