Map of the Week: Drug charges

CANADIAN PRESS

Map: Average annual drug charges per 1,000 residents, 2004-2008

This week continues our occasional series of neighbourhood crime maps with a look at drug charges.

The most obvious thing about the map is the higher rates of drug charges more or less downtown, roughly in an area bounded by Queen/King, Bathurst, Bloor and Parliament, more or less. The missing piece of information is how many of these charges were laid against residents of any given neighbourhood, and how many against people from outside.

Looking more broadly at the city, we see the familiar check-mark shape extending diagonally down though the west end, through the downtown and up again through Scarborough. This appears on many other maps, including this one and this one.

The rate is averaged over five years because of significant year-to year fluctuation in many areas.

The map shows five years of data for all 140 neighbourhoods, as seen below:

Comments

[Matthew]

I like what Ottawa is doing with the crime reports website.

See http://bit.ly/1yNdOT

I think some areas like Richmond Hill are using it as well.

[myuname]

Oh pot charges are a waste of time, money and life

[firefight]

Can we stop hiring more police already??? This drug policing is a ridiculous waste of human effort, and it's taking a huge chunk out of our near bankrupt city budget. I think police take about 50% of the city of Toronto's budget.