Police-reported Aboriginal crime in Saskatchewan

Abstract

Data on Aboriginal status contained in this report are based on self-reported (Census) and/or observational (crime) data. They provide information on the nature and extent of Aboriginal involvement in urban, rural and reserve crime as well as the socio-demographic profile of the population of Saskatchewan.

Based on the 1996 Census data, the Aboriginal population in Saskatchewan tend to be younger, have lower educational levels, higher employment rates, and substantially lower incomes than the non-Aboriginal population. Crime rates on reserves were two times higher than rates in rural or urban areas of the province. For violent offences, the rate was almost five times higher on-reserve than in urban or rural areas.

In all three areas (reserves, urban and rural areas), a larger proportion of adults than youth were accused of a violent offence or an other Criminal Code offence. In contrast, youth were more often accused of a property offence than any other offence type. In urban areas, there is an over-representation of Aboriginal persons involved in the criminal justice system. In 1997, more than one-half (52%) of those accused in Prince Albert, Regina and Saskatoon were Aboriginal compared to their 9% proportion in the population of these cities.

A substantial difference in the male-female ratio of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal accused was found. Although the majority of all those accused were male, there was a greater proportion of Aboriginal female and non-Aboriginal female accused. Aboriginal accused tended to be younger than non-Aboriginal accused. Almost one-third (31%) of Aboriginal acused were aged 12 to 17 years of age compared to 23% of non-Aboriginal accused.

In the two cities where victim data were available (Regina and prince Albert), there was a greater proportion of Aboriginal than non-Aboriginal victims of violent crime compared to their proportion in the overall population of these cities. In 1997, 42% of victims in Prince Albert and Regina were Aboriginal, compared to their 10% proportion in the population of these cities.

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