ARTICLE TAKEN FROM THE WPG SUN, WITH A BREAK DOWN ON CRIME

By ROCHELLE SQUIRES, LEGISLATURE REPORTER

Winnipeg finally lost the unfortunate title of murder capital of Canada.

With 44 homicides in 2004, Edmonton laid claim to that dubious distinction, compiling a rate of 4.3 per 100,000 people, according to a Statistics Canada report released yesterday.

Regina was second, with Winnipeg and Saskatoon tied for third. Quebec had the lowest homicide rates.

Winnipeg had 24 homicides last year, down from a record-breaking 34 in 2004, for a per capita rate of 3.7.

Justice Minister Gord Mackintosh said crime-fighters must remain diligent in tackling violent crime in Manitoba.

"Even though the province has the largest provincial decrease in crime, no one should take comfort. One crime is too many," said Mackintosh. "If you've ever lost a loved one to crime or live in a community dealing with crime these statistics aren't comforting."

Among the provinces, Saskatchewan slid into first place for having the highest homicide rate at 4.3 homicides per 100,000 people, seconded by Manitoba at 4.2 homicides per 100,000 people.

Manitoba also reported double-digit declines in sexual assaults in 2005.

Winnipeg retained its title as the auto theft capital of Canada. For every 100,000 people in the city, 1,712 people had their cars stolen in 2005, the report stated. That's down from 1,932 stolen vehicles per 100,000 people in 2004.

Abbotsford, B.C., was second this year (1,514 per 100,000 people), followed by Regina (1,078).

Tory justice critic Kelvin Goertzen said the gloomy figures do more to damage Manitoba's reputation than any branding campaign can fix.

"Compared to the rest of Canada and other large Canadian cities, Manitoba and Winnipeg continue to struggle with high rates of robbery, violent crime and auto thefts," said Goertzen. He linked the crime to a police shortage in the city and rural areas.

Manitoba had a 12% decline in property crimes in 2005 but was still third highest among provinces.

B.C. topped the list with the most property crimes committed, followed by Saskatchewan.

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CRIME ACROSS CANADA

A breakdown of crimes across the country in 2005, with the rate of change from 2004:

VIOLENT CRIMES

- Homicide, 658, +4%

- Attempted murder, 772, +14%

- Assault, 94,867, -1.5%

- Assault with weapon, 49,653, +5%

- Aggravated assault, 3,027, +9%

- Sexual assault, 23,303, 0%

- Other sex offences, 2,741, +4%

- Kidnapping, 584, -9%

- Robbery, 28,669, +3%

PROPERTY CRIMES

- Overall, -6%

- Break-ins, over half homes, 259,521, -7%

- Auto theft, 160,100, -7%

- Theft over $5,000, 17,491, +2%

- Theft $5,000 and under, 640,714, -6%

- Fraud, 94,468, -4%

DRUGS

- Overall, -6%

- Marijuana, 59,973, -12%

- Cocaine, 18,951, +11%

- Heroin, 803, 0%

- Other drugs, 12,528, +4%

OTHER CRIMES

- Mischief, 353,954, -1%

- Fake money,163,323, -20%

- Bail violations, 100,334, -7%

- Offensive weapons, 19,337, +5%

- Prostitution, 5,793, -11%

- Arson, 13,315, 0%

- Impaired driving, 75,613, -7%

ARTICLE TAKEN FROM THE WINNIPEG SUN JULY 20TH 2006

 

Violent crime in Winnipeg jumped last year for the first time since 2000.

At least according to the most recent crime statistics released by Winnipeg Police yesterday.

You may not know it from all the headlines, but Winnipeg was making some progress in recent years in bringing down violent crime in the city.

No huge leaps to be sure. Rather a slow but steady decline in the total number of "crimes against persons," as the police categorize them.

They include homicide, attempted murder, sexual assault, other sexual offences, assault, abduction and robbery.

When you add up the number of reported crimes in those categories, the total number fell every year from 2000 to 2004 for a total of 9.5%.

It's no Rudy Giuliani feat -- the former tough-on-crime New York City mayor credited with slashing crime by more than half in the 1990s in what used to be a crime-ridden city. But it's better than a kick in the fanny.

The number of robberies committed in Winnipeg, for example, started to decline a few years ago, dropping to 1,590 in 2004 from 1,808 in 1999.

Assaults were on the rise until 2002 but also began to level off in more recent years.

Until last year.

Most categories of violent crime shot back up in 2005, including a 15% jump in robberies and a 5% increase in assaults.

