While mostly on the decline with a couple exceptions, the Lakeland continues to be a very high crime area of Alberta. Every community in the region reported a Crime Severity Index well above the provincial average for 2016.
The Crime Severity Index is different from a simple crime rate in that it gives more weight to more serious crimes so that a murder for example counts for more than a petty theft. The Elk Point area had by far the highest index with a score of 344.91, up from 267.08 in 2015. For comparison, the Alberta average was 102.49.
Every other community in the area reported a higher than average index as well. Bonnyville was down ten points for 2016, but still at 175.25. The rural area surrounding the town was even higher at 209.03. Cold Lake shot up to 131.41 in 2016 from 103.76 in 2015. Like Bonnyville, the rural area surrounding the city was even higher at 179.79, though that was an improvement over 186.82 in 2015.
St. Paul came in at 175.26, a decline from 184.20 in 2015. Unlike Bonnyville and Cold Lake though, the surrounding countryside was more peaceful at 156.05, down form 165.51. Lac La Biche meanwhile, stayed about the same as 2015 with an index of 196.15. The county was not divided into urban and rural stats.