2538 others browsing the Canadian Forums! Join us!

Crime stats in Saskatoon (Saskatoon Crime)

Crime stats in Saskatoon

bmckie

Saskatoon Crime

Sep 20th, 2006

This may be a touchy subject...
I was reading some stats today, and it appears that crime is really high in Saskatoon (first place across Canada!). The indexes and a quick search on the web (various articles describing robberies, murders, car thefts etc) painted a rather grim image of what I used to consider a "nice little Prairies town". Is it possible that I was grossly mistaken? I mean, for someone living in Montreal (a city with an apparently elevated crime rate), this comes as a shock to me.
So - what's the situation out there? I tend to take with a grain of salt discourses like "I'm afraid to walk into the streets of Saskatoon's downtown at 5pm" or "many of my female colleagues have been mugged/nearly raped/etc in broad daylight" or anything similar; on the other hand, I'm ready to admit that the (sad) reality is sometimes worse than fiction... so, honestly - which one is it?

Kreskin

Saskatoon Crime Rate

Sep 20th, 2006

That surprises me, although crime stats are usually won by those who most often report them so you never really know.

athabaska

Crime In Saskatoon

Sep 20th, 2006

Native Canadian have by far the highest crime rate in Canada. Saskatoon has a much higher percent of natives than Montreal, etc. I don't know the stats but prisons in Saskatchewan and Manitoba have way more native inmates than their percent of the population.

bmckie

Crime Rate In Saskatoon

Sep 20th, 2006

Quote: Originally Posted by athabaska

Native Canadian have by far the highest crime rate in Canada. Saskatoon has a much higher percent of natives than Montreal, etc. I don't know the stats but prisons in Saskatchewan and Manitoba have way more native inmates than their percent of the population.

OK, that I understand -- but would Saskatoon be an unsafe city? less safe than, say, Montreal or Toronto?

athabaska

Sep 20th, 2006

I've been to Saskatoon a few times and it's one of my favorite cities in Canada. I didn't even think about crime or related issues.

Crime stats are quirky indicators of how safe or unsafe a city is for the average law abiding citizen. In many cities 'violent' crime is largely confined to activities within certain circles. Here in Calgary there is rarely a violent incident that is random in nature. Murders are usually gang related or domestic. When I was a university student in Montreal in the mid 70's, the city had a high murder rate...but 98% was gang on gang and Montreal was a city in which a woman coud feel quite safe walking the streets after midnight.

Researcher87

Sep 20th, 2006

Why do people pin Native Canadians and crime, do you think all of them just commit crime?

Because if you do I have about 200 people where i live that can tell you differently. And they will not be amused by such thoughts.

wallyj

Sep 20th, 2006

The crime rate in both Saskatoon and Regina is WAY above all major cities. This (do some research) has been spiralling upwards in the last 4 years due to an increase in crimes ,mostly petty, committed by natives in the downtown cores. Hold off on the knee-jerk cries of racism.It is a fact. The government decided that natives were not being treated fairly in the "white" justice system. So they decided on alternative sentencing which was ,except for serious crimes,designed to HEAL rather than punish.What a mess. Take away any deterrent to crime and it will flourish.There may be 200 or 300 people who do not commit crimes,good for them, but take a walk through the core of Regina or Saskatoon and your eyes will be opened.

tamarin

Sep 21st, 2006

Alternative sentencing for native offenders has been gospel. If it's not working then we should be told about it. And those who aggressively supported it in the first place should be tagged for an explanation. There has to be accountability here. It's long been known that many western penitentiary populations are disproportionately native. If there's a problem in First Nations communities that can be fixed we should work on it. But fuzzying the picture with political correctness has to be a big upfront no no. We're backward in Canada on such issues. It has to stop.

wallyj

Sep 21st, 2006

Tamarin,I concur.The disproportion that you speak of,is not disproportionate to the crimes committed.It is disproportionate to the % of population. The problem lies with the parents and band leaders who do not want the children to join the 21st century. In real estate the mantra is location.location,location.In society it should be education,education,education.

bmckie

#10

Sep 21st, 2006

Quote: Originally Posted by wallyj

The crime rate in both Saskatoon and Regina is WAY above all major cities.

OK - so I'm going to ask this once more: are Saskatoon and Regina unsafe cities or is crime rate very high only/mostly among natives?

Just trying to understand...

Toro

#11

Sep 21st, 2006

They are not unsafe cities.

tamarin

#12

Sep 21st, 2006

Wally, education is key. You're right. And parents and band elders aggressively supporting it is the only way native children are going to get the message: there is a way to lead a better life and it starts in your school.

athabaska

#13

Sep 21st, 2006

"It's long been known that many western penitentiary populations are disproportionately native."

About 74% of criminal offences in Saskatchewan are commited by natives but natives make up only 52% of the prison population. By this measure natives are under represented in Sask prisons. It's nice to promote 'healing lodges', etc. unless one is a child beaten or girl raped by their uncle when he returns from one of these lodges instead of being locked up in prison. The victims of many violent native crime are vulnerable natives such as children and the elder. An abused native child needs protection and has no less value than any other.

tamarin

#14

Sep 21st, 2006

Athabaska, the key to understanding 'disproportionate' would be knowing the native component of the general population in a province like Saskatchewan.. What percentage of Saskatchewan is native? (Yah, I should look it up myself!) Is it close to 52% or hovering in the 25% area?

bmckie

#15

Sep 21st, 2006

Quote: Originally Posted by athabaska

"It's long been known that many western penitentiary populations are disproportionately native."

About 74% of criminal offences in Saskatchewan are commited by natives but natives make up only 52% of the prison population. By this measure natives are under represented in Sask prisons. It's nice to promote 'healing lodges', etc. unless one is a child beaten or girl raped by their uncle when he returns from one of these lodges instead of being locked up in prison. The victims of many violent native crime are vulnerable natives such as children and the elder. An abused native child needs protection and has no less value than any other.

So, you're saying that criminal offences are more or less confined to native environments, and not geared towards the general population? if I parked my car in a typical parking lot, it wouldn't be more likely to get stolen in Saskatoon (vs.say, Montreal), unless that parking lot happened to be in a ghetto-like area?
I don't think there's one single city in this world without its dangerous areas; but that's one thing, while "downton Saskatoon (or Edmonton, yes, I've heard that too!) is a place you must(!) avoid, even at 5pm" seems to be far-fetched; but again, never been to Sask-City, never been to Edmonton either, so I wouldn't know - I'm just relying on my "hey, c'mon, this is Canada, not Afghanistan" gut feeling.

Calberty

#16

Sep 21st, 2006

Quote: Originally Posted by tamarin

Athabaska, the key to understanding 'disproportionate' would be knowing the native component of the general population in a province like Saskatchewan.. What percentage of Saskatchewan is native? (Yah, I should look it up myself!) Is it close to 52% or hovering in the 25% area?

It all depends what percentage is being considered as diproportionate. The percentage of a race in the population or the percentage of perps of a given group. Aboriginals are sent to prison less frequently than whites when they commit the same crime. Also the white guy is more likely to be charged in the first place. Back in Manitoba the RCMP wouldn't touch most Crees unless it was really bad or the band itself wanted the perp hauled off.

Liz

#17

Sep 21st, 2006

Where there is poverty there is crime. Unfortunately there is poverty in many places that have a high Native Canadian population like Regina or Saskatoon. I lived i n Regina for years and it is not a dangerous city, but I did have my truck broken into three times one week. Who knows if those thieves were Native or not? I sure don't. The ones that broke into my suburban house sure were. I do know that if you look at the youth correctional facility there you will mostly see Native kids. It's a shame.
I never once was scared for my own safety, just my posessions. Even in Victoria park late at night.

tamarin

#18

Sep 21st, 2006

I don't think poverty is the chief culprit. Far more important is the lack of cohesive, functional families. Rural Canada was poor in the 1950's and 1960's and crime was low. But families were strong and father figures predominant. If you want kids into crime have them raised by single parents and in areas where such units are the norm.

Liz

#19

Sep 21st, 2006

You are right that family function affects crime rates. But I think that poverty has to do with the malfunction of a lot of families. Poverty goes hand in hand with petty theft and drug abuse. Two of the most common crimes committed I would think. Those minor crimes snowball into larger ones. Maybe crime is one reason many families fail. I also think there is a big difference between rural and urban settings. Children are raised in a more communal manner in a small town. One parent or two. It's like having a big family. In the city there is far more opportunity for trouble and the sense of community is lacking. Not only that, but single parent families are growing in popularity. There likely weren't as many in the 50's and 60's. Especially in rural areas.

athabaska

#20

Sep 21st, 2006

Have you spent any time on a rural reserve and all that 'communal manner' and 'sense of community'? There are lots of relatives and an extended family...usually more uncles and fathers to get drunk, sexually abuse the girls and so on. This has nothing to do with poverty or being rural or urban.

It's not poverty. It's

Liz

#21

Sep 22nd, 2006

wow...struck a nerve I guess. I sure didn't say that there was no disfunctional families in rural areas. I wasn't even talking about reserves. I was thinking more in terms of all the small farming communities across the prairies (because that's what I know best). Are you trying to tell me that drug abuse and sex abuse is normal in large families on reserves? It sure wasn't all that common in the small towns I lived in, although it did happen on occasion. In the the town I grew up in, kids could be free and roam around town at will. If they were up to anything dangerous or troublesome, a neighbour would be as good as a parent and step in. That is what I meant by a sense of community. So why do you think crime rates are so high in Regina and Saskatoon? Is it because there are too many perverted dads and uncles? Or is it because there are groups of people who have less financial security and opportunity? Or are you suggesting it's just a racial thing to be criminally active?

