NIAGARA REGION – We may be growing out of crime.

That’s what some are speculating might be behind a decline in the number of crimes reported in Niagara in 2011. Statistics Canada found the number of crimes reported in the St. Catharines-Niagara census metro area dropped 12.5% compared to 2010.

In both adult and youth crime rates, Niagara is well below the national and provincial averages.

“It’s not all about the police officer going out and charging more people and arresting more people. There are other factors involved,” said Walter Greczko, chair of Niagara College’s school of justice studies.

Those include our age demographics, he said.

He noted most criminals are active in their teens or twenties.

“You don’t expect most people in that (senior) age group to be committing crimes,” Greczko said.

The flip side, he said, is that seniors are more liable to be victims of crime.

The 2011 statistics found Niagara’s population is getting older. Our median age was 44.4, well above Canada’s 40.4.

Greczko said crime rates depend on many factors, not just policing.

Social and economic conditions also have to be considered.

Voula Marinos, an associate professor of criminology at Brock, said the numbers reflect a broader national trend of declining crime rates, though she said not all crimes are reported.

She said Niagara Regional Police have been a “real model” in working with youth organizations to tackle the root causes of youth crime. But she also said aging is a factor in the slow decline of Canada’s crime rate.

Niagara saw 21,813 incidents reported to police last year and 6,067 people charged. Those include 5,399 adults and 668 youths under age 17.

That’s down from the peak in the last five years when in 2008, 5,837 adults and 816 kids were charged, with 27,279 crimes reported.

Niagara police were not available Tuesday.

St. Catharines Mayor Brian McMullan welcomed the news.

“I’ve always said St. Catharines is a safe and welcoming community, and I believe what I say. But it’s great to see the stats back that up,” he said.

He, too, figured Niagara’s aging population played a part.

“There’s not too many 70 year olds committing crimes,” he said.

jeff.bolichowski@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @JeffB_Standard

Source: St. Catharines Standard