The volume and severity of police-reported crime rose for the third consecutive year in 2023, with increased reporting of child pornography being the largest contributor, a new Statistics Canada report says.
Canada’s Crime Severity Index (CSI) increased by 2 percent in 2023, continuing an upward trend observed since 2015. The rise of the index, which assesses both the number and relative severity of crimes, was driven primarily by a 52 percent increase in reported rates of child pornography compared to 2022, according to StatCan’s July 25 report.