athabaska

#22

Sep 22nd, 2006

Quote: Originally Posted by Liz

wow...struck a nerve I guess. I sure didn't say that there was no disfunctional families in rural areas. I wasn't even talking about reserves. I was thinking more in terms of all the small farming communities across the prairies (because that's what I know best). Are you trying to tell me that drug abuse and sex abuse is normal in large families on reserves? It sure wasn't all that common in the small towns I lived in, although it did happen on occasion. In the the town I grew up in, kids could be free and roam around town at will. If they were up to anything dangerous or troublesome, a neighbour would be as good as a parent and step in. That is what I meant by a sense of community. So why do you think crime rates are so high in Regina and Saskatoon? Is it because there are too many perverted dads and uncles? Or is it because there are groups of people who have less financial security and opportunity? Or are you suggesting it's just a racial thing to be criminally active?

Take your pick. Crime rates among natives in rural areas is well above average and crimes rates among natives in urban areas are well above average...in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba.

I've never known any poor natives. The ones I knew growing up all received government cheques every month and when I was struggling to get by in university, native kids were getting their way paid for. If natives have less financial security it's because they haven't taken advantage of the incredible opportunities presented to them on a silver platter. It must be nice getting a cheque every month to finance bingo and then scream loud enough so the government bilds you a new house to replace the last one with smashed out windows.

Now go back to political correctness and pretending incest and rape is a product of poverty and alienation.

tamarin

#23

Sep 22nd, 2006

Hmmm, I remember well years and years ago when the RCMP - well, a few outraged northern detachment officers here in Ontario - tried to blow the whistle on systemic sexual abuse on northern reserves. They were shut up pretty quick! This was at a time before the residential school issue blew up.
Natives will only improve their conditions when they 'own' their problems and resolve to do something about them.

Liz

#24

Sep 22nd, 2006

By "average" do you mean whitey? Remember that we are talking about crime rates in urban Sask. If you that there are no poor native people in the city of Regina you have never been there. Just because they get cheques doesn't mean that they are substantial. Even if the cheques are big, it doesn't mean that after the bingo there is any left for food. I think you are putting the horse before the cart. If you look at the crime in these cities, it is mostly minor assaults and theft.

Don't get me started on university...I have another post somewhere on this site that tells in great detail about how I couldn't get the classes I needed before my dark skinned sister started registering for me.

This has nothing to do with being PC. I agree that Natives are responsible for a lot of crime in Regina, but they are a high percentage of the pop, and MANY live far below the poverty line.

People don't rape because they are freeloading Natives. Toss the biggotry and look for some cause and effect.

Liz

#25

Sep 22nd, 2006

I am certainly not saying that the struggles that many people face today are not self inflicted. Whether they are or not doesn't change the fact that there are struggles.

tamarin

#26

Sep 22nd, 2006

Liz, as long as natives are the only Canadians offered a free university or college education if they choose to finish high school, you're not going to get anywhere on the native issue with dissenters.

Liz

#27

Sep 22nd, 2006

Again, how do freebies (taken advantage of or not) have to do with crime rates and whether it's safe to walk the streets in Saskatoon?

tamarin

#28

Sep 22nd, 2006

An educated society is a safer society, a more responsible society and a wealthier one. If native communities are impoverished, a good deal of the blame lies on poor educational choices. And really who in Canada has greater choice than they?

Liz

#29

Sep 22nd, 2006

True..they have more options open than many do. But really why are these opportunities not used? Obviously there is something deeper causing a lack of initiative and I don't think it's genetics. Perhaps it is the pattern that generation after generation has lived since before the opportunities were available. Native or white, people who come from families that are not educated, don't really value education. Lack of education leads to poverty which leads to crime. I am not justifying anyones poor choices. Often poor choices ARE what becomes financial insecurity. Nobody is arguing that there are missed opportunities.

bmckie

#30

Sep 23rd, 2006

Quote: Originally Posted by Liz

Again, how do freebies (taken advantage of or not) have to do with crime rates and whether it's safe to walk the streets in Saskatoon?

OK, so getting back to my initial question - is Saskatoon a less safe city than the average Canadian city or not? :-) I really enjoyed reading your sociological debate, but I must confess I'm a bit disappointed by the lack of reaction of the Saskatoonians; as a tourist, your impressions of a city will be necessarily limited; there's a big difference in dynamics when it comes to perceiving an environment as "safe" or "unsafe", depending on your status in that environment - tourist vs. dweller. A tourist might have good days or bad days in X, while an X resident could provide a much more realistic image of what's really going on there.

Similar Threads

saskatoon whats it like
by carpenter dave | Nov 10th, 2009

Possibly Moving to Saskatoon
by scotts_girl | Mar 3rd, 2007

IT specialist: relocating to Saskatoon
by kiwiinqc | Apr 27th, 2006

Stats Can Hires Convicted Organized Crime Group For Census
by darkbeaver | Apr 7th, 2006