CONCERN OVER CRIME HAS REACHED A 30-YEAR LOW, POLL REVEALS

Grim though the headlines are most days, national concern over crime
is at its lowest level in three decades, a leading Canadian
sociologist has found.

In 1975, nearly six in 10 Canadians felt crime was a "very serious"
problem. By contrast, the proportion of people who feel that way now
has declined to just a third of the population, according to a report
released today by University of Lethbridge researcher Reginald Bibby.

What's more, far fewer Canadians consider violence and juvenile
offences to be as severe a social problem as 30 years ago. In the
mid-1970s, 42 per cent of the population felt youth crime was a "very
serious" problem, whereas today only a quarter of Canadians feel that way.

The research, based on a nationwide sample of 1,600 people, is
consistent with a recent Statistics Canada finding that the country's
overall reported crime rate sank to its lowest point in 25 years in 2006.

"There's a fairly clean argument that people don't think crime is as
serious as it was 30 years ago," Mr. Bibby says.

"There's an education element where people are getting a better grasp
of what's going on and are able to work towards solutions rather than
panicking or acting as if the sky is going to fall."

The lowered concern for crime varies little by region, post-boomers
(those under 40) showing the least alarm and older people
demonstrating higher levels of anxiety.

Women in particular seem to be more comfortable than in the past.
From the mid-70s to mid-90s, roughly 60 per cent of females
expressed anxiety about walking alone at night, whereas the current
proportion of women who feel that way has dropped to 50 per cent.