The North End was the hardest hit, with a 19% overall increase in violent crimes.

Robberies in the North End jumped 28% last year. Assault was up 17%.

It's just one year. But the overall increase in violent crime last year in Winnipeg has wiped out most of the gains made in recent years. It's not good.

The one violent crime that has seen no improvement for years is sexual assault. In fact, sexual assaults have been on a steady increase since the late 1990s.

In 1998, there were 465 sexual assaults reported to police. That grew almost every year until 2003 when it peaked at 713.

It leveled off a bit to 673 last year but it's still 45% higher than it was seven years ago.

That's pretty frightening, although not altogether surprising given how lax our courts treat sexual assaults.

HIGHER TODAY

The point is, criminologists like to tell us crime is on the decline in Winnipeg.

And while that may be true in some categories, it's not the case when it comes to many violent crimes.

Murders in Winnipeg fluctuate from year to year and don't change much over time.

But you can't ignore the fact that despite a few years of respite, violent crimes are higher today than they were in the late '90s.

Crime isn't skyrocketing out of control in Winnipeg. But it's high, it remains high from year to year and, in some cases, it's on the rise.

All of which makes a good case for the fact our court system is failing us by not providing the level of deterrence required to make a serious dent in crime.

When you give repeat violent offenders who rob stores and gas bars at knifepoint conditional sentences, you can't expect crime to fall in any significant way.

And when you force police to strain their resources by asking them to perform more and more tasks and yet demand they still patrol the streets, you can't expect them to fight crime as aggressively as we'd like.

Although there are more cops working for the Winnipeg Police Service today than there were in the '90s, the ratio of cops per capita in Winnipeg has fallen.

In 2005 there was one police officer for every 539 people. In 1998, there was one for every 519 people.

We need more cops and a much tougher court system. Otherwise nothing will change.

ok so i found out that that sick fuck that they relesed from jail is going to be "watched" for 10 years.

So what does that mean? they will have a cop car follow him for 10 years? or an under cover? or just that he is on parole for 10 years?

all the same it does not make me feel comftorble to know that he will not be that far. I live in the core area already, and there are already a few "known" pedifiles around here. Like what the hell is up with these people that feel this (as i have heard it put before) "love" for small children, give them some drugs to fix the chemical imbalance in there brain and then send them to shawshank! or find an island ( like austrailia was origonaly used for) in the middle of no where, drop them and let them fend for them selves. Maybe its just me, maby its casue i have never been put in that situation, as i would never want to be. I just think that if the medical society can "fix" people with "mood disorders" and "fix" depression, they should be able to "fix" the part of the brain that makes people lust for..... ugh! i cant even say it. open oppinion here people,.. dont leave me haning!

Should the gov try to 'fix" these people or turn to exicution or drop them on an abandon island? whats your oppinion?

 

 

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again, i am sickened

Ok so how many of you watch the news?

I am just sickened! what the hell is wrong with our goverment or police cheif?

I did not catch the name mentioned on the news, and this is not the first person to be "released" from jail in reguards to this subject! OR the first person to "Be expected to live in winnipeg"

 

Pedifile! kid raper! does not matter how you put it, i find it sick that the police would release a high risk offender who rapes little boys! I live in winnpeg which is where this guy is belived to be taking up resedence!

How far does he live from me you ask? I DONT KNOW

so if your kid (boys in particular) is pre-pubesent, keep a close watch on them when they go to the park to play.

Im so pissed of with the cops! ( not all of them, just the ones incharge of releasing people from jail) WHAT THE HELL IS THE MATTER WITH YOU?????? Your releasing PEDIFILES? and HIGH RISK OFFENDERS into the general population?  why dont we just slit our wrist and jump in the ocean! or go bunji jumping with out the cord?

GET YOUR FUCKING ACT TOGETHER! KEEP THE BAD PEOPLE BEHIND BARS! mind you not everyone that goes to jail is bad, ( its true)  but the people who do sick shit like rape LITTLE KIDS, SHOULD BE THROWN INTO THE STREET AND SHOT! REPEATEDLY!!!!   Im gonna be supper pissed if anyting horrible happenes to my kid cause the cops were stupid enough to let that man out of jail,.. What happened to " police are your friends?" my kid loves the cops ( he is 5 ) SICK, SICK, SICK,SICK!  TO THE  PERSON RESPONSABLE FOR LETTING A PEDOFILE OUT ON THE STREETS WHO WILL MOST LIKELY  RE-OFFEND!,    ITS ON YOUR HEAD      ASSHOLE