Good Governance - Quality Of Care

Safety of a community, personal safety, and confidence in institutions and the media, all play significant roles in people’s health and well-being.

Crime rates show the safety of the community, or the perception of safety. Unsafe neighborhoods can cause anxiety, depression and stress. Fear of violence can keep people indoors, away from neighbors, exercise, and other social interactions.

Victimization can lead to increased incidences of depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and suicide; increased risk of cardiovascular disease; and premature mortality. The health consequences of violence can vary with the type, duration and number of incidents of victimization and also with the age and sex of the victim.

Levels of public confidence in institutions (such as the police, the justice system and courts, the school system, and Federal Parliament) and trust in the media can be linked to mental health and overall well-being.

There are three indexes – an overall CSI, a Violent CSI and a Non-Violent CSI. The overall CSI includes all Criminal Code violations including traffic, as well as drug violations and all Federal Statutes. The Violent CSI includes all violent offences, while the Non-violent CSI includes everything that does not fall into the category of violent offences.

The Crime Severity Index (CSI) has increased in NL (25% increase) and across Canada (11% increase) from 2015 to 2022.
From 2015 to 2020, the CSI was lower in NL compared to Canada and from 2021 to 2022 it was higher in NL. In 2022, the CSI was 5% higher in NL compared to Canada.
In 2017, NL ranked fourth for its CSI and in 2022 NL ranked fifth (1=best and 10=worst).

Safety and Security: Violent Crime Severity Index

The violent CSI includes all violent offences (such as homicide, sexual assault, assault, forcible confinement or kidnapping, trafficking, robbery, criminal harassment, extortion, and uttering threats) while the non-violent CSI includes everything that does not fall into the category of violent offences (such as drug and traffic violations, break and enter, theft, mischief, fraud, disturbing the peace, arson, and weapons violations).

The Violent Crime Severity Index (CSI) has increased in NL (43% increase) and across Canada (30% increase) from 2015 to 2022.
From 2015 to 2022, the violent CSI was lower in NL compared to Canada (except for 2021).
In both 2017 and 2022, NL ranked fourth for its violent CSI (1=best and 10=worst).

Safety and Security: Non-Violent Crime Severity Index

Overall, the Non-Violent Crime Severity Index (CSI) has increased in NL (19% increase) and across Canada (4% increase) from 2015 to 2022.
From 2015 to 2020, the non-violent CSI was lower in NL compared to Canada. Since 2020, it has been higher in NL.
In both 2017, NL ranked fourth for its non-violent CSI and in 2022 NL ranked fifth (1=best and 10=worst).

Safety and Security: Violent Criminal Code Violations

Violent criminal code violations include homicide, attempted murder, sexual assault, assault, extortion, criminal harassment, etc.

From 2016 to 2021, the rate of violent criminal code violations increased across Canada for all provinces (37% increase in NL and 23% increase for Canada).
The rate of violent criminal code violations was higher in NL compared to Canada from 2016 to 2021.
In 2021, the rate of violent criminal code violations was almost 40% higher in NL compared to the Canadian rate.
In both 2016 and 2021, NL ranked eighth among the Canadian provinces for rate of violent criminal code violations (1=best and 10=worst).

Safety and Security: Impaired Driving Violations

Impaired driving violations include impaired operation due to alcohol and/or drugs. The violations include impaired operation, impaired operation causing bodily harm or death, failure to provide breath sample, and failure to comply or refusal.

Overall, from 2016 to 2021, the rate of impaired driving violations remained stable across Canada but increased in NL (54% increase).
The rate of impaired driving violations was higher in NL compared to Canada from 2016 to 2021.
In 2021, the rate of impaired driving violations in NL was more than double the Canadian rate.
In 2016, NL ranked fifth (tied with MB) for rate of impaired driving violations and in 2021 NL ranked eighth (1=best and 10=worst).

Safety and Security: Breaking and Entering Violations

Police consider breaking and entering to be the most severe type of property crime. It includes both residential and commercial break and entering.

From 2016 to 2021, the rate of breaking and entering violations decreased across Canada for all provinces (43% decrease in NL and 25% decrease for Canada).
From 2017 onwards, the rate of breaking and entering violations was lower in NL compared to Canada.
In 2021, the rate of breaking and entering violations was 12% lower in NL compared to the Canadian rate.
In 2016, NL ranked sixth for rate of breaking and entering violations and in 2021 NL ranked fifth (1=best and 10=worst).

Safety and Security: Drug Related Violations

Drug related violations include offences such as possession, production, sale, distribution, trafficking, and importation/exportation of controlled substances.

From 2016 to 2021, the rate of drug related violations decreased across Canada for all provinces.
From 2016 to 2019, the rate of drug related violations was lower in NL compared to Canada and from 2020 onwards the rates have been similar.
In 2016, NL ranked second (tied with PE) for rate of drug related violations and in 2021 NL ranked seventh (tied with QC) (1=best and 10=worst).

