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Personal Safety

Definition 

Number of victims of violent crimes per 1,000 people. Violent crimes include assaults, homicides, sexual assaults or other sexual offences and other offences involving violence or causing death.

Why This Matters

Personal safety, as defined by the number of crimes (assaults, homicides, sexual assaults or other sexual offences and other offences involving violence or causing death) per 1,000 people, is an important component of well-being. Crimes against persons not only have strong negative effects on the well-being of victims, they affect the entire community (WPS, 2009).

Current residents may restrict their use of public recreational spaces where crimes have been known to occur, and potential residents may be less inclined to move into and open businesses in areas with high levels of crime. Safe communities, as indicated partly by reductions in crime, provide a better quality of life for residents, improve opportunities for investment, tourism, and economic development generally, and enhance social vitality (City of Winnipeg, 2010).

Both being and feeling safe in one’s community is an essential precondition for achieving well-being. Additionally, when personal safety is enhanced, community residents are better able to participate in the social and economic life of the community (City of Winnipeg, 2010).

Measurement and Limitations

Personal Safety looks at the number of victims of violent crimes per 1,000 people. Violent crimes are defined by the Uniform Crime Reporting Survey (URC) and includes assaults, homicides, sexual assaults or other sexual offences and other offences involving violence or causing death per. The number of victims differs from the number of incidents, as a singular incident can lead to multiple victims. Peg had previously reported on incidents rather than victims.All victims are recorded according to where they took place, rather than where the victim lives.

This data set does not include victims of incidents that have not been reported to the police. This data set does not include all “crimes against persons” as based on uniform crime reporting used by the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics.

This data set also does not include “crimes against property,” including break & enters, motor vehicle thefts, non-motor vehicle thefts, stolen goods, fraud, arson, and mischief, or “other crimes,” including prostitution, possession of firearms/offensive weapons, and other criminal code violations (WPS, 2009).

Furthermore, the rate of violent crimes per 1,000 people is calculated using the most recent census population counts for each community characterization area. For example, to calculate the 2020 incident rate per 1,000 individuals, 2016 census population data was used. 

The rate of incidents in 2021 was calculated using 2016 census population data since 2021 census data for community characteristic areas was not released at the time of updating the indicator. 2021 and 2022 rates will be recalculated once 2021 census population data for community characteristic areas becomes available.

An interactive map of crime incidences in Winnipeg can be found on the WPS Crimestat website at: https://www.winnipeg.ca/police/crime-prevention/crimemaps-calls-service-map

Data Source

Winnipeg Police Service. 2022 Statistical Report

This data is updated annually as it becomes available.

References

City of Winnipeg. (2020). OurWinnipeg 2045 Development Plan (DRAFT). Retrieved from https://www.winnipeg.ca/Interhom/CityHall/OurWinnipeg/Documents/OurWinnipeg.pdf

City of Winnipeg. (2010). OurWinnipeg: It’s our city, it’s our plan, it’s our time. Retrieved from https://www.winnipeg.ca/interhom/CityHall/OurWinnipeg/Documents/RelatedDocuments/OurWinnipeg2011.pdf

Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) annual reports. Retrieved from https://www.winnipeg.ca/police/annualreports/annualreports.stm

 
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Personal Safety in the Sustainable Development Goals

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16. Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies
16. Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies

16. Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies

Goal 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals is dedicated to the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, the provision of access to justice for all, and building effective, accountable institutions at all levels.

Related Personal Safety Targets

16.1

Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere