Low crime rate makes for a safe place to live but lock your doors

Victoria Row in Charlottetown, PEI - a peaceful place

Islanders may complain about the weather, jobs or healthcare but they mainly agree on one thing. PEI is a safe place to live.

Canada’s police chiefs and police forces agree. According to Police-reported crime statistics in Canada, 2010 released by Statistics Canada, PEI has the lowest rate of violent crime in Canada.

The report compiles statistics from the criminal justice system and says that Islanders are not crime free but they do have the lowest rates of crime and the least severe crimes.

The good news is that crime of all kinds is on the decrease in Canada.

Murder for instance is essential a non-event on PEI with less than 1 murder per 100,000 population per year.  The national average is 1.6 homicides per year, down from a peak of 2.7 homicides in 1991.

Police reported severity of crime by Province 2010

PEI’s violent crime severity index is 42, half the rate in Nova Scotia at 84.  The index of violent crime in neighboring provinces New Brunswick are 68, and Newfoundland is 70. Manitoba is 162 and Saskatchewan is 154. The national average is 82.

PEI’s rate of robbery is again lower than any other province, 15 incidents per 100,000. The national average is 89 robberies per 100,000.

PEI has the lowest rate of auto theft in Canada, 79 per 100,000. The average rate of auto theft is 272 per 100,000.

The only black eye for PEI in crime is break and enter where the rate of 514 is just under the national rate of 577 per 100,000. Ontario paradoxically has a lower rate of break and enter, 414 per 100,000. Could Ontarians be better at locking and alarming their homes.

The report Police-reported crime statistics in Canada, 2010 released by Statistics Canada is an interesting read.