Solutions to qathet’s surging crime situation: Recalculating for the worse

An end to surging crime: Part 3

BY PIETA WOOLLEY

Crime: It’s worse than we thought.

This chart ran in the October issue with the first crime story. The numbers of crimes came straight from the Powell River RCMP, but the percentage calculations were all mine (editor PW). And they were wrong.

Thanks to an eagle-eyed reader, we now know that crime has indeed increased much more than I had originally calculated.

Note too: 2019 is not part of the math (as I just compared 2018 to 2021) but crime spiked that year. Why? Bill C-75? Or something else?

Assaults

2018: 127

2019: 205

2020: 202

2021:190

2018/2022 comparison: 50% increase

Break & Enter

2018: 76

2019: 170

2020: 115

2021: 115

2018/2022 comparison: 51% increase

Drug Trafficking

2018: 17

2019: 63

2020: 32

2021: 28

2018/2022 comparison: 65% increase

Harassment

2018: 31

2019: 90

2020: 51

2021: 69

2018/2022 comparison: 123% increase

Mischief to Property

2018: 166

2019: 260

2020: 197

2021: 211

2018/2022 comparison: 27% increase

Possess Stolen Property

2018: 25

2019: 54

2020: 58

2021: 57

2018/2022 comparison: 128% increase

Sex Offenses

2018: 21

2019: 44

2020: 44

2021: 48

2019/2022 comparison: 129% increase

Shoplifting

2018: 64

2019: 88

2020: 41

2021: 57

2018/2022 comparison: 11% decrease

Persons Violent Crime

2018: 241

2019: 437

2020: 386

2021: 435

2018/2022 comparison: 80% increase

Property Crime

2018: 655

2019: 1162

2020: 813

2021: 893

2018/2022 comparison: 36% increase

These numbers represent calls to the RCMP for criminal code violations. Powell River Staff Sergeant Rod Wiebe says these numbers are an accurate representation of crime in the region. – PW

An end to surging crime: Part 3

This article is the third in qathet Living magazine’s three-part series on crime in this region.

Part 1 explored the crimes themselves: what is happening, and what is the impact on this community?

Part 2 dived in to courts and corrections: how changes to our justice system are playing out locally.

Part 3 asks what those who are perpetrating the crimes need to be able to stop harming this community and themselves, and re-join society.

Note: In the January 2023 issue, we will run a special follow-up story on new approaches to toxic drug and addictions policy, as so much has emerged over the past month.

We hope these stories help inform the current conversation about crime, justice, addiction, and solutions. And, we hope to hear from you.

Please send letters (ideally before the 20th of the month) to isabelle@prliving.ca.