Montreal looks likely to easily cruise to its lowest-ever annual homicide total since on-island totals were compiled in 1972.
The current total of 16 murders puts the city on a pace for about 21 homicides for 2015, five fewer than last year's record-low number and well under the 34-per-year average over the last decade.
Murder rates spike in the summer. So now that the heat, partying and loitering has largely passed, we could conceivably flirt with a sub-20 homicide total for 2016.
Predictions of an inevitable underworld struggle between rival fractured Mafia factions have proven just incorrect. Biker gangs? Whatever they're doing, it's not murder.
Roughly half of this year's killings consisted of crimes of passion and drunkenness while many others were street-gang scuffles. Only a few have the earmarks of settlings-of-accounts.
Consider for much of its history Montreal has been the perennial Canadian leader for murder per capita. And between between 1989 and 1993 Montreal had 79 homicides on average. We've had 4 years of 97 murders or more since 1972.
Consider that in 2000 Montreal already had 16 homicides by April 30. In 2006 we reached the 16 murder milestone on May 15. In 1993 Montreal saw 16 murders by St. Patrick's Day.
Explanations for the demise in homicide? The rise in abortions, aging of the population, closer surveillance of negligent parents, better mental evaluations, decline of street drug dealing and...of course..the rise of that time-sucking distraction known as the internet.
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The current total of 16 murders puts the city on a pace for about 21 homicides for 2015, five fewer than last year's record-low number and well under the 34-per-year average over the last decade.
Murder rates spike in the summer. So now that the heat, partying and loitering has largely passed, we could conceivably flirt with a sub-20 homicide total for 2016.
Predictions of an inevitable underworld struggle between rival fractured Mafia factions have proven just incorrect. Biker gangs? Whatever they're doing, it's not murder.
Roughly half of this year's killings consisted of crimes of passion and drunkenness while many others were street-gang scuffles. Only a few have the earmarks of settlings-of-accounts.
Consider for much of its history Montreal has been the perennial Canadian leader for murder per capita. And between between 1989 and 1993 Montreal had 79 homicides on average. We've had 4 years of 97 murders or more since 1972.
Consider that in 2000 Montreal already had 16 homicides by April 30. In 2006 we reached the 16 murder milestone on May 15. In 1993 Montreal saw 16 murders by St. Patrick's Day.
Explanations for the demise in homicide? The rise in abortions, aging of the population, closer surveillance of negligent parents, better mental evaluations, decline of street drug dealing and...of course..the rise of that time-sucking distraction known as the internet.
