Crime statistics do not necessarily give an accurate description of the actual number of crimes. Some of them depend on the willingness of victims to report a crime (as in the case of certain types of assaults, or property crimes), or they may depend on the ability of law enforcement agencies to detect certain crimes (for example, prostitution and drug-related offences). As a consequence, increases and decreases in crime rates over time may not be the result of an actual increase and decrease in the number of crimes.

Crime in Ontario, though a widespread happening has been in a relatively controlled state by the law enforcement authorities. The crime statistics for Ontario shows a distinct trend. For the last few years, Ontario has shown the lowest crime rate among all Canadian districts. In 2006, the crime rate was 5,689 per 100,000 while for the next lowest district Quebec it was 5909 per 100,000.This was the third straight year that Ontario stood lowest.

An analysis of provincial criminal charges from 2000 to 2007 by the Canadian Press has found that small communities are outpacing big cities when it comes to weapons, violent crime and drug possession charges. The number of weapons charges spiked in all but 4 Ontario communities between 2000 and 2007 while the number of people charged with impaired driving plummeted across the province.