Almost two-in-five British Columbians think crime and public safety are growing concerns in their community, according to a Research Co. poll.
An online survey of a representative sample of British Columbians shows 38% of people say the level of criminal activity in their community has increased in the past four years.
Women (41%) and British Columbians aged 55 and over (44%) are more likely to perceive a rise in criminal activity.
46% of those surveyed on Vancouver Island are more likely to say the situation has gotten worse, compared to 34% in the Lower Mainland and 47% in the rest of B.C.
Nearly three-in-ten British Columbians (29%) say they fear becoming a victim of a crime in their community “a great deal” or “a fair amount,” including 33% of women, 33% of those aged 18 to 34, and 19% of Vancouver Island residents.
“There is a deep generational divide when it comes to perceptions of public safety in British Columbia,” says Research Co. president Mario Canseco. “Millennials are more likely to fear becoming victims, Generation Xers are more likely to actually have contacted the police, and baby boomers are more likely to say that crime is on the rise in their community.”
The survey points to a political divide as well. Of those who say they think crime has increased in the past four years, 44% voted for the BC Liberals in the 2017 provincial election, compared to 35% of BC NDP voters and 34% of BC Green Party voters.
A similar divide can be found when looking at voters in the 2015 federal election, with 43% of Conservative voters perceiving an increase in crime, compared to 33% of NDP voters and 38% of Liberal voters.
When asked which factors deserve “a great deal” of the blame for the crime and issues of public safety in their community, a majority of British Columbians (51%) selected addiction and mental health issues, while two-in-five (40%) chose gangs and the illegal drug trade.
36% think an inadequate court system is to blame, while 33% point lack of values and the improper education of youth, and 26% mention poverty and inequality.
The question is: does perception match reality? It’s hard to say.
The provincial government only has statistics available up to 2016, but that year, the crime rate saw a decrease of 0.9% from 2015 after two years of increases.
