Frequently Asked Questions
- The crime statistics provided on this web page seem different than those provided in the Winnipeg Police Service Annual Report. Is this an error?
- Why doesn't CrimeStat follow the same reporting protocols as CCJS?
- Can you compare Winnipeg CrimeStat data to other Police Agencies?
- Are the total numbers reported on CrimeStat absolute and unchanging?
- Can crime go up even with police targeting a certain type of crime?
- Can you compare Winnipeg neighbourhoods?
1. The crime statistics provided on this web page seem different than those provided in the Winnipeg Police Service Annual Report. Is this an error?
No. The numbers posted on this website show the total number of occurrences based on the date on which the crime data was queried. The date range is displayed on the data tables.
The Annual Report numbers are based on standards set by the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics (CCJS). These standards apply to all police agencies, thereby making it possible to directly compare information among police services as they all provide their information in the same way.
CCJS asks police services to report only the most serious offence of an occurrence. CrimeStat data can include more than one offence in a single occurrence.
2. Why doesn't CrimeStat follow the same reporting protocols as CCJS?
The goal of CrimeStat is to provide timely information on specific crimes. The process to complete the CCJS protocols requires manual scoring, thereby causing a delay in the availability of accurate data.
3. Can you compare Winnipeg CrimeStat data to other Police Agencies?
You have to ensure you are comparing the same type of data, obtained by the same method. CrimeStat data is counted based on the police occurrence types. Other Services may use CCJS guidelines or other information from their internal databases. You also need to consider that different geographic locations have different crime trends and issues
4. Are the total numbers reported on CrimeStat absolute and unchanging?
No. All statistics are subject to change due to late reporting, acquiring of additional information and occurrence type amendments.
Examples:
- If the victim of a break and enter was on vacation at the time the offence, the reporting of the occurrence may be delayed.
- An abandoned vehicle may be reported as a suspicious occurrence and through investigation be linked to a break-in and the robbery
5. Can crime go up even with police targeting a certain type of crime?
Media exposure of a certain issue often increases the awareness of citizens and may increase the reporting of a certain type of crime, followed by increased investigation and arrests.
6. Can you compare Winnipeg neighbourhoods?
You need to consider that neighbourhood residents don't all report crimes in the same way, and that some simply don't report crimes at all. Some neighbourhoods have established Neighbourhood Watch, Block Parent or Citizens on Patrol Programs. This extra community involvement is likely to increase crime reporting.
For example, consider a neighbourhood which had five actual incidents occur. In a neighbourhood with a community program, all of these incidents may be reported due to the community's increased awareness of the importance of reporting a crime. In a neighbourhood without a community program, only some of the incidents may get reported. Even though both neighbourhoods in the example had the same actual number of incidents one may appear to have more crime, based on the consistency of reporting.