What has changed in the short term, who have been wholesale from pandemic, is an increase in crimes of violence, both in the United States and Canada. This is indicated by the index of the seriousness of crime (IGC), which published every year statistics by Canada. This index measures the rate of crime for 100,000 inhabitants for criminal offenses. However, if we take into account only IGC with violence, it increased by 2% from 2022 to 2023 for the third year in a row, to cost 99.5.
“There is a slight recent increase in firearm discharges without victims and attempted murder in Montreal, a phenomenon also affecting other capitals on the continent,” explains Francis Langlois, an associated member of the Raoul-Dandurand Observatory.
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Yet, if we are considering long -term development, society is less violent than ever, to analyze scientists. “Violence in all its forms is a historical cavity, despite a slight recent increase,” comments Ted Rutland, a professor at Concordia University, a specialist in social justice. “If you want to measure violence, you have to look in the long run: It’s less than 30, 20 and even 10 years.” »»
This is what IGC is marked this time in general. Since 1998 IGC has decreased from 118.8 in 1998 to 80.5 in 2023 in the country.
Montreal, less violent
This is also the case in Quebec. Mr. Rutland points to the statistics of murders collected by the statistics of Canada. The murder rate to 100,000 decreased, from 2.37 for Canada in 1990 (2.63 for Quebec) to 1.95 in 2020 (1.01 for Quebec). There were 33 murders on Montreal in 2023 in 2022, between 2011 and 2022 there were an average of 28.4 murders per year, which represents a rate of 1.19 per 100,000 inhabitants.
Montreal is a less violent city than Toronto, Winnipeg, Regina or Edmonton, notes Irwin Waller, Emeritus professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Toronto and experts in the rights of victims of violent crimes. In Winnipeg, the murder rate is 5.04 per 100,000 inhabitants (compared to 3.06 in Edmonton and 1.73 in Toronto).
This means that in the long run, crime is everywhere in North America, Francis Langlois notes. For example, in the United States, the murder rate increased from 10 to 5.5 to 100,000 inhabitants between 1990 and 2023, according to AD Datalytics based on FBI data.
Decline
As for violence, the safest statistics concern murders because it is the most serious and most reported crime to the police. However, the murder rate decreased by 14%between 2006 and 2023, the statistical Canadian note.
The peak dates back to the decade, notes Yanick Charette, professor of social work and criminology school Laval University: Míra murders per 100,000 inhabitants in Quebec left from 1 in 1961, slightly more out of 3.5 in 1976. in 1980., descended around 3. In 2023, he was under 1.5. “At the age of 70, the peak was a crime,” he said. Since then, the company has set several measures for violence. »»
The researcher also states that the severity of crimes in Canada has been constantly decreasing since the turn of the century: according to Canada’s statistics in 1998 to 80.45 in 1998 per 100,000 inhabitants.
Disadvantage
However, the index of violent crimes, which fell from 97.8 in 1998 to 70.7 in 2014, increased to 99.45 in 2023.
In Quebec, the index of violent crimes, which in 2014 got from 90.4 in 1998 to the cavity 63.9, in 2023 rose to 92.7.
Therefore, the number of violent crimes has increased in Canada in recent years. Is it a sign that violence in society is increasing? According to experts, it is too early to decide.
Francis Langlois admits that there is a slight and very gradual increase in murders in North America, in the city and the region. At the end of pandemic imprisonment and social networks that worsen conflicts in certain circles, such as street gangs, it attributes the cause.
Regarding the increase in murders in the United States, it can be attributed to the spread of weapons between our southern neighbors, a phenomenon that is tend to expand here. “The availability of weapons collected at home with polymer components, made of 3D printers and metal parts purchased online, notes Francis Langlois. It is very popular in the United States, but the Canadian police claim to be a marginal phenomenon with us. »»