Thursday, November 23, 2006

Crime prevention measures taken by Canadians

Over three-quarters of Canadians regularly used some type of preventive measure to protect themselves and their property from crime in 2004, according to a new report.

But the report, based on data from the General Social Survey (GSS) on victimization, found that people were far more likely to modify their routine activities and behaviours than they were to adopt more drastic measures, such as changing their residence or buying a gun.

The GSS asked Canadians specific questions about their use of two types of crime prevention techniques: "lifetime protective measures" they had used at least once during some point in their life; and "routine precautionary measures" they employed on a regular basis.

Findings showed that among the lifetime protective measures studied, 35% of Canadians changed their routine or avoided certain places, while 34% installed burglar alarms or motion detectors, and 31% installed new locks or security bars.

In contrast, only 5% reported that they changed their phone number, 4% changed residences, and 1% bought a gun. These findings were comparable to those from the last GSS on victimization conducted in 1999.

Routine precautionary measures were much more common. Nearly 6 in 10 Canadians routinely locked car doors for safety when alone in the car, while 4 out of every 10 regularly planned their route with safety in mind, or checked the back seat for intruders when they returned to the car alone.

Again, more extreme efforts were used less frequently. Specifically, 1 in 10 individuals reported that they stayed home at night because they were afraid to go out alone.

Not surprisingly, people who had been the victim of a crime in the 12 months prior to the survey were more likely to employ crime prevention techniques.

For example, more than half of victims (52%) indicated that they modified their activities at some point in their lives to prevent victimization, nearly twice the proportion of 29% among people who had never been a victim. About 42% of victims installed new locks or security bars, compared with only 27% of non-victims.

The use of crime prevention measures also varied with a number of other factors, such as perceptions of neighbourhood crime, an individual's level of education, sex and personal income.

Specifically, almost half (48%) of those who felt that neighbourhood crime had risen over the past five years changed their activities or avoided certain places compared to 29% of those who thought neighbourhood crime rates were stable.

Overall, women were more likely than men to have employed crime prevention measures. For example, about 7% of women reported they had changed their phone number at some point, double the proportion among men. About three-quarters of women reported that they locked their car doors for safety when alone, compared with less than half of men (44%).

Higher levels of education and personal income generally increased the likelihood of using crime prevention measures.

Urban-rural differences in crime prevention activities were also notable. The use of crime prevention strategies was generally more common among urban-dwellers than those living in rural areas. However, rural residents were more likely to have obtained a dog or a gun for protection at some point in their life.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 4504.

The profile Canadians' Use of Crime Prevention Measures (85F0033MIE2006012, free) is now available as part of the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics Profile Series. From the Publications module, under Free Internet publications, choose Justice.

For more information, or to enquire about concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Information and Client Services (toll-free 1-800-387-2231; 613-951-9023), Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics.

Crime prevention measures routinely and ever taken to protect self or property, 2004
Measures routinely taken to protect self or property from crime	% population aged 15 and over who have employed measures
Lock car doors for safety when alone	59
Check back seat for intruders when returning to car alone	43
Plan route with safety in mind	43
Carry something to defend self or alert others	13
Stay home at night because afraid to go out alone	10
Measures ever taken in one's lifetime to protect self or property from crime	% population aged 15 and over who have employed measures
Changed activities or avoided certain places	35
Installed burglar alarms or motion detectors	34
Installed new locks or security bars	31
Took a self-defence course	13
Obtained a dog	9
Changed phone number	5
Changed residence or moved	4
Obtained a gun	1

---

Send this article to another person
E-mail to:
Your name:
Your e-mail:
Comments: