The Crime Drop and the General Social Survey

Most indicators including Uniform Crime Reports and the International Crime Victims Survey suggest that Canada has experienced a dramatic “crime drop” similar to other advanced countries. Yet Canada’s General Social Survey (GSS), which ought to be the most methodologically sophisticated measure, suggests crime in this country has been stable or increasing. This study reviews the evidence. It concludes with the hypothesis that the GSS trends are misleading but that further research is needed to identify an explanation for this anomaly. Potential research and policy implications are discussed.