Personal Safety: Victimization/Violent Victimization

The General Social Survey collects information on eight types of incidents of victimization: sexual assault, robbery and physical assault, theft of personal property, breaking and entering, motor vehicle theft, theft of household property and vandalism.

Incidents of victimization can be classified as violent or non-violent. Violent incidents include sexual assault, robbery and physical assault. Non-violent incidents include theft of personal property and household victimization (break and enter, theft of motor vehicles or parts, theft of household property or vandalism).

In 2019, approximately 1 in 8 individuals in NL self-reported being victimized in the past 12 months compared to approximately 1 in 5 across Canada.
Self-reported violent victimization was similar in NL and Canada in 2019 (4.0% and 4.3%, respectively).
In 2019, NL had the lowest rate of self-reported victimization (rank 1) and ranked third for rate of self-reported violent victimization (1=best and 10=worst).

Personal Safety: Childhood Maltreatment

Child maltreatment is the abuse and neglect that occurs to children under 18 years of age and is associated with poorer health and socioeconomic outcomes later in life.

In 2018, approximately 1 in 5 individuals in NL reported physical or sexual abuse during childhood.
Childhood maltreatment was 30% lower in NL compared to Canada.
Across Canada, NL had the lowest rate of individuals reporting physical or sexual abuse during childhood among the Canadian provinces.

Personal Safety: Self-reported Sexual Assault (since age 15)

In 2018, approximately 1 in 6 individuals in NL reported being sexually assaulted since the age of 15.
Self-reported sexual assault (since age 15) was 12% lower in NL compared to Canada.
Across Canada, NL had the second lowest rate of individuals reporting sexual assault (since age 15) among the Canadian provinces.

Confidence in Institutions: Police

This indicator was measured using the following question, “Using a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 means ‘No confidence at all’ and 5 means ‘A great deal of confidence’, how much confidence do you have in the police?”

In one year (Q2 2022 to Q2 2023), confidence in the police decreased by approximately 7% in both NL and across Canada.
From Q2 2022 to Q2 2023, confidence in the police was slightly higher in NL compared to Canada.
In both Q2 2022 and Q2 2023, NL ranked fourth for its confidence in the police (1=best and 10=worst).

Confidence in Institutions: Justice System & Courts

This indicator was measured using the following question, “Using a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 means ‘No confidence at all’ and 5 means ‘A great deal of confidence’, how much confidence do you have in the justice system and courts?”

In one year (Q2 2022 to Q2 2023), confidence in the justice system and courts has decreased in NL (9% decrease) and across Canada (16% decrease).
From Q2 2022 to Q2 2023, confidence in the justice systems and courts was lower in NL compared to Canada.
In Q2 2022, NL ranked seventh (tied with MB) for its confidence in the justice system and courts and in Q2 2023 NL ranked sixth (1=best and 10=worst).

Confidence in Institutions: School System

This indicator was measured using the following question, “Using a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 means ‘No confidence at all’ and 5 means ‘A great deal of confidence’, how much confidence do you have in the school system?”

From Q2 2022 to Q2 2023, confidence in the school system has decreased in NL (18% decrease) and across Canada (14% decrease).
Confidence in the school system was higher in NL compared to Canada from Q2 2022 to Q2 2023.
In Q2 2022, NL ranked fourth for its confidence in the school system and in Q2 2023 NL ranked third (1=best and 10=worst).

Confidence in Institutions: Federal Parliament

This indicator was measured using the following question, “Using a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 means ‘No confidence at all’ and 5 means ‘A great deal of confidence’, how much confidence do you have in Federal Parliament?”

From Q2 2022 to Q2 2023, confidence in Federal Parliament has decreased in NL (5% decrease) and across Canada (17% decrease).
Confidence in Federal Parliament was lower in NL compared to Canada from Q2 2022 to Q4 2022 and in Q2 2023 confidence was higher in NL.
In Q2 2022, NL ranked fifth for its confidence in Federal Parliament and in Q2 2023 NL ranked third (1=best and 10=worst).

Confidence in Institutions: Canadian Media

This indicator was measured using the following question, “Using a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 means ‘No confidence at all’ and 5 means ‘A great deal of confidence’, how much confidence do you have in the Canadian media?”

From Q4 2022 to Q2 2023, confidence in the Canadian Media decreased slightly in NL and Canada.
Confidence in the Canadian Media was higher in NL compared to Canada.
In Q4 2022, NL ranked third for its confidence in the Canadian Media and in Q2 2023 NL ranked fourth (1=best and 10=worst).

Social Determinants of Health – Good Governance

Safety and Security: Crime Severity Index