# How did the crime severity index change in Nova Scotia?

> Crime severity index decreased in Nova Scotia.

Crime severity index fell from 105.4 Index to 72.96 Index between 1998 and 2025—a decrease of 32.44 index points, or 30.8%. It reached an observed low of 62.31 Index in 2016 before ending at 72.96 Index in 2025.

## Answer scope

- Geography: Nova Scotia (NS)
- Period: 1998 to 2025
- Frequency: Annual
- Source updated: 2026-07-22
- Measure: Crime severity index
- Index base: Canada, 2006 = 100
- Measure basis: Police-reported crime weighted by court sentences

## Key figures

- Start · 1998: 105.4 Index
- Latest · 2025: 72.96 Index
- Overall change: -32.44 index points (30.8% decrease)

## Exact observations

| Period | Series | Source display value | Value as charted | Chart unit |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | --- |
| 1998 | Crime severity index | 105.4 Index | 105.4 | Index |
| 1999 | Crime severity index | 104.62 Index | 104.62 | Index |
| 2000 | Crime severity index | 95.26 Index | 95.26 | Index |
| 2001 | Crime severity index | 92.53 Index | 92.53 | Index |
| 2002 | Crime severity index | 93.91 Index | 93.91 | Index |
| 2003 | Crime severity index | 101.44 Index | 101.44 | Index |
| 2004 | Crime severity index | 106.73 Index | 106.73 | Index |
| 2005 | Crime severity index | 102.1 Index | 102.1 | Index |
| 2006 | Crime severity index | 101.14 Index | 101.14 | Index |
| 2007 | Crime severity index | 91.93 Index | 91.93 | Index |
| 2008 | Crime severity index | 84.15 Index | 84.15 | Index |
| 2009 | Crime severity index | 83.99 Index | 83.99 | Index |
| 2010 | Crime severity index | 83.62 Index | 83.62 | Index |
| 2011 | Crime severity index | 79.48 Index | 79.48 | Index |
| 2012 | Crime severity index | 76.88 Index | 76.88 | Index |
| 2013 | Crime severity index | 70.06 Index | 70.06 | Index |
| 2014 | Crime severity index | 66.79 Index | 66.79 | Index |
| 2015 | Crime severity index | 63.26 Index | 63.26 | Index |
| 2016 | Crime severity index | 62.31 Index | 62.31 | Index |
| 2017 | Crime severity index | 66.14 Index | 66.14 | Index |
| 2018 | Crime severity index | 65.33 Index | 65.33 | Index |
| 2019 | Crime severity index | 66.03 Index | 66.03 | Index |
| 2020 | Crime severity index | 71.62 Index | 71.62 | Index |
| 2021 | Crime severity index | 71.6 Index | 71.6 | Index |
| 2022 | Crime severity index | 74.9 Index | 74.9 | Index |
| 2023 | Crime severity index | 74.66 Index | 74.66 | Index |
| 2024 | Crime severity index | 75.45 Index | 75.45 | Index |
| 2025 | Crime severity index | 72.96 Index | 72.96 | Index |

## How to read this measure

The Crime Severity Index is not an indicator of overall safety. 2019 is the first full year under revised reporting standards; compare earlier years with caution. Revised 2021 and 2022 data use updated crime weights. The previous year may be revised at each release. Northwest Territories includes Nunavut in 1998; they are separate from 1999.

## How this answer was calculated

The headline compares the first and last observations shown. Overall change is the last index value minus the first and is reported in index points; relative change is (last ÷ first − 1) × 100. Intermediate observations remain visible in the chart and exact values. This is descriptive and does not identify causes.

## Source and provenance

- Official source: [Statistics Canada table 35-10-0026-01](<https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=3510002601>)
- Table title: Crime severity index and weighted clearance rates, Canada, provinces, territories and Census Metropolitan Areas
- Dataset identifier: 35100026
- Canonical human-readable answer: <https://www.canadaindata.ca/?place=ns&analysis=statcan-35100026-trend&subject=35>
- Province and territory comparison: <https://www.canadaindata.ca/comparisons/statcan-35100026-trend>
- Interpretation policy: this answer describes the selected observations; it does not infer causation.
- Source acknowledgement: Adapted from Statistics Canada, Crime severity index and weighted clearance rates, Canada, provinces, territories and Census Metropolitan Areas, 2026-07-22. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.

## Evidence version

- Snapshot generated: 2026-09-05
- Snapshot SHA-256: `c9882d908d7b8a0374fe7c7c93106506b8d47520df5814c21d767e74984d45cb`
- Evidence changelog: <https://www.canadaindata.ca/data-changelog.json>
- This answer URL represents the latest deployed evidence. Record the digest when reproducibility matters.

## Suggested citation

Canada in Data. “How did the crime severity index change in Nova Scotia?” Nova Scotia. Source updated 2026-07-22. <https://www.canadaindata.ca/?place=ns&analysis=statcan-35100026-trend&subject=35>

Canada in Data is an independent public-interest project and is not Statistics Canada. Verify consequential uses against the linked